Jel Sert continuously explores new tastes and licensing extensions.

Jane Neal, Content Editor

January 12, 2022

2 Min Read
Licensed products from Sonic Drive-In, made by Jel Sert
Jel Sert

Freezer Pops, Otter Pops, Fla-Vor-Ice, Pop-Ice, Kool Pops, Wyler’s, Flavor-Aid, they’re products that speak to summertime, childhood and most especially perhaps, nostalgia. And no wonder; they’re all brands from Jel Sert Company, a family-owned business that’s been creating tasty food and beverages since 1926. The name comes from its first product, a gelatin dessert mix called Jel Sert, as in “jelly dessert.” 

In 1963, the company acquired “Pop-Ice,” a producer of freeze-at-home pops. That was also the start of Jel Sert’s licensing journey – Pop-Ice had licensed with Popeye, a partnership that Jel Sert continued for several years. 

Nancy Samani, vice president, licensing, speaks with License Global about Jel Sert’s licensing journey – past and future. 

“Over the years, we worked with leading entertainment brands, “Spider-Man,” “Spider-Man 2,” “The Hulk” and later top Disney and Universal proper-ties such as Frozen and Minions,” says Samani. “Today, our licensing business accounts for over 25% of our business. We have the privilege of working with some of the leading brands in consumer-packaged goods, including The Coca-Cola Company, Mars Wrigley, The Hershey Company, Sunkist, Welch’s, Sonic Drive-In and more. We believe our growth in licensing is attributed to relation-ships and results.”  

Samani says that Jel Sert is one of the few family-owned and operated businesses in CPG, as well as being the largest drink mix manufacturer in North America. And the family continues to stay involved in the company.  

“We are proud to have the fourth generation of the family represented in the licensing team today,” she says.  

Jel Sert also manufacturers all of its products in-house.  

“This benefits our licensing partners,” explains Samani. “It gives us the ability to have greater speed to market, produce quality-controlled product and provide excellent service to our retail customers, which is so important now more than ever.” 

After being in the licensing business for almost 60 years, the company knows what works when it comes to licensing partners. 

Want to learn more? Check out the latest issue of License Global, out now! 

Read more about:

Jel Sert

About the Author(s)

Jane Neal

Content Editor, License Global

Jane Neal is a Content Editor for License Global. Working remotely in the great state of Wisconsin, Jane specializes in retail and pop-culture trends.

She has worked extensively in the communication field as a managing editor, advertising copywriter, technical writer and journalist. She detoured for several years into academia where she taught journalism, English and humanities at the college level.

A complete Marvel nerd, she enjoys food, films, fishing, friends and family … and alliteration.

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