Up until 2003, Lifesavers Candy was made here in Holland. It closed down as the company moved production to Canada:
https://www.deseret.com/2002/4/11/19648526/life-savers-plant-is-dying
As of 2013, Haworth took over the property to use as a factory outlet store, which is reflected in Google's current results as of this writing:
https://www.hollandsentinel.com/article/20131210/NEWS/131219986
So, we know for sure that the candy was designed to have a unique shape, and that this unique shape was achieved using machinery that was originally used to make medicine.
I find it quite interesting that the two urban legends from West Michigan circle around a young boy and his little sister, and that the "life saver" name comes from saving the sister's life...when the official story was that the inventor just wanted a unique shape to sell his candy and make it memorable. The second urban legend weaves back into the official story by acknowledging that there was some sort of medicine involved.
https://www.deseret.com/2002/4/11/19648526/life-savers-plant-is-dying
As of 2013, Haworth took over the property to use as a factory outlet store, which is reflected in Google's current results as of this writing:
https://www.hollandsentinel.com/article/20131210/NEWS/131219986
But, I'd like to explore their unique shape...and specifically, the reasoning behind the unique shape. Per Wikipedia, and an Australian novelty newspaper, the shape was a marketing tool: The inventor, Clarence Crane, wanted a hard candy that could hold up to summer heat, and would be shaped in such a way as to set it apart from competitors. Crane saw a machine that made round-shaped pills for use in pharmaceuticals, and another that would add a hole into the center...effectively making the "lifesaver" shape of a water rescue ring that we've all see on boats, piers, and in public pools.
Looking at two common "urban legends" around West Michigan, we see half truths reflected, but not the full story.
The story I heard was from my fourth grade teacher. His claim to truth was that he grew up on a farm that was across the field from the Lifesavers Plant on the south side of Holland - that detail isn't important, but was what he used to establish authority on the topic. His story was that there was a young boy whose little sister almost died choking on a peppermint candy. Given Holland and its Dutch background, it's a reasonable extrapolation to say that this might be a Wilhelmina Peppermint: Giant peppermints with an embossed image of Queen Wilhelmina of The Netherlands on them; about the diameter of a quarter, and about 4 times as thick. Anyway, the young boy was quite traumatized, seeing his sister nearly die of choking, so he "designed" a peppermint that was the same size and shape, but had a hole in the middle to let his sister breathe if another one got stuck in her throat again. Because she nearly died, the candy was named "life saver," because it prevented death.
The story that my wife heard (again, from her fourth grade teacher) was another story of a young boy and his little sister. The sister was deathly ill with some sort of old-timey disease, and couldn't swallow the pills that the doctor had given her to heal her. The young boy looked at these and said "If only there were some way to make these more swallowable. I know, we'll add a hole in it and smooth out the sides!" In this story, the "life saver" moniker comes from the fact that it was a life saving medicine for the young boy's little sister.
I find it quite interesting that the two urban legends from West Michigan circle around a young boy and his little sister, and that the "life saver" name comes from saving the sister's life...when the official story was that the inventor just wanted a unique shape to sell his candy and make it memorable. The second urban legend weaves back into the official story by acknowledging that there was some sort of medicine involved.
I'll close by asking:
What urban legends did you hear about Lifesavers candy and why they're shaped the way they are?
What urban legends did you hear about Lifesavers candy and why they're shaped the way they are?
Comments
Post a Comment