Tootsie Roll Industries
An American confectionery manufacturer best known for Tootsie Rolls, Tootsie Pops, and a broad portfolio of classic candy brands.
Last updated August 27, 2026
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Overview
Tootsie Roll Industries is an American confectionery manufacturer headquartered in Chicago, Illinois. Its portfolio is anchored by Tootsie Roll, the chocolate-flavored chewy candy created by Leo Hirschfield in the early twentieth century, and Tootsie Pop, the hard-candy lollipop with a Tootsie Roll center. Over time, the company has developed or acquired a wide range of chocolate, sugar, chewy, gum, lollipop, caramel, licorice, cotton-candy, and novelty-candy brands. The company's roots reach back to 1896, when Austrian Jewish immigrant Leo Hirschfield began working in a New York candy business associated with Stern & Saalberg. In 1907, he developed a chocolate-tasting candy intended to remain stable in warm conditions and to offer a less expensive alternative to conventional chocolate. He named it after his daughter Clara's nickname, Tootsie. The business expanded into a multi-story factory, adopted the name The Sweets Company of America in 1917, and became a listed company in 1919. Hirschfield was later forced out of the business and formed Mells Candy Corporation, but that venture failed in 1924. The original company experienced financial difficulty during the 1930s. Bernard D. Rubin and his family, whose business supplied paper boxes to the confectioner, acquired control in 1935. Rubin expanded production, changed the Tootsie Roll formula, increased the candy's size, and moved manufacturing from Manhattan to a larger facility in Hoboken, New Jersey. Under his leadership, the company recovered its profitability and continued operating through the Second World War, when Tootsie Rolls were included in American military field rations because the candy could withstand varied environmental conditions. After Bernard Rubin's death in 1948, his brother William B. Rubin led the company until 1962. In 1962, control passed to Ellen Rubin Gordon's family. Her husband, Melvin Gordon, served as chairman and chief executive for many years, while Ellen Rubin Gordon became chairman and chief executive in January 2015. The company adopted its current name, Tootsie Roll Industries, Inc., in 1966 and moved its headquarters to Chicago in 1968. Its Chicago operations occupy part of the former Dodge Chicago Plant, where much of its candy production takes place. Tootsie Roll Industries has expanded through a series of acquisitions, including the Mason Division of The Candy Corporation of America, Cella's Confections, The Charms Company, Warner-Lambert's candy division excluding gum and mints, Andes Candies, and Concord Confections. These transactions added established names such as Junior Mints, Sugar Daddy, Sugar Babies, Charms, Blow Pop, Andes, Dubble Bubble, Razzles, and related products to the company's portfolio. The company sells in the United States and internationally, with manufacturing or production facilities in Chicago, Mexico City, Cambridge, Massachusetts, and Spain. In fiscal 2024, reported sales declined amid higher candy prices and elevated cocoa and chocolate costs. In response, the company emphasized non-chocolate products and announced an expansion investment by its Charms subsidiary at the facility producing Blow Pops. Its current positioning combines mass-market accessibility, recognizable heritage brands, seasonal and impulse purchasing, and broad distribution across grocery, convenience, drug, vending, specialty, and international channels.
