Mike and Ike

Mike and Ike is a brand of fruit-flavored candies that were first introduced in 1942 by the company Just Born, Inc. The origin of the candy's name remains unknown, but there are many conjectures. Mike and Ikes were originally all fruit flavored but now come in several different varieties which have been introduced over the years.

For the comic strip, see Mike and Ike (They Look Alike).

Mike and Ike
Place of originBethlehem, Pennsylvania, USA (1940)
Created byJust Born, Inc.
VariationsTropical Typhoon, Berry Blast, etc.
Food energy
(per serving)
140 (40g serving) kcal
Other information0 grams of fat; kosher; gluten-free

History

The Mike and Ike brand was first introduced in 1940 by Just Born, Inc., which is located in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.[1] Its origin uncertain, the name may have come from the comic strip Mike and Ike (They Look Alike), which, however, had ended by the 1940s. Or the name may have referred to the Matina Brothers, two of whom, nicknamed "Mike" & "Ike," were billed as circus midgets and had roles as Munchkins in the 1939 film The Wizard of Oz; the author Dean Jensen wrote without cited evidence that the two became so popular in America that a boxed candy was named after them.[2] Other proposals include a company-wide contest, a vaudeville song titled “Mike and Ike”, and Dwight D. Eisenhower, whose nickname was "Ike."[3] Just Born acquired the Rodda Candy Company in 1953 and produced new flavors of the candy, such as cotton candy. Additional flavors such as Root Beer came in the 1960s, and others have been introduced on and off since.[4]

Candy

Mike and Ike are oblong fruit-flavored chewy candies that come in several colors and varieties, including cherry, strawberry, orange, lemon, and lime. Popular varieties are Tropical Typhoon, Berry Blast and Jolly Joes. Each candy has 7 calories, 0 grams of fat, and approximately 1 gram of sugar. The candy is kosher and gluten-free.[5]

They are similar to Hot Tamales, another candy introduced by the same manufacturer in 1950, though they are not spicy.[6]

Mike and Ike candies

Varieties

Just Born produces several varieties of Mike and Ikes, including:[7][8]

Name Package color First available Package type
Butter Popcorn Yellow 2004 Box or Bag
Cherry Cola Red 2004 Box or Bag
Original Fruits Green 1940 Box, bag, or freezer pop
Berry Blast Blue 1987 Box or bag
Tangy Twister Orange 2005 Box or bag
Tropical Typhoon Pink 1977 Box or bag
Italian Ice Light blue 2008 Box or bag
Lemonade Blends Yellow 2007 Box or bag
Jolly Joes Purple 1973 Box
Zours Yellow 1999 Box or bag
Red Rageous Red 2009 Box or bag
Strawberry Reunion[9] Black and pink 2013 Box
Sweet Paradise Light Purple 2014 Box
Mega Mix Light Blue with rainbow 2016 Box or bag
Mega Mix Sour Light Green with rainbow 2018 Box or bag
Flavors for Mike and Ike

Retro/limited varieties include:[8][10]

  • Lem and Mel (Lemon and watermelon) flavor (launched 1991; reissued 2013)
  • Cherri and Bubb (Cherry and bubble gum) flavor (launched 1989; reissued 2013)
  • Strawbana (launched 1991)
  • Mike and Ike – Strawberries n' Cream (launched 2000)
  • Mike and Ike – Oranges n' Cream (launched 2000)
  • Cherry Cola (launched 2004, reissued 2016)
  • Buttered Popcorn (launched 2004, reissued 2016)
  • Mike and Ike Minion Mix – Blueberry and Banana flavors (launched 2014)
  • Mike and Ike Valentines Mix (Seasonal)
  • Mike and Ike Mummy's Mix (Seasonal)
  • Mike and Ike Merry Mix (Seasonal) (launched 2015)
  • Mike and Ike Sundae Sweets (Limited edition)
  • Mike and Ike Cotton Candy (Limited edition)
  • Mike and Ike Rootbeer Float (Limited edition)

There are also seasonal packages for Easter in which the Mike and Ike flavors are formed as jelly beans.[11]

Media

In April 2012, the company ran an ad campaign based on the premise that Mike and Ike were "breaking up" due to "creative differences"; the packaging showed one or the other name scratched out. The campaign was intended to capture the interest of younger consumers.[12][13][14] In 2013 the company announced Mike and Ike would reunite. In addition to a re-designed packaging and juicier tasting candy, a trailer for a movie was released, entitled, The Return of Mike and Ike.[15]

References
  1. Andrew F. Smith (2006). Encyclopedia of junk food and fast food. Greenwood Publishing Group. Retrieved September 24, 2010.
  2. Dean Jensen (September 1, 2006). The Lives and Loves of Daisy and Violet Hilton: A True Story of Conjoined Twins. Ten Speed Press. p. 53. ISBN 978-1580087582. Retrieved April 28, 2017.
  3. "Mike & Ike History". Old Time Candy. Retrieved November 22, 2017.
  4. Jeff Wells (January 22, 2016). "10 Sweet and Colorful Facts About Mike and Ike". Mental Floss. Retrieved November 22, 2017.
  5. "Fruity Facts about Mike and Ike" (PDF) (Press release). Just Born. Retrieved September 24, 2010.
  6. Andrew F. Smith (2007). The Oxford companion to American food and drink. Oxford University Press. Retrieved September 24, 2010.
  7. "Mike and Ike candy flavors". justborn. Retrieved May 11, 2013.
  8. "Just Born Interactive Timeline" (PDF). Just Born. Retrieved May 11, 2013.
  9. "Mike And Ike Getting Back Together After Messy Divorce". huffingtonpost. March 20, 2013. Retrieved May 11, 2013.
  10. "Mike and Ike candy flavors". justborn. Retrieved May 11, 2013.
  11. Just Born INC (2010). "Stock up". Retrieved December 1, 2010.
  12. Dale, Maryclaire (April 13, 2012). "Mike and Ike announce split in cheeky ad campaign". Bloomberg Businessweek. Associated Press. Retrieved May 15, 2012.
  13. Bangert, Dave (April 28, 2012). "A culture war in the candy aisle". Journal & Courier. Retrieved May 15, 2012.
  14. Cox, Ana Marie (May 8, 2012). "Same-sex marriage amendments: bigotry's last gasp". The Guardian. Retrieved May 15, 2012.
  15. "Mike and Ike's 'Breakup' Lifted Sales and Social". ADWEEK. March 27, 2013. Retrieved May 11, 2013.
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