Alina Morse – Zolli Candy
Gen Z entrepreneur Alina Morse is the founder of Zolli Candy, a brand that sells sugar-free, oral-health candies. Beyond sugar-free, the candy she sells is gluten-free, allergen-friendly, and all-natural in both flavoring and coloring, appealing to the fun kids want from candy without health concerns for the parents. Founded in 2015 at the age of 10 in her hometown of Wolverine Lake, Michigan, her products can now be found in over 25,000 stores across the United States and are quite popular on Amazon. The business reportedly achieved $6 million dollars in sales three years after its founding. The social enterprise that it is, Zolli Candy is also a proud supporter of the Million Smiles Initiative, contributing 10% of their profits to the charity that promotes oral care education to students.
The idea behind this business came about when she was only seven years old. While on a trip to the bank with her dad, the teller offered her a lollipop, which she would have eagerly accepted had she not understood her parents’ concerns for dental health regarding candy. After declining the sweet treat, she asked, “Why can’t we make a lollipop that’s actually good for your teeth?” Thus, her first product, the Zollipop, came to fruition. The Zollipop did not get its name until later, which was developed by Alina’s sister, Lola, through her attempts to pronounce one of the teeth-friendly ingredients in the candy. This story can be found on their website shop.zollipops.com.
Since the debut of Zollipops, Alina Morse has expanded her business to sell other candies such as Zolli Caramelz, Zolli Taffy, and Zolli Gummeez, all of which maintain the zero-sugar, dental health mission of the original Zolli Candy business. Alina Morse has received extensive recognition for her innovation and will continue to expand the range of products Zolli Candy sells, keeping the beautiful smiles on kids’ faces.
1 Comment
Leave a Comment
You must be logged in to post a comment.
I like the creative and innovative twist on the modern candy industry. So many people have allergies and sensitivities to food nowadays so making candy like this expands their target market.