Whistle Pops (History, Flavors & Pictures)

This is one of the most unique candies on the market for a whole variety of reasons. There are many candies that are made all around the taste that they offer, but there are few food items or candy items that are made just because they can be used as a toy. Cereals and many other candy products are marketed with toys included in the box or the wrapper, but whistle pops are totally unique.

If you have never seen a Whistle Pops, or versions called a Melody Pop in other countries besides the US, you have been missing out! These products have not stood up to the test of time, but they were a lot of fun during the time that they were at the height of their popularity. If you want to learn more about this unique candy, you need to read on!

History

Whistle Pops or Melody Pops in some places were a lollipop that was made by the Spangler Candy Company. This candy came out in the 1970s and the candy was made all around the idea that the candy could be used as a whistle. There are few items in the candy category that are made to be used as a toy. The taste of the whistle pop was much less important overall than the use of the candy as a toy.

This 70s candy was designed with a hole in it that would make a loud whistling sound when the whistle was blown on. This candy was made in a simple way and it was effective at delivering the functionality that it was made to offer. Imagine how disappointing it would have been to buy a candy that offered the promise of a toy function and then find out that you just had a lollipop in your hand that was shaped like a whistle! This candy did not let anyone down with the functionality and you could make a great sound with this candy.

In the UK, these candies were popular as well when they were released and they were sold under the same name. When Chupa Chups reintroduced the product, they renamed it Melody Pops. This was how it was sold in the US as well as other countries. The focus on the fun of the item was clear and they were marketed with the sound-making benefits as the main driver for purchases.

Chupas Chups made lollipops of other kinds and the Melody Pop was a logical addition to their other flavors and designs of candy. You will be able to get lots of flavors from the Melody Pop version of the candy that did not deviate too much from the original design. The Melody Pop offered a few new flavors for the enjoyment of kids and adults alike but the overall design was the same as the 1970s version.

When Chupas Chups took over, the candy was given a slider that made the whistle change notes as it was being used. This was a really fun benefit of buying this candy treat and toy and many kids loved this new feature. This was a common inclusion in Trick or Treating offerings due to the fun of the candy and you could hear people playing with their candies as they walked from house to house getting more candy that did not make noises.

While this toy that was also a candy was a big success overall in some ways, the candy that was also a toy was not a big enough draw for most people. Many people did state that the little candies were actually very flavorful, but they were also rather small and they were prone to getting sharp on the end and potentially cutting up the roof of your mouth. The original enjoyment of making a loud noise with your candy was not as fun as you might have hoped for overall and the paper stick was another detraction.

There are pros and cons to making a kind of candy that offers unusual benefits and the rise of the candy bar and the bite-sized candy snack had a lot to do with the demise of this penny-snack in the long run. If you wished that you could have tried this whimsical little candy, you will just have to trust the reviews that people who did try out the candy in the 70s and 80s have to offer you.

These candies are still sold in a slightly different form under the Chupa Chups brand, but they are not like the original candy. This version of the candy is more like a lollipop with a hole in it and the playing music part of the equation is not mentioned as frequently. The candy is more like a lollipop that also makes a noise.

You will get a better flavor profile with the modern version, but the musical portion is not usually promoted when compared to the taste profile. The concept of musical candy is not as popular as it once was, and this candy is most often marketed as a penny candy in other countries. The US enjoys some sales of this product each year, but Melody Pops are not sold in many locations in the US overall.

Flavors

The Whistle Pops and Melody Pops have been sold in many basic flavors over the years. This was not a candy that was going to be made with many varieties and flavors since the sole focus of the candy was the fact that it made a noise. Marketing flavors and unique design changes is more effective when the candy is more focused on taste than function.

• Blue Raspberry
• Watermelon
• Strawberry
• Green apple
• Coffee

Many people reported that these candies were sort of hard and sharp when they were sucked on but they could be quite yummy when crunched up. These are a candy that are a lot like a Jolly Rancher that makes a noise so you can imagine what the overall flavor was like.

Logo

Ingredients

If you look at the Chupa Chups Website, the ingredients are listed as follows:

• Sugar
• Glucose syrup
• Acids (citric, malic, and lactic)
• Color E 162
• Flavoring
• Emulsifier Soya Lecithin)

This candy is listed as having been halal, gluten-free, soybean free and dairy-free. There are few candies that meet all of these conditions and there are few candies that can claim these benefits.

Nutrition

Serving Size:	100g (100g)	% Daily Value*
Amount Per Serving
Calories from Fat	0
Calories	386
Total Fat	0g	0%
Saturated Fat	0g	0%
Sodium	8mg	0%
Total Carbohydrates	94g	31%
Sugars	76g
Protein	0g

• * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Do Chupa Chups Still Make Whistle Pops?

Yes, Chupa Chups does still make the Whistle or Melody Pop. The candies that they make do have a hole in them that is made to prevent choking in young children, but the candy can also be used as a whistle pop. These candies are often sold in variety packs but they are mostly available online. This is not the same product as the one that was sold in the 70s, but you can get the general idea of what the original candy was all about.

You can get these candies with a plastic stick and there are still some people that claim that they are better than other lollipops on the market. This is not always a product that you can source in the US, but in foreign markets, it can be quite accessible. This is not a company that is marketing solely to the US and this can lead to difficulties in sourcing these products.

Promotions

This candy was not actually promoted in any major way. The word-of-mouth factor was most of the promotion that was used for this product. The candies were made with a blue-based wrapper that showed a candy face that was in the shape of a whistle. The flavor of the lollipop was usually made clear with the bottom of the wrapper. For example, the bottom of the wrapper would show strawberries or whatever the fruit was for the flavor. The wrapper was made to twist around the plastic stick and then again at the top.

The cellophane wrapper style was easy to open and you could readily twist the wrapper open to enjoy the candy inside. These are small candies and the boxes were made to show most of the detail of the branding design. The boxes were colorful, bright, and showed musical notes, cartoonish fruits, and the comic-style renderings of the candy itself. This was a product that was marketed best as a penny candy and the packaging and other parts of the product were where the branding came through the most.

Pictures

Commercials and Taste Tests

Whistle Pops were sold with the tagline: “Play Real Music”. This part of the benefit of the toy aspect of the candy was probably oversold in many cases. This was a candy that made a sound, but playing music would be stretch. Some candies were not the same shape and size and they might not all make even the most basic noises.

A taste test of the Melody Pop:

Some taste testing fun:

Another taste test and use video: