DOTS, or Mason DOTS, are a brand of gum drops

Gumdrop

Gumdrops are a type of confectionery . They are usually brightly-colored gelatin- or pectin-based pieces, shaped like a truncated cone and coated in granulated sugar. This makes them very sweet....

 marketed by Tootsie Roll Industries

Tootsie Roll Industries

Tootsie Roll Industries is a manufacturer of confectionery in the United States. Its best-known products have been Tootsie Rolls and Tootsie Pops....

, which claims that "since its 1945 launch," the candy has become "America's...#1 selling gumdrop brand." According to advertisements, more than four billion dots are produced from the Tootsie Roll Industries Chicago plant each year.

According to PETA

Peta

Peta can refer to:* peta-, an SI prefix denoting a factor of 1015* Peta, Greece, a town in Greece* Peta, the Pāli word for a Preta, or hungry ghost in Buddhism* Peta Wilson, an Australian actress and model* Peta Todd, English glamour model...

 DOTS are vegan, and according to the Tootsie Roll Industries website, they are gluten-free, nut-free, peanut-free, and kosher (officially certified kosher by the Orthodox Union

Orthodox Union

The Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America , more popularly known as the Orthodox Union , is one of the oldest Orthodox Jewish organizations in the United States. It is best known for its kosher food preparation supervision service...

 as of December 1, 2009).

History

DOTS were introduced in 1945 by Mason and trademarked that year. In 1972, Tootsie Roll Industries acquired the DOTS brand by purchasing the Mason Division of Candy Corporation of America. Prior to that acquisition they were manufactured by Mason, AU and Magenheimer Confectionery Manufacturing Company of Brooklyn

Brooklyn

Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...

 and later Mineola

Mineola, New York

Mineola is a village in Nassau County, New York, USA. The population was 18,799 at the 2010 census. The name is derived from a Native American word meaning a "pleasant place"....

, New York

New York

New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...

.

Crows are the oldest candy in the DOTS family, first created in the late 19th century. Original dots date back to 1945, Tropical Dots to 2003, and Yoghurt Dots to 2007. Sour Dots were introduced in 2009-2010.

Flavors

Current flavors for "original dots" include cherry, strawberry, lemon, lime, and orange. Sour DOTS have five flavors, but are created with a sour sugar: cherry, lemon, orange, grape, and green apple. Flavors for Tropical DOTS include Island Nectar, Wild Mango, Grapefruit Cooler, Carambola Melon, and Paradise Punch; and for Yoghurt DOTS, Banana, Orange, Blackberry, and Lemon-Lime.

Crows

Crows (candy)

Crows are a licorice candy similar in shape and texture to Dots.-History:Crows were invented in the 1890s by confectioners Ernest Von Au and Joseph Maison. The Black Crows trademark was registered in 1911. There is an urban legend that Crows were to be called "Black Rose," but the printer misheard...

, licorice flavored gum drops, are also considered to be part of the DOTS family, created in the 1890s by confectioners Ernest Von Au and Joseph Maison. There is an urban legend

Urban legend

An urban legend, urban myth, urban tale, or contemporary legend, is a form of modern folklore consisting of stories that may or may not have been believed by their tellers to be true...

that crows were to be called "Black Rose," but the printer misheard the name as "Black Crows" and printed wrappers with the wrong name on them. However, research—including the fact that the name was copyrighted before the candies ever came with wrappers—reveals that this story is not true.

Varieties

In addition to current varieties of Original DOTS (also known as Mason DOTS), Tropical DOTS, Yoghurt DOTS, Sour DOTS, and Crows, past varieties (including special short-term promotional offerings) have included:

Halloween specialties

Three special Halloween varieties of DOTS have been marketed:

• Ghost DOTS are translucent light green, with the same flavors of Original DOTS, but without the different colors to indicate which flavor any particular gum drop might have.
• Bat DOTS are black-colored DOTS that are blood orange flavored.
• Candy Corn DOTS are candy corn flavored and resemble candy corn.

Other Holiday specialties

Other holiday specialties have included:

• Christmas DOTS in Cherry, Lime, and Vanilla Flavored
• Valentine DOTS in Cherry, Vanilla, and Passion Fruit (introduced in 2010)
• Easter DOTS in Blueberry, Lemon, Lime, Cherry, and Orange (introduced in 2010)

Other varieties and flavors

Other varieties and flavors have included:

• Wild Berry DOTS were introduced in 2000. Wild Berry DOTS are sweet, chewy gumdrops coated with a tart, crunchy coating. Wild Berry DOTS were discontinued in 2007.
• DOTS Elements in pomegranate, cinnamon, green tea, and wintergreen (introduced in 2008, no longer being produced)
• Hot DOTS (aka Cinnamon DOTS) were released in 2004 but were discontinued in 2006.
• Patriotic DOTS in Blueberry, Strawberry, and Vanilla Flavored
• During the 1980s, there was a variety of Dots called Spice Dots
• Special individual flavor packages such as Pink Grapefruit, Peach, and Watermelon. Marketed as "sour slices," they maintain the gumdrop shape of all other DOTS.