Stuff You Should Know

Pop Tarts: No Fruit Necessary

November 13, 2025

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  • The development of Pop-Tarts in the 1960s was driven by the need for convenience foods to fill the vacuum created as second-wave feminism moved women into the workplace. 
  • Post initially developed the concept, calling them "Country Squares," but Kellogg's, spurred by reading about Post's plans in the local paper, beat them to market with the rebranded Pop-Tarts. 
  • The original Pop-Tarts were unfrosted, and frosting was only added in 1967 after Kellogg's developed a formula that wouldn't melt or catch fire in the toaster. 

Segments

Grandmother’s Pop-Tart Habits
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(00:02:11)
  • Key Takeaway: One host’s grandmother used Pop-Tarts in a way that sounded appealing, contrasting with the other’s grandmother who rejected processed food.
  • Summary: One host’s grandmother reportedly prepared blueberry Pop-Tarts unfrosted with butter, which sounded appealing. This contrasted with the other host’s grandmother, who was very old school and would only eat food she canned. The discussion briefly touches on how convenience food growth coincided with women entering the workforce in the 1960s.
Kellogg’s and Post Origins
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(00:04:51)
  • Key Takeaway: The Kellogg brothers invented cornflakes at the Battle Creek Sanitarium, inspiring C.W. Post to start his competing cereal company.
  • Summary: The Kellogg brothers, Will Keith and John Harvey, ran the Battle Creek Sanitarium where they invented cornflakes. A patient named C.W. Post was inspired by the cornflakes and founded the Post Company in 1895 to make his own cereal. Kellogg’s later entered the cereal business, establishing a direct competition between the two companies in the emerging market.
Post’s Invention of Toaster Pastry
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(00:09:40)
  • Key Takeaway: Post first experimented with shelf-stable, foil-wrapped fruit pastries, initially calling them “Country Squares,” leveraging post-war food science advancements.
  • Summary: Post was experimenting with dehydrated, foil-wrapped foods, similar to Gainsburgers for dogs, when they developed a shelf-stable, fruit-filled pastry sized for a toaster. They called these prototypes “Country Squares” in an October 1963 newspaper report. However, Post was not ready for market launch when Kellogg’s learned of the invention.
Kellogg’s Rushes Pop-Tarts
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(00:11:16)
  • Key Takeaway: Kellogg’s partnered with the Heckman Biscuit Company to rapidly develop their own version, beating Post’s Country Squares to market.
  • Summary: Kellogg’s scrambled to create their own pastry after reading about Post’s plans, tasking William Lamothe and Doc Joe Thompson to work on it. They partnered with the Heckman Biscuit Company in Grand Rapids for their modern bakery facilities. Initial testing revealed the pastries tasted like cardboard and exploded in the toaster, leading them to poke holes in the dough.
Original Flavors and Butter Tip
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(00:15:05)
  • Key Takeaway: The initial four flavors included Brown Sugar Cinnamon, which the hosts agree is the best, and the fruit fillings were sourced from Smuckers.
  • Summary: The first four flavors were strawberry, blueberry, apple curant (partnered with Smuckers), and the highly favored brown sugar cinnamon. One host shared a secret tip: toasting the Pop-Tart and then rubbing butter on both the non-frosted and frosted sides solves the dryness issue in the pastry edges. This buttering technique was reportedly popularized by Jessica Simpson.
Early Pop-Tart Design and Launch
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(00:21:49)
  • Key Takeaway: Early Pop-Tarts featured a diagonal score for breaking them in half, were not frosted, and were packaged in pairs primarily for cost-cutting.
  • Summary: The original fruit scones had a diagonal score, allowing them to be broken like a grilled cheese sandwich, and lacked frosting because early formulas melted or caught fire. They were packaged as two per foil wrapper as a cost-saving measure, which effectively forced consumers to eat both. The name was quickly changed from Country Squares to Pop-Tarts as a nod to the contemporary Pop Art movement.
Market Dominance and Failures
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(00:24:59)
  • Key Takeaway: Pop-Tarts test-marketed in Cleveland sold 10 million boxes in two weeks, leading to a temporary shortage, and Kellogg’s quickly established market dominance over Post’s Toast’ems.
  • Summary: Kellogg’s began shipping Pop-Tarts in September 1964, selling 10 million boxes in Cleveland in the first two weeks, forcing them to run ads apologizing for running out. Post’s Country Squares were quickly rebranded as Toast’ems and eventually sold off, while Nabisco’s Toastettes ceased production in 2002. Kellogg’s eventually captured about 80% of the toaster pastry market share.
Fire Hazards and Health Scrutiny
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(00:40:45)
  • Key Takeaway: Pop-Tarts can cause toaster fires if left too long due to the high-fructose corn syrup in the filling igniting, leading to a $2,400 settlement in 1995.
  • Summary: Reports indicate that leaving a Pop-Tart in a malfunctioning toaster can cause flames up to 18 inches high within minutes, attributed to the heating of the high-fructose corn syrup filling. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission received 17 reports of fires by 2001, resulting in a small settlement in 1995. Furthermore, Kellogg’s was pressured to remove the phrase “made with real fruit” because strawberry Pop-Tarts contain less than 2% dried pear, apple, and strawberry.
Consumer Data and Preferences
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(00:51:45)
  • Key Takeaway: Convenience and childhood nostalgia are the primary drivers for Pop-Tart purchases, with 72% of buyers consuming them themselves, not just for children.
  • Summary: A 2024 survey showed 56% of buyers cite convenience and 30% cite childhood memories as reasons for purchase, with 72% of buyers eating them themselves. A surprising 12% of consumers eat them cold from the refrigerator or freezer. The 2021 Mystery Pop-Tart campaign, which revealed an Everything Bagel flavor, was widely disliked by consumers.