Altoids: Difference between revisions
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===Mints=== |
===Mints=== |
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Altoids [[Mints (candy)|mint]]s are {{As of|2007|alt=currently}} available in eight flavors: [[peppermint]], [[wintergreen]], [[spearmint]], [[cinnamon]], [[ginger]], [[liquorice]], [[crème de menthe]] and cool [[honey]]. "Sugar-Free Smalls", tiny square mints sweetened with [[sorbitol]] and [[sucralose]], are also available in peppermint, wintergreen, and |
Altoids [[Mints (candy)|mint]]s are {{As of|2007|alt=currently}} available in eight flavors: [[peppermint]], [[wintergreen]], [[spearmint]], [[cinnamon]], [[ginger]], [[liquorice]], [[crème de menthe]] and cool [[honey]]. "Sugar-Free Smalls", tiny square mints sweetened with [[sorbitol]] and [[sucralose]], are also available in peppermint, wintergreen, cinnamon, ''simply mint'' and nordic mint. In 2007, dark [[chocolate]]-dipped mints were introduced in three flavours: peppermint, cinnamon, and ginger and in 2008, dark [[chocolate]]-dipped mints were introduced in crème de menthe. The chocolate dipped varieties were discontinued in 2010. |
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Circa early 2011, Altoids altered the ingredients of their Wintergreen mints, adding blue food coloring. |
Circa early 2011, Altoids altered the ingredients of their Wintergreen mints, adding blue food coloring. |
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Revision as of 14:59, 30 January 2012
Owner | Wrigley |
---|---|
Introduced | 1780 |
Website | www.altoids.com |
Altoids are a brand of breath mints that have existed since the 19th century. Altoids are less widely available in Britain—their country of origin—than in the regions to which they are exported, the standard peppermint being the only flavour available. The mints are stocked in relatively few stores, including Tesco and Waitrose supermarket chains. Unlike their marketing in the USA, they have never been heavily marketed in the UK.[citation needed] Callard & Bowser-Suchard formerly manufactured and produced Altoids at a plant in Bridgend, Wales, but Wrigley, the brand's owner, moved Altoids' production to an existing plant in Chattanooga, Tennessee, in order to manufacture the products closer to where they are primarily marketed. They were marketed for a brief period in the 1990s under the "Nutall's" brand when Callard and Bowser was under the ownership of Terry's.
The history of Altoids dates back to the reign of King George III. The brand was created by a London-based Smith & Company in the 1780s but eventually became part of the Callard & Bowser company in the 19th century. Their advertising slogan has been "The Original Celebrated Curiously Strong Mints" for a number of years, referring to the high concentration of peppermint oil used in the original flavour lozenge. The "Story of Altoids" text is printed on the paper liner inside certain tins.
The Story of Altoids
"The Story of Altoids" is a small story inside every pack of Altoids explaining their creation.
Altoids, the Original Celebrated Curiously Strong Mints, were first produced in England at the turn of the 19th century during the reign of King George III. Smith & Co. (est. 1780), the small London firm that developed the original "curiously strong" recipe, later became part of Callard & Bowser, a prestigious English confectioner founded in 1837.
Altoids peppermints are specially formulated peppermint lozenges many times stronger than ordinary mints. Their curious strength comes from the more than generous use of real peppermint oil, as prescribed in the original recipe developed by Smith & Co. at the turn of the 19th century.
Today, all Altoids varieties including: Peppermint, wintergreen, Spearmint, Liquorice, Cinnamon, Ginger, and Creme de Menthe are made to the same exacting standards as the original Altoids recipe developed more than 200 years ago.
Flavors and varieties
Mints
Altoids mints are currently[update] available in eight flavors: peppermint, wintergreen, spearmint, cinnamon, ginger, liquorice, crème de menthe and cool honey. "Sugar-Free Smalls", tiny square mints sweetened with sorbitol and sucralose, are also available in peppermint, wintergreen, cinnamon, simply mint and nordic mint. In 2007, dark chocolate-dipped mints were introduced in three flavours: peppermint, cinnamon, and ginger and in 2008, dark chocolate-dipped mints were introduced in crème de menthe. The chocolate dipped varieties were discontinued in 2010. Circa early 2011, Altoids altered the ingredients of their Wintergreen mints, adding blue food coloring.
