The History of Goldfish Crackers

Margaret Rudkin, the founder of Pepperidge Farm, visited a Swiss cookie manufacturer named while on vacation in Europe. She was enthralled by the salty, fish-shaped crackers on offer and learned that they were invented by Oscar J. Kambly. His crackers were shaped like fish because he created them as a birthday present for his wife, who was a Pisces, and the astrological sign Pisces is usually represented using the symbol of a fish. Rudkin and Kambly negotiated an agreement that would allow her to introduce salty, fish-shaped crackers in America. In 1962, Goldfish crackers launched in the United States and quickly became popular. The first five flavors were Lightly Salted (Original), Cheese, Barbecue, Pizza, and Smoky. It wasn’t until 1966 that the now-beloved Cheddar Cheese flavor was launched. The signature smiley face was added in 1997 and roughly 40% of the crackers now feature the smile. Today, nearly 50 different flavors have been introduced since Goldfish first launched in 1962 and the snack has become massively popular with people of all ages, but is especially beloved among school-aged children.