This Sunday marks the 50th anniversary of General Mills’ popular snack bugles in a horn shape. You can count back from May 18, 1964, when the first press release was issued about them.
Bugles was launched in May 1964, with regional launches in Seattle and Portland, Omaha, Des Moines. Buffalo, Syracuse, and Des Moines. The national launch was made in 1966.
chinese buffet was one of three new General Mills snacks which represented our entry into snack food markets fifty years ago. We haven’t looked back since then, as our snack range has grown in size and variety.
Bugles snack siblings back then were Whistles, a cheddar-flavored corn product that looked like a whistle with a “taste similar to grilled cheese on bread, but crunchy”; and Daisy*s, a flower-shaped snack with the flavor of “puffed popcorns”.
Although Whistles’ and Daisy*s disappeared in a matter of years, Bugles lasted for many years. However, there were many varieties that have come and gone or been offered only on a limited basis.
There have been salsa, sour cream, onion, hot buffalo, hot barbecue, food hoodies and fat free and baked bugles to name a few. They are still manufactured at our West Chicago facility, where they were first made in the 60s. And what started with a small-scale launch in the U.S. in the 60s has expanded to other parts of the globe.
Today, Bugles can be found in Canada, China and Saudi Arabia. France, South Korea, and Thailand are other countries that have tried Bugle.
As we discovered in Canada, Bugle fans are dedicated. People demanded their return when General Mills discontinued selling them in Canada in 2008. We brought them back after a four year absence from Canada.
China is the most enthusiastic of all the Bugle markets, despite the fact that they are not available in the U.S. Bugle was introduced in China in 1999. It has 16 varieties, including ketchup, which is the most loved flavor among Chinese teenagers and adults.
General Mills also has other flavor options that are tailored to Chinese tastes. These include Korean kimchi and spring onion, spicy chickens, tomato beef, tomato seafood, tomato steak, roasted rib, seaweed, and tomato seafood. General Mills China recently introduced Bug les Crispy Potato Stick snacks, in tomato and original flavors. Two years ago, they were even featured in “Mad Men” television show. Also, I have fond memories of Bugles.
- As a child, I would place individual Bugles on each of my fingers to scare my brothers. However, it didn’t work.
- But the “nails” were soon gone, one at a time, thanks to my mouth. Mmm. I can’t imagine anything better than those salty, crunchy corn snacks.
- It’s not me. Every day, we see people sharing photos on social media of the Bugles they have put on their fingertips.
