After a frigid night, Frank discovered the fruit-flavored substance frozen to the stick. He tasted the frozen soft drink and showed it to friends. Frank named his invention the “Eppsicle,” and it became a hit with all the kids in the neighborhood.
Besides making Eppsicles for family and friends, Eppserson did little else with his discovery for almost 20 years. In 1922, he introduced the Eppsicle at a firemans ball. The Eppsicle became a sensation, and Epperson decided to apply for a patent on his “frozen ice on a stick.” Eventually, Epperson earned U.S. Patent No. 1,505,592 covering “all handled, frozen confections or ice lollipops.” He also began producing Eppsicles in various flavors. However, Epperson’s children had begun referring to the “Eppsicle” as the “Popsicle,” and he later officially changed the name. He began selling Popsicles outside amusement parts like Idora Park and Neptune Beach in Alameda.
In 1925, Epperson sold his rights to the Popsicle to the Joe Lowe Company in New York. The Popsicle gained popularity very quickly, first made with birch wood sticks and sold for a nickel. Later, the twin Popsicle became available, and included two sticks so that children could share the treat. It is possible that Epperson invented the twin Popsicle, and he is said to have at least inspired the creation of the Fudgsicle, the Creamsicle, and the Dreamsicle.
In 1965, Consolidated Foods Corporation acquired the Popsicle brand in 1965. In 1986, U.S. operations of Popsicle Industries became part of the Gold Bond Ice Cream Company of Green Bay, Wisconsin. Unilever purchased Gold Bond in 1989, and Popsicle became part of Unilever’s Good Humor division. Popsicle® is now its own division of Unilever.
Today, hundreds of millions of Popsicles are eaten every year in the United States, and more than thirty flavors are available, including grape, lemon, lime, banana, cherry, and raspberry. The most popular favor for many years has been orange.
Epperson also invented High-Dry, a powdered drink mix, and a progenitor of Kool-Aid and Tang.