Pop Tarts
Pop-Tarts is a brand of rectangular, pre-baked toaster pastries made by the Kellogg Company. Pop-Tarts have a sugary filling sealed inside two layers of rectangular, thin pastry crust. Some varieties are frosted. Although sold pre-cooked, they are designed to be warmed inside a toaster or microwave oven. They are usually sold in pairs inside foil packages, and do not require refrigeration.
History
In early 1963, Post, the main breakfast cereal competitor at the time announced a line of shelf-stable pastries called Country Squares that could be warmed up in their toasters. The idea actually came from one of their pet food products called Gaines Burgers that stayed moist without needing refrigeration. Post applied it to their fruit tarts. Before this concept, fruits did not keep very well and had a relatively limited expiration date before they would spoil.[1]
The idea was promising, but Post had made a mistake in announcing the product too early. It was not yet ready to go to market. Kellogg's took this opportunity to quickly make their own version and get it on store shelves so they could promote it. The initial name for them was "Fruit Scones," but they later changed it to Pop Tarts. Pop-Artist Andy Warhol is said to have influenced the name. Sales took off quickly and they sold out of them for a while when they initially came out.
The first Pop-Tarts were not frosted and only came with four flavors - Apple Currant Jelly, Strawberry, Blueberry and Brown Sugar Cinnamon. A few years later, in 1967, the first frosted Pop-Tarts were made and it included Dutch-Apple, Concord Grape, Raspberry and Brown Sugar-Cinnamon.
Today there are over 30 different flavor varieties and Kellogg's makes over a billion Pop-Tarts each year.