FOOD TREND

Goldfish crackers stay at the head of the class

Admirers of Swiss ingenuity, nibble on this: In 1958, Oscar Kambly, a biscuit maker in Switzerland’s Emmental region, invented a fish-shaped snack in honor of his wife, a Pisces. Entrepreneur Margaret Rudkin, founder of Pepperidge Farm, tasted the little crackers while touring in Switzerland. A foodie who got into the bakery business when she developed a homemade bread for her son with food allergies, Rudkin sought out old-world recipes and premium products to add to the Pepperidge Farm line. She introduced Goldfish to the U.S. in 1962, where they’ve become a top-selling snack, munched on by everyone from the kindergarten snack brigade to the happy hour set.

GOLDFISH WERE a little bit serious when they came on the scene in 1962—the smiles came later.