Chupa Chups

In the early 1950s, Enric Bernat worked for an apple jam factory called "Granja Asturias". After he broached the idea of making lollipops, the investors left. Bernat took over the company in 1958 and renamed it Chupa Chups. He built the production machines and sold a striped bonbon on a wooden stick for one peseta each.

Bernat got the idea of his lollipops from his getting sticky hands from melting sweets. Bernat felt that at that time, sweets were not designed for children. Shopkeepers were instructed to place Chupa Chups near the cash register within reach of children's hands, instead of the usual placement behind the counter.

A giant Chupa Chups lollipop for sale

The Chupa Chups company was a success. Within five years, Bernat's sweets were being sold at 300,000 outlets. When the candy was first created, the lolly sticks were made of wood but they switched to plastic sticks. After the end of Francoist Spain (1939–75), the self-funded private company went international. In the 1970s the lollipops appeared in Japan and Southeast Asian countries such as Indonesia, Singapore, Philippines and Malaysia, as well as India and Australia. In the 1980s, it expanded to the European and North American markets, and in the 1990s to most Asian countries, including South Korea. In China they were manufactured by Tatagum in Panyu, near Guangzhou. As of 2003, 4 billion lollipops a year are sold to 150 countries. The company has 2,000 employees, makes 90 percent of its sales abroad, and has a turnover of €500,000,000.

In 1991, Bernat passed formal control of the company to his son Xavier. The Smint subsidiary brand/company was founded in 1994.

In July 2006, the company as a whole was acquired by the Italian group Perfetti Van Melle.[2]

The Chupa Chups logo was designed in 1969 by the surrealist artist Salvador Dalí.[3][4] Its first marketing campaign was the logo with the slogan "Es redondo y dura mucho, Chupa Chups", which translates from Spanish as "It's round and long-lasting". Later, celebrities like Madonna were hired to advertise the product.

In the 1980s, owing to falling birth rates, an anti-smoking slogan "Smoke Chupa Chups" was tried to attract further adult consumers.[3] The company's current anti-smoking slogan is "Stop smoking, start sucking", with their packages parodying cigarette pack designs. Some packages parody the mandatory black and white warning labels of the European Union with the notice "Sucking does not kill."[5]

Chupa Chups sponsored the 1992 video game Zool. Their logo was featured prominently in the first level, "Sweet World".[6][7]

In 1995 Chupa Chups became the first candy sent to the Mir space station.

In 1997 Chupa Chups launched a Spice Girls lollipop range with different packages each featuring a collectible Spice Girl sticker, toy microphones and bubblegum packets that came with collectible Spice Girls temporary tattoos, as well as "Push Pops" and "Crazy Dips".

Between 2000 and 2003 Chupa Chups were the main shirt sponsors of English football team Sheffield Wednesday.

Chupa Chups have a large product range with their standard lollipop the most popular.[8]

Chupa Chupa have more than 100 flavours available worldwide,[9] including sugar-free varieties.[10] They are individually heat-sealed in the factory, and are best opened by twisting the base of the wrapper.[11]

Chupa Chups can be found in various retail stores, as well as places that sell online.

• Chupa Chups World (official site) (flash)
• Company History