Goodie Bags (Goesch Schoen Berland, goodie bag atau goodie bag) have become an inevitable marketing tool for many companies. Their purpose is to create awareness among potential customers. However, some of these items have turned out to be more useful than other items used in the advertising campaign. Some items such as pens, notepads and stickers are considered as goodie bags, while others such as candies, gums, biscuits, and even mouthwatering sauces and jellies are considered not goodie bags.
The goody bag was created by the West Coast Company, a company that had its roots in the logging industry. They made goodie bags out of all kinds of natural fibers such as cotton, chenille, denim, flax, jute and sandalwood. To make their goodie bags more appealing, they even made them in the shape of a log (or a carmientea, as the locals called them). Carmientea were hollowed out with a special procedure done by West Coast Company’s in Pueblo, Colorado.
The Carmientea was the first thing that the West Coast Company marketed. It was also the first edible item sold in America. The name of the product was inspired by a local phrase “carmientea” which means “of carmentry”. From this, the idea for “carmien” was born. It was meant to evoke images of woodcarving and the west coast was one place that inspired the company. The West Coast Company had previously been selling things like candies, pipe candles, pie-lights and other candies.
From the very beginning, goodie bag makers from the West Coast started to carve into candies, creating candied apples, caramel apples, chocolate caramel and fried pies. Soon, the “Camelossom” pattern was added on to the patterns that had already been carved. From there, the name of the product was changed to “Camel Pretzel” due to some customers requests.
Around the same time, the idea to create edible fruit was born out of another customer request. Customers were requesting candies that were drier than what was offered by the company. The “Dollars Bag” was born. The name was based on the fact that many customers would give their dollar bills (as they were called then) in exchange for a piece of candies that was smaller than the original ones. Around the same time Detol had started to carve their name in to the candies that their customers purchased. It was at this point that the “Camel Pretzel” became part of the name.
By this time, Detol had begun to carve more elaborate designs into their candies. Some of these designs included detailed carvings, multi-colored designs, flowers, birds, hearts, and more. Around this same time, a couple of things happened. First, the West Coast German bakeries began to offer candies that were imported from the Netherlands. Second, cederberg, the owner of the German candy companies, began to offer candies similar to Detol that were also imported from Holland.
In addition, in the late 1800’s Detol began to carve a name for themselves by creating carmientea that were similar to the popular carmienteos of the time. These carmientea also made a return trip back to the Netherlands and were similar in appearance. The early Dutch “Camel Pretzel” was first produced by Emmel and Wicke van Noland. Emmel worked for Emmel & Wicke and helped them create the very first “Camel Pretzel” which was the precursor to all the different goodie bags we have come to enjoy today.
So, after looking back at the history of the “Camel Pretzel” I think it’s pretty safe to say that these particular carmientegas are a definite must have for any collector of candy. I mean if you’re someone who enjoys goodie bags and goodie bag favors then you’re going to need these products. I also think it’s pretty safe to say that there is no way that anyone could make a top 8 list without including one or two of the most popular and highly sought after candy of the 20th century, the Camel Pretzel. For more information about the 20th anniversary commemoration of the first Caramel Pretzel visit our website by following the links below.
