Chairman & Chief Executive Officer, Tootsie Roll
Search every verified Ellen Gordon interview, podcast appearance, and on-the-record quote — each transcript cross-checked by AI and human review to confirm speaker identity. In a 2012 interview, Ellen Gordon, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Tootsie Roll, discussed the company's history and the enduring appeal of its flagship candy. She stated that the product's formula has remained unchanged since an Austrian immigrant brought it to the United States in 1896, though the manufacturing process has shifted from handmade to highly automated. Gordon noted that Tootsie Roll was the first wrapped penny candy, valued for its sanitary packaging and resistance to weather. Gordon also emphasized the importance of keeping the brand current, saying that while "nostalgia is wonderful," the company must ensure its products are "modern and mod and awesome and cool" in terms of sizes, shapes, promotions, and packaging. She reflected on her long tenure with the company, having joined the board of directors in 1952 and becoming chairman and CEO in 1962, describing Tootsie Roll as a significant part of her life.
“The formula for the product is exactly the same as when the Austrian immigrant first brought it over from Austria; however, the method of manufacturing has changed while it was a handmade and hand rolled piece, today it is a very highly automated process.”
“While nostalgia is wonderful, we have to make sure that Tootsie Rolls are very current and they're very current in sizes and shapes and in promotions and in wrappings and in packaging that it's modern and mod and awesome and cool.”
“Tootsie Roll was the original 1-cent candy that was wrapped, the first one to be wrapped when people picked candy out of a Cracker Barrel and then ate it. It was special because it was sanitary, it tasted chocolatey, and it couldn't be harmed by the weather; it wouldn't get too hot or too cold.”
“Tootsie Roll has been a great part of my life since 1952 when I joined the board of directors and in 1962 I became chairman of the board and chief executive officer. It has been a part of my life not only eating the candy but seeing that kids get their share of it too.”
Ellen and Melvin Gordon have been leading Tootsie Roll industries to sweet success for over 30 years. They share the history of ...
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