The Nostalgic Drink That Was Initially Created To Be An Ice Cream Topping

For a dessert as simple and straightforward as ice cream is, it sure has a long and complicated history. From its dubious country of origin to ice cream flavors that no longer exist, there is a lot more to the soft, cool treat than meets the eye. In fact, some popular modern products were originally made with ice cream in mind.

Not everything in ice cream history has stood the test of time, but some things end up transforming into their own unique thing. Such is the case with the popular drink Hawaiian Punch. Before it became known as a tropical beverage, it was actually a syrup meant to be used as an ice cream topping.

The name wasn't quite the same as it is today. Previously, Hawaiian Punch was known as Leo's Hawaiian Punch. The company and the product both underwent years of various changes before officially becoming what it is known as today.

Hawaiian Punch has a history that dates all the way back to 1934. It started as a syrup topping for ice cream, sold mainly to restaurants and soda fountains. Since most of the ingredients for the syrup came from the Hawaiian islands at the time, the syrup was aptly named "Hawaiian Punch."

During the late 1940's, customers started mixing the tropical syrup concentrate with water. This new drink became so popular that the company officially released a canned drink version of their syrup in 1950. Bottles of concentrate were also sold in stores at the time.

From there, the drink's popularity only continued to skyrocket. Frozen concentrate was introduced in 1955, followed by powdered products, new flavors, and even a brand mascot. Today, Hawaiian Punch's legacy as a drink far outweighs its beginnings as an ice cream topping.