The jellybean won its most enduring acclaim around 1930 as an Easter candy. The reasons are not entirely clear – perhaps because Easter, as other spring-time rituals, is about rebirth, and the bean is an excellent symbol. Then came Jelly Belly!

The Jelly Belly version of the jellybean was revolutionized by candy distributor and entrepreneur, David Klein who came up with the concept of infusing the entire bean with flavor…. not just the shell as with traditional jellybeans. Later, as David was watching the TV show Stanford and Son, he thought the characters were talking about someone named “Jelly Belly.” They were really talking about “Lead Belly” – the legendary folk and blues musician.

Klein outsourced production to the Herman Goelitz Candy Company who developed his concept into a candy. Later, in a move that ended in a lengthily legal battle, the Goelitz family pushed Klein out, paying him a relatively small settlement and shutting him out of his jelly belly legacy for good. An award-winning movie about the event, called “Candy Man, the David Klein Story,” came out several years ago and is now available on Amazon.

Regardless, the jellybean entered a new and illustrious phase of life, making appearances everywhere, from movie theater concession stands to corner store displays. They showed up at a presidential inauguration in1981 and were the first candy to go on a space mission in 1983. Today, people eat 5 billion Jelly Bellies each year and, according to company Website, produces 1,680 Jelly Belly beans per second.