Kool-Aid started out in Hastings, Nebraska created by a man named Edwin Perkins. Kool-Aid started out as a liquid concentrate called "Fruit Smack"(it came in six flavours) that Perkins shipped as part of his mail-order business. A four-ounce bottle could affordably serve a family. The problem was the issue of breakage of the glass bottle on the rail lines. In 1927 Perkins developed a way to remove the liquid from Fruit Smack so the remaining powder could be re-packaged in envelopes (which Perkins designed and printed) under a new name to be called Kool-Ade. (He later changed the spelling to Kool-Aid.)
It was originally sold mail-order to wholesalers and later in 1929 became available to grocery stores. It orignally cost 10 cents a package and came in the six flavours of fruit smack: strawberry, cherry, lemon-lime, grape, orange and raspberry.
During the great depression Perkins dropped the price to five cents a package so most families could afford it, children took an especial liking to the beverage and would set up kool-aid stands. Due to shortages during WWII production did not increase but in 1950, 300 production workers produced nearly a million packets of Kool-Aid each day. In 1953 Kool-Aid was sold to General Foods (later bought by Kraft) and in 1955 two new flavours were added: Root Beer and Lemonade flavors.
In the 50's the Kool-Aid pitcher was marketed as the mascot of Kool-Aid. In the 60's Kool-Aid came out in the pre-sweetened variety and that formula was revamped in the 70's. "Kool-Aid Man" burst onto the scene in 1975, breaking through walls and delighting thirsty children with pitchers of fruity Kool-Aid. In 1994, he received a computer-generated update, allowing Kool-Aid Man to engage in more complex activities such as driving a convertible and doing off-road four wheeling in a monster truck.
Though he traditionally wears a rainbow-striped shirt, jeans and sneakers, Kool-Aid Man is very versatile with his wardrobe. For example, he wears an open Hawaiian print shirt with drawstring bathing suit and flip-flops on the Island Twist varieties of Kool-Aid, and sports an open shirt, khaki walking shorts and hiking boots on the Mega Mountain Twists flavors. He even appears in fatigues and combat boots for packages sold on military bases.
The number of flavors has more than tripled from the six original flavors to 20, with contemporary flavor sensations such as Slammin' Strawberry-Kiwi and Ice Blue Raspberry Lemonade. Tropical Punch remains the favorite flavor, with Lemonade, Cherry, Grape and Orange rounding out the top five. In 1999, caffeine-free tea flavor was added to Kool-Aid to create Kool-Aid Fruit T's available in Strawberry Tea, Wildberry Tea, and Lemonade Tea.
More than 563 million gallons are consumed in a year, including 225 million gallons during the summer season
Kool-Aid averages out to under a nickel a glass, from it's origins of a penny a glass, it has beat inflation since 1947.
Kool-Aid is the official soft drink of Nebraska
US Kool-Aid Flavours (including those discontinued):
Arctic Green Apple, Bedrock Orange, Berry Blue, Black Cherry, Blastin' Berry Cherry, Blastin' Berry Cherry (sugar free), Blue Moon Berry, Blue Raspberry, Bunch Berry, Candy Apple, Changin' Cherry (color-changing mix), Cherry, Cherry (sugar-free), Cherry Cracker, Cherry Lime, Cherry Subway, Cola, Eerie Orange (Halloween edition), Golden Nectar, Grape, Grape (sugar free), Grape Berry Splash, Grape Illusion (color-changing mix), Great Bluedini, Ice Blue Island Twist, Ice Blue Raspberry Lemonade, Incrediberry Jamaica (hibiscus flavored), Kickin' Kiwi-Lime, Kiwi Strawberry, Lemonade, Lemonade (sugar free), Lemonade Tea, Lemon-Grape, Lemon Ice, Lemon-Lime, Mandarina-Tangerine, Mango, Man-O-Mango-Berry, Mountain Berry Punch, Oh-Yeah Orange-Pineapple, Orange, Piña-Pineapple, Pineapple-Grapefruit, Pink Lemonade, Pink Swimmingo, Punch, Purplesaurus Rex, Rainbow Punch, Raspberry, Red Fruit, Mountain Spring, Rock-A-Dile Red, Root Beer, Raspberry Reaction, Scary Blackberry (Halloween edition), Scary Black Cherry (Halloween edition), Sharkleberry Fin, Slammin' Strawberry Kiwi, Soarin' Strawberry-Lemonade, Soarin' Strawberry-Lemonade (sugar free), Starry Strawberry Star Fruit, Strawberry, Strawberry Falls Punch, Strawberry Split, Strawberry Tea, Sunshine Punch, Surfin' Berry Punch, Swirlin' Strawberry Starfruit, Switchin' Secret, Tamarindo, Tangerine, Tropical Punch, Tropical Punch (sugar free), Watermelon Kiwi, Watermelon Cherry, Wildberry Tea, Yabba Dabba Doo Berry
FUN FACT:
The famed frosted KOOL-AID® pitcher has been part of the company since 195
4. Three different messages appeared in the frosted pitcher ads that summer:- One had 5¢ drawn in the frost
- Another had a heart and an arrow, and
- One had the smiling face that has endured until today.
LINKYS:
http://www.kraftfoods.com/koolaid/
http://www.hastingsmuseum.org/koolaid/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kool-Aid
http://www.faqs.org/faqs/food/kool-aid-faq/
There's a recipe for Kool-Aid playdough on the website!!! ROFL:
http://www.kraftfoods.com/koolaid/2001/scroll/scroll_detail_play_dough.html
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