Remember the days in the ‘80s and ‘90s when you’d hop off the school bus and head home wanting a warm, tasty snack? No doubt, one of things you’d often go for was a frozen food delight that could be easily microwaved on demand – a Hot Pocket. Ham and Cheddar, Pepperoni Pizza, or Philly Steak and Cheese were often the Hot Pockets of choice, and while you might enjoy that crispy, salty bite, you no doubt also suffered a burn to the roof of your mouth. Ah, the joys of Hot Pockets!
What you might not know about Hot Pockets, is that they were invented by Paul and David Merage, Iranian immigrants who founded the company Chef America, Inc in the 1970s, and were first known for creating and distributing frozen Belgian waffles. It wasn’t easy for the brothers to get started on their Hot Pockets journey, though – Paul had to take out second and third mortgages on his house to get the business off the ground.
But, thanks to the intense work ethic of the Merage brothers, Chef America became the number one company in the world mass-producing Belgian waffles, with $12 million in annual sales in 1977. Still, the brothers knew that in order to continue growing the business, they would have to expand beyond the breakfast market. Since the lunch and dinner markets were already totally dominated by other brands, they turned their focus on snacks.
Paul saw the potential for a quick two-minute microwaveable meal that was enclosed in a crust for ease of handling. The first iteration of this new invention was called the Tastywich, which debuted in 1980. By 1983, the recipe had been revamped, and Chef America released the newly minted Hot Pockets. Though not all homes owned microwaves in the early ‘80s, microwave ownership increased year by year, and as more women entered the workforce, Hot Pockets gained greater recognition and eventually became a huge success, developing that catchy jingle that all of us remember to this day. Indeed, just say the words “Hot Pockets” and you’re probably already doing that jingle in your head, right?
In 2002, Nestlé, the world’s largest food and beverage company, acquired Chef America, and thus, Hot Pockets, for $2.6 billion dollars. That’s not a number to sniff at – wow! Nestle saw the potential for growth in the brand and began to heavily market Hot Pockets to college students and busy adults. With the help of Nestlé‘s extensive resources and marketing capabilities, Hot Pockets became one of the most popular and recognizable frozen food brands in the United States.
However, in recent years, Nestlé has come under fire for the high levels of fat, sodium, and preservatives in Hot Pockets. Critics have pointed out that Hot Pockets are not a healthy option and that the brand should be transparent about the ingredients and nutritional information. In response to these criticisms, Nestlé has made changes to the recipe in an effort to make the product healthier and more appealing to health-conscious consumers. The company has reduced the amount of sodium and removed artificial preservatives from the recipe.
Despite the criticisms, Hot Pockets remains a popular and well-known brand, with a loyal customer base. The brand’s convenience continues to appeal to consumers looking for an easy and satisfying meal option. Even if health conscious parents these days are less likely to give their kids Hot Pockets, we’d wager once those kids get to college they’ll give them a try. Indeed, who can resist?
What’s your favorite Hot Pockets flavor? Let us know in the comments! But first, for even more nostalgia, check out this compilation of Hot Pockets commercials from the ‘80s and ‘90s:
- Rhett and Link tried every Hot Pockets flavor on their YouTube show Good Mythical Morning, with the Chicken Bacon Ranch with crispy butter crust flavor coming out on top.
- Actor Jason Segel went on a “Hot Pocket diet” to gain weight for his role in The End of the Tour, eating two Hot Pockets every three hours. Though he quickly grew sick of eating them, he later said if someone put one in front of him, he would eat it.
- In January 2021, some batches of Hot Pockets were found to contain pieces of glass or hard plastic – the USDA issued a Class I recall. Affected products included Premium Pepperoni Made With Pork, and Chicken & Beef Pizza with a Garlic Buttery Crust. Yikes.
- Daughter of Hot Pockets co-founder Paul Merage, Michelle, was part of the college admissions scandal, and after pleading guilty, was sentenced to five months in jail, along with a $250,000 fine and two years of supervised release after serving her time.
- The crisping sleeve that makes Hot Pockets crispy is called a susceptor and converts microwave energy to radiant heat and allows the food to brown. Nestlé recommends using a paper plate beneath the crisping sleeve rather than a ceramic one so that the plate doesn’t absorb any of that energy.
- Rhett and Link tried every Hot Pockets flavor on their YouTube show Good Mythical Morning, with the Chicken Bacon Ranch with crispy butter crust flavor coming out on top.
- Actor Jason Segel went on a “Hot Pocket diet” to gain weight for his role in The End of the Tour, eating two Hot Pockets every three hours. Though he quickly grew sick of eating them, he later said if someone put one in front of him, he would eat it.
- In January 2021, some batches of Hot Pockets were found to contain pieces of glass or hard plastic – the USDA issued a Class I recall. Affected products included Premium Pepperoni Made With