Pop Tarts – A Breakfast Favorite – Were Invented in Grand Rapids!

Many of us have fond memories of grabbing a Pop Tart on our way out the door in the morning. My go to flavor has always been the brown sugar cinnamon variety. But do you know how these beloved toaster pastries came to be?

At one point the two big cereal competitors in Battle Creek, MI were Kellogg’s and Post. Ironically, Pop Tarts were the brainchild of Bill Post, a manager at Keebler, who received a call from Kellogg’s in 1964 with an idea for a toaster pastry, but no clue on how to bring it to life. Post’s challenge was to figure out how to sandwich filling between two sheets of dough, while Kellogg’s competitor was also working on a similar product called “Country Squares”. After months of experimentation, Mr. Post successfully created the first Pop Tart.

Kellogg’s introduced Pop Tarts to the world in 1964, starting with four original flavors: strawberry, blueberry, brown sugar cinnamon, and apple currant, all unfrosted. The response was overwhelming, with the initial shipment selling out in just two weeks, leading to a temporary shortage and a memorable “Oops! We Goofed” apology ad campaign. A few years later, in 1967,  the first frosted Pop-Tarts hit the shelves with four additional flavors: Dutch-Apple, Brown Sugar-Cinnamon, Concord Grape, and Raspberry.

Over the years, Pop Tarts have evolved, with over 30 different flavors available today. Despite the array of choices, Bill Post’s favorite remained the classic strawberry flavor.

Pop Tarts have become a cultural icon, inspiring everything from nostalgic TV commercials featuring Milton the Toaster to a planned Netflix movie produced by Jerry Seinfeld titled “Unfrosted”, set to explore the pastry’s creation. The film is scheduled to be released in May 2024.

Whether you enjoy your Pop Tarts toasted, straight out of the package, or with a dollop of butter, there’s no denying the enduring popularity of these convenient breakfast treats.

This week where was news that Pop Tart inventor Bill Post had passed away at the age of 96. (You can read his obituary here.)

As we bid farewell to Mr. Post, let’s raise a Pop Tart in appreciation of the delicious legacy he’s left behind.