History
Tootsie Roll Industries traces its history to 1896, when Leo Hirschfield, an Austrian Jewish immigrant, began working at a small New York candy shop operated by the Stern & Saalberg firm. Hirschfield later pursued a candy with a chocolate-like taste that would be less vulnerable to melting in warm weather and less expensive than conventional chocolate. In 1907, he introduced the product that became Tootsie Roll, naming it after his daughter Clara's nickname, Tootsie. The enterprise grew into a five-story factory and in 1917 changed its corporate name to The Sweets Company of America. It was reorganized and listed on the American Stock Exchange in 1919. Hirschfield was subsequently forced out of the business and established Mells Candy Corporation, also known as The Merry Mells Company. Mells failed in 1924, and Hirschfield died in 1922 after suffering health and family difficulties. The original company later encountered serious financial problems. In 1935, Joseph Rubin & Sons, its paper-box supplier, became concerned about losing a major customer and sought control. Bernard D. Rubin assembled shareholder information and personally approached investors. The Rubin family eventually gained control, with Bernard Rubin becoming president. Rubin restored the company's performance by revising the Tootsie Roll formula, increasing the product's size, improving sales, and relocating production from Manhattan to a larger facility in Hoboken, New Jersey. The company survived wartime shortages and benefited from the durability of its products. Tootsie Rolls were included in American military field rations during the Second World War because they could remain usable under demanding environmental conditions. By the time Bernard Rubin died in 1948, sales volume had increased substantially. His brother William B. Rubin succeeded him and remained president until 1962. The Tootsie Pop was introduced in 1931 as a hard-candy shell surrounding a Tootsie Roll center. It became a low-cost treat during the Great Depression and was especially popular among people displaced by the Dust Bowl. The product eventually became one of the company's most recognizable brands and helped establish the business beyond its original chewy candy. In 1962, Ellen Rubin Gordon's family assumed control. Melvin Gordon served as chairman and chief executive for decades, followed by Ellen Rubin Gordon, who became chairman and CEO in January 2015. The company adopted the name Tootsie Roll Industries, Inc. in 1966 and moved its headquarters to Chicago in 1968. The Chicago headquarters and principal manufacturing operations occupy a portion of the former Dodge Chicago Plant on the city's South Side. The company grew its portfolio through acquisitions. In 1972 it acquired the Mason Division of The Candy Corporation of America; in 1985 it acquired Cella's Confections; in 1988 it acquired The Charms Company; in 1993 it acquired Warner-Lambert's candy division, excluding gum and mints; in 2000 it acquired Andes Candies; and in 2004 it acquired Concord Confections. These transactions broadened the company from a Tootsie-centered manufacturer into a multi-brand confectionery group. Tootsie Roll Industries operates production facilities in Chicago, Mexico City, Cambridge, Massachusetts, and Spain. The Mexico City facility produces certain Tootsie Pop flavors and other products for Mexico and export to the United States and Canada. The Cambridge facility is associated with Cambridge Brands, formerly the site of the James O. Welch Company. The Spanish facility produces candy for export to Canada. In fiscal 2024, the company faced pressure from higher cocoa, chocolate, and overall candy costs. Reported sales declined to $715.5 million, down 6.3% for the fiscal year. The company responded by giving greater strategic attention to non-chocolate products and by supporting a $97.7 million Charms investment to expand Blow Pop manufacturing capacity. Its continuing business model combines heritage brands, affordable price points, broad retail distribution, and international marketing.
- 2024
The company emphasizes non-chocolate products
[1]Facing higher cocoa and chocolate costs and lower reported sales, the company shifts strategic attention toward non-chocolate products and Blow Pop capacity.
- 2015
Ellen Rubin Gordon becomes chairman and CEO
[1]Ellen Rubin Gordon succeeds Melvin Gordon as chairman and chief executive officer.
- 2004
Concord Confections acquisition
[1]Concord Confections becomes part of the company, adding further gum and confectionery brands.
- 2000
Andes Candies acquisition
[1]The company acquires Andes Candies and expands its chocolate portfolio.
- 1993
Warner-Lambert candy division acquisition
[1]Tootsie Roll Industries acquires Warner-Lambert's candy division, excluding gum and mints.
- 1988
The Charms Company acquisition
[1]The acquisition adds Charms products, including lollipop brands that later include Blow Pop and Caramel Apple Pops.
- 1985
Cella's Confections acquisition
[1]Cella's Confections joins the company's confectionery portfolio.
- 1972
Mason Division acquisition
[1]The company acquires the Mason Division of The Candy Corporation of America.
- 1968
Headquarters move to Chicago
[1]The company relocates its headquarters from New Jersey to Chicago.
