A simple oversight turned a child into the creator of an ice cream that refreshes millions every summer, generating a million-dollar industry and a global classic.
With the arrival of summer and heat, millions of people looking to cool off and enjoy delicacies typical of this season. From beach days to ice cream, vacations offer a perfect time to indulge in simple pleasures, including the popular ice cream sticks But few know that this well-known sweet came about purely by chance.
Curiously, ice cream on a stick, or “polo” as it is also called, was invented by accident by a boy named Frank Epperson. His creation, which began as a simple game, ended up becoming a million-dollar business that revolutionized the ice cream industry and remains one of the summer favorites to this day.
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How the ice cream popsicle was created
In 1905, Frank Eppersonwas just 11 years old and lived in San Francisco, California. During a cold winter night, he decided to make himself a drink that was fashionable at that time: water with soda powder. Like any curious child, he was experimenting with the mixture in the yard of his house and used a wooden stick to stir it, until his mother called him to come into the house for dinner and, without thinking, he left the glass outside.
The next day, Frank discovered that the cold night temperatures had frozen his drink, with the stick stuck in the middle of the ice. What could have been a simple mistake became a revelation. The boy pulled the stick, extracting the frozen block, and realized that he had created a new way to enjoy your soft drink.
Instead of throwing away his “invention,” Frank tried it and was delighted with its taste and freshness. It wasn’t long before she started making more popsicles to share with her friends and neighbors. Their ingenious find quickly gained popularity in the neighborhood, becoming a hit in the hot Californian summers.
Years later, in 1923, as an adult and aware of the potential of his creation, Epperson decided to patent the invention under the name “Epsicle“. This name was a combination between his last name and “icicle”, which in English means ice icicle. The “Epsicle” soon earned a place among the favorite candy at amusement parks and candy stores. USAwhich finally consolidated its success.
What happened to the rights to the idea
Despite the great success of Epperson’s “Epsicles”, some financial problems led him to sell the rights to his invention. The patent was acquired by the company Joe Lowe Co., which quickly expanded the scope of the product, renaming it “Popsicle“and transforming it into a summer classic.
Although the inventor lost control of his creation, his legacy lives on in every ice cream stick we enjoy. What started as an accidental game on a cold night continues to refresh millions on hot days, proving that sometimes the greatest discoveries happen by pure chance.
Source: Ambito
