The inventor’s wife was a Pisces
Some snacks are known for their distinctive shapes: Think of Pringles’ classic curve or Ruffles’ ridges. The same goes for Goldfish crackers, which were originally designed as a birthday gift for the creator’s wife, whose astrological sign, Pisces, is symbolically represented by two swimming fish. The idea came about in 1958, when Oscar J. Kambly — head of the Kambly commercial bakery in Switzerland — was looking to surprise his wife on her birthday. He instructed a technician to create a new cracker mold in the shape of a fish, then baked the first-ever Goldfish cracker that afternoon before presenting it to his beloved later that evening.
Kambly quickly realized how popular the innovative crackers could be as a mass-produced snack food. He took the product to market under the name Goldfischli, German for “Goldfish.” Within a year, the fish-shaped crackers were being sold in 17 countries. In 1962, American businesswoman Margaret Rudkin — founder of Pepperidge Farm — was on vacation in Switzerland when she came upon Goldfish crackers for the first time. Intrigued by the product, Rudkin struck a deal to acquire the licensing rights and began producing the crackers in the United States. The snack continued to blossom into a global sensation, and Kambly introduced alternate flavors for the first time in 1983. In 1995, the name of the original product was officially changed from Goldfischli to Goldfish.
Comments