Tootsie Roll Industries
| File:Tootsie logo.png | |
| Company type | Public |
|---|---|
| NYSE: TR S&P 600 component | |
| Industry | Confectionery |
| Founded | 1896 |
| Founder | Leo Hirschfeld |
| Headquarters | Chicago, Illinois |
Key people | Ellen R. Gordon (President/CEO) |
| Products | Candy |
| Revenue | Increase US$769,365,000 (2023) |
| Increase US$101,828,000 (2023) | |
Number of employees | 2,000 |
| Website | www |
Tootsie Roll Industries () is a confectionery company based in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Its most recognized products are the classic Tootsie Roll and Tootsie Pop. The firm distributes its confectionery items internationally, including markets in Canada, Mexico, and more than 75 additional countries.
History
The company was established in 1896 by Leo Hirschfeld, an Austrian Jewish immigrant, who began with a modest candy shop in New York. In 1907, Hirschfeld developed a chocolate-flavored candy designed to resist melting and named it after his daughter Clara’s nickname, "Tootsie." By 1917, the business had been renamed The Sweets Company of America and entered the public market via the American Stock Exchange in 1919.
Following Hirschfeld’s departure around 1920 and subsequent death in 1922, the enterprise continued to expand. The introduction of the Tootsie Pop in 1931—a hard candy lollipop with a Tootsie Roll center—gained significant popularity during the Great Depression due to its low cost. During World War II, Tootsie Rolls were included in U.S. military rations because of their long-lasting quality.
In 1935, Joseph Rubin & Sons, a major supplier, took control of the company. Bernard D. Rubin became president and significantly increased sales by twelve times through product improvements and moving production facilities to Hoboken, New Jersey. After his death in 1948, leadership transitioned to his brother William B. Rubin until 1962.
William’s daughter Ellen Rubin Gordon took over management in 1962 and has held the positions of Chairman and CEO since 2015. Her husband Melvin Gordon served as Chairman and CEO from 1962 until his passing in 2015. The company rebranded as Tootsie Roll Industries, Inc. in 1966 and moved its headquarters to Chicago two years later.
Growth has been driven by acquiring well-known confectionery brands such as Mason Division (1972), Cella's Confections (1985), The Charms Company (1988), Warner-Lambert’s candy division excluding gum and mints (1993), Andes Candies (2000), and Concord Confections (2004).
In fiscal year 2024, Tootsie Roll Industries experienced a 6.3% drop in revenue to $715.5 million due to increased expenses for cocoa and chocolate that affected profit margins. To adapt, the company is emphasizing non-chocolate items. Its subsidiary Charms is investing $97.7 million to enhance production capacity for Blow Pops, strengthening its standing within the lollipop category.
Facilities
The company's main office is situated on Chicago's South Side, housed within the historic Dodge Chicago Plant, where the majority of its confectionery manufacturing takes place. It also runs a production site in Mexico City that manufactures certain Tootsie Pops and other sweets destined for the Mexican market as well as for export to the United States and Canada. Furthermore, a facility located in the Port district of Cambridge, Massachusetts—operating under the subsidiary Cambridge Brands, formerly known as the James O. Welch Company—contributes to the production process. Another manufacturing plant based in Spain produces candy specifically for export to Canada.
Brands and products
The Tootsie Roll product lineup features:
- Andes Chocolate Mints
- Candy Blox
- Cella's chocolate-covered cherries
- Charleston Chew bars
- Charms Blow Pops and Caramel Apple Pops
- Child's Play assorted confections
- Dots gumdrops and Crows licorice
- Chewing gums including Dubble Bubble, Thrills, Razzles, and Cry Baby
- Fluffy Stuff cotton candy
- Frooties fruit-flavored chews
- Junior Caramels
- Junior Mints
- Nik-L-Nip juice-based candies
- Polar Mint
- Sugar Daddy and Sugar Babies
- Tootsie Rolls and Tootsie Pops
- Wack-O-Wax wax lip candy