Sours
Sour hard candies in round tins were introduced in 2002. Flavors include tangerine, raspberry, and mango. Citrus, apple and tangerine have been discontinued.
Gum
The sugar-free chewing gum, introduced in 2003, is made in the United States. Flavors include peppermint, cinnamon, spearmint, wintergreen, and two sour flavors, cherry and apple. The gum has not been seen in stock in US stores since January 2010 and has been discontinued.[1]
Altoids Strips
In 2003, breath strips in peppermint and cinnamon flavours were introduced. They were discontinued and are no longer available.
Altoids tins
This section needs additional citations for verification. (August 2011) |
The distinctive tin cases in which Altoids mints are packaged are often reused for other purposes. They have long served as containers for household items like paper clips, sewing materials, and other small items.[2] [3] Recent years have seen increasing use in technological and survivalist venues.
- General storage
Altoids tins have become popular among cannabis smokers, providing discreet storage that is also more protective than plastic bags, a more common storage medium. In addition, the case's tight seal locks in the potent smell of stronger varieties of cannabis, especially in the round Altoids Sours tins.[citation needed]
- Electronics
Altoids tins are popular with electronics hobbyists, who often use the tins as enclosures for electronic "guts", i.e. electronic components and printed circuit boards. Many projects, both in kit form and home-made, have been designed to fit specifically into an Altoids tin.[citation needed] One well-known amateur radio example is the FOXX-3 transceiver, based on the GM3OXX, an original design by George Burt, that first appeared in the G-QRP club magazine Sprat in 1983. The tins are also a popular casing for the CMoy, a do-it-yourself (DIY) pocket headphone amplifier.[citation needed]
- Leisure
Steampunk hobbyists use Altoids tins as role-play and costume accessories. The containers may be stripped of paint, electroplated, etched with appropriate Victorian retro-futurist designs, or otherwise decorated.
- Geocaching
The popular techno-game of geocaching makes use of the convenient size of the tins to conceal prizes in caches to be discovered by the GPS-receiver-wielding players. Magnets may be glued to the tin to affix it underneath a magnetic object.[citation needed]
- First aid and survival
Altoids tins have also been popular with outdoor enthusiasts for many years as first-aid or mini survival kit containers. In fact, a common term for these kits is Bug-Out Altoids Tins, or BOATs.[4] The tins' small yet rugged construction makes them ideal to slip in a pocket while enjoying hiking or other outdoor activities. Frequent contents include matches, band-aids, fishing line and hooks.[citation needed]
See also
References
- ^ http://www.adafruit.com/blog/2010/04/29/is-wrigleys-mars-inc-killing-off-the-altoids-product-and-brand/
- ^ "Altoids FAQ: Are Altoids® tins recyclable?". Altoids.com. 2011. Retrieved 2011-08-08.
For over 100 years, Altoids® were packaged in small rectangular cardboard cartons that were approximately the same size as today's recognizable tins. The tins were introduced in the 1920s to help protect the mints and to stay neatly closed in pockets and handbags.
- ^ "Altoids FAQ: Is there a story behind the Altoids® tin?". Altoids.com. 2011. Retrieved 2011-08-08.
The good news about these tins is that they also come in handy as small storage containers for things like nails, coins, paper clips, and buttons to name a few – the possibilities are endless. We've even learned that the tins have been used for more curious purposes – as hand-held works of art, even as an emergency wilderness stove.
- ^ "sweeper" (January 11, 2008). "Homemade BOAT (Bug Out Altoids Tin)" (PDF). Outdoors-Magazine.com. Retrieved 2011-08-08.
Further reading
- Grant, Jeremy. "New brands take a toll on Wrigley" Financial Times, London Ed. 26-Oct-2005, pg 27.
- Terdiman, Daniel. "Altoids, the curiously strong tin; The container stylishly stores battery chargers, iPods and more." New York Times 2-Feb-2005.
- "Wrigley to buy Altoids and Life Savers from Kraft." Candy Industry ISSN 0745-1032; Volume 169; Issue 11 1-Nov-2004.
- What's News. The Wall Street Journal, Business and Finance, pg A1. 15-Nov-2004.
- Pare, Mike. "Wrigley to invest $14M to make Altoids in its Chattanooga, Tenn., plant." Chattanooga Times/Free Press, Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News. 23-Aug-2005.