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Ring Pop
Ring Pop’s history from child pacifier to fashion icon.
1977-1979
Frank Richards, a product engineer at the Topps Company, invented Ring Pop in the late 1970s to help his daughter stop sucking her thumb. He based his design on a pacifier with a hard candy “jewel” mounted on a plastic ring base.
1980
Ring Pop was launched in 1980 by Topps. It came in cherry and grape. Though it was marketed toward both boys and girls, ads largely targeted girls who were more interested in jewelry.
Early-Mid 1980s
In the 80s, Ring Pop released the catchy theme song and the catchphrase, "It's a lollipop without a stick!" With the slogan:"It was a juicy jewel of flavor, Ring Pop. A lollipop without a stick, a ring of flavor you could lick." Commercials littered American households, boosting sales.
During the same period, many flavors were also released, including Blue Raspberry, Strawberry, Watermelon, Lime, and Apple.
Topps also released a line of Ring Pop Sours, including Sour Green Apple, Sour Cherry Berry, Sour Watermelon, Sour Lemonade, Sour Cherry, and Sour Raspberry Lemonade. Sour candy gained momentum throughout the 1980s, and Ring Pop was one of many candy brands to release tangy/sour candies.
Early 2000s
In the early 2000s, Topps rebranded the candy as a "wearable candy" and updated the packaging to reposition Ring Pop. The new packaging highlighted how fun and fashionable it is to wear candy.
2007
In 2007, former Disney CEO Michael Eisner purchased Bazooka Candy Brands (a division of Topps) for around $385 million.
2011
In 2011, Ring Pop launched a version encrusted with Swarovski Crystals and colored blue. They gifted it to the Dallas Mavericks for their 2011 NBA Finals win.
2013
Ring Pop Gummies were released in 2013. These were soft and chewable versions of the traditional Ring Pop.
In 2013, they also released Ring Pop "twisted" multi-flavored lollipops in Berry Blast, Citrus Craze, and Strawberry Ice Cream flavors.
October 2023
In October 2023, funds advised by Apax Partners LLP acquired Bazooka Candy Brands from Michael D. Eisner'sTornante Company for $700 million.
2025
Most recently, in 2025, Bazooka Brands opened a new manufacturing plant for Ring Pops capable of producing 1.5 million candies per day. The 120,000-square-foot plant in Moosic, Pennsylvania, is roughly four times larger than the facility it's replacing. Company sales are projected to cross $100 million in 2025.
Today, you can find Ring Pop in a variety of flavors and varieties including:
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