Jel Sert

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Jel Sert is a privately held company based in West Chicago, Illinois, United States. Established in 1926, its primary products are snack foods and beverages.

[edit] History and products

The Jel Sert company was named for its original product, a gelatin dessert mix named by combining the words "jelly" and "dessert". In 1929, Jel Sert created a Kool-Aid-like powdered drink mix called Flavor Aid. These remained Jel Sert's flagship products until the 1960s when the company acquired the Pop-Ice company and its line of frozen ice pop desserts. Later that decade, Jel Sert introduced Fla-Vor-Ice, another freezer pop, to compliment its Flavor-Aid line. Fla-Vor-Ice quickly became the leading freezer pop brand in the United States.

Many followers of Jim Jones committed cult suicide by drinking cyanide-laced grape Flavor Aid in 1978.^[1]

In 1991, the company launched the MONDO line of juice drinks and with it a promotional tactic involving the recycleabilty of their plastic container over conventional individual boxed juice containers.

Otter Pops were acquired by the company in 1996. Similar to Jel Sert's other freezer pops, the Otter Pop brand is perhaps the strongest on the United States' West Coast and features flavor-based characters such as Lil' Orphan Orange, Sir Issac Lime, and Strawberry Short Kook. In 2000, Jel Sert acquired three other trademarks: Wylers, a brand of powdered beverage mixes, and the Royal and My*T*Fine brands of puddings, pie fillings, and flan.