- 1966
The current corporate name is adopted
[1]The company changes its name to Tootsie Roll Industries, Inc.
Products and positioning
Mass-market confectionery built around affordable, nostalgic, widely distributed candy brands, with a portfolio spanning chocolate, sugar candy, gum, lollipops, chewy candy, and novelty products.
Chewy candy · 1907
Tootsie Roll
The company's signature chocolate-flavored chewy candy, developed by Leo Hirschfield in 1907. It is designed to provide a chocolate-like taste in a durable, individually portioned confection that can be sold in single pieces, bags, rolls, and assorted formats.
Lollipop · 1931
Tootsie Pop
A hard-candy lollipop containing a Tootsie Roll center. Introduced in 1931, it combines a long-lasting outer candy with the company's best-known chewy chocolate confection and is sold in multiple flavors and package formats.
Gumdrops
Dots
A line of fruit-flavored gumdrops recognized for their chewy texture and colorful assortment. Dots is one of the company's long-established sugar-confectionery brands and is sold through everyday and seasonal retail channels.
Chocolate-covered mint candy
Junior Mints
Chocolate-coated mint centers sold as a boxed and theater-oriented confection. The brand is associated with movie-theater consumption as well as grocery, convenience, and seasonal distribution.
Lollipop with chewy center
Charms Blow Pop
A Charms lollipop with a hard candy shell and a bubble-gum center. Blow Pop is a major non-chocolate product in the company's portfolio and was the focus of a reported manufacturing-capacity expansion investment in 2024.
Chocolate mint
Andes Chocolate Mints
Layered chocolate-mint confectionery sold in individually wrapped pieces and other formats. The brand entered Tootsie Roll Industries' portfolio through the 2000 acquisition of Andes Candies.
Chewy candy bar
Charleston Chew
A chewy candy-bar brand included in the company's broader assortment of chocolate-associated and sugar confectionery products.
Chocolate-covered fruit confection
Cella's
A line of chocolate-covered cherries and related confections acquired through Cella's Confections. It gives the company a premium-leaning fruit-and-chocolate offering within its otherwise broad mass-market portfolio.
Chewing gum
Dubble Bubble
A bubble-gum brand within the company's gum portfolio. It is marketed alongside other acquired and developed gum products, including Razzles, Thrills, and Cry Baby.
Caramel candy
Sugar Daddy and Sugar Babies
Caramel-centered confectionery brands that extend the portfolio into long-lasting bars, bite-sized pieces, and other caramel formats.
Novelty liquid candy
Nik-L-Nip
A novelty confectionery product sold in small wax containers containing flavored liquid candy. It represents the company's emphasis on distinctive formats in addition to standard chocolate and sugar candy.
Controversies
Brand decisions
2024
Shift toward non-chocolate confectioneryStrategyBackground
Higher cocoa and chocolate costs placed pressure on the economics of chocolate products, while fiscal 2024 sales declined.
Action taken
Tootsie Roll Industries increased its strategic focus on non-chocolate lines and supported additional Blow Pop manufacturing capacity through its Charms subsidiary.
Aftermath
The company reported a $97.7 million Charms facility expansion investment and continued emphasizing lollipops and other non-chocolate products.
Fiscal-year sales. $715.5 million (Fiscal year 2024; reported sales were down 6.3%)
Recent events
- 2024
Tootsie Roll Industries reports lower fiscal 2024 sales amid higher candy costs[1]
Pricing · Other
The company reported fiscal 2024 sales of $715.5 million, a 6.3% decline, and attributed pressure on performance to elevated candy prices and higher cocoa and chocolate costs.
- 2024
Charms expands Blow Pop manufacturing capacity[1]
Other
Tootsie Roll Industries said its Charms subsidiary was investing $97.7 million to expand the manufacturing facility associated with Blow Pops as the company placed greater emphasis on non-chocolate products.
Sources3 sources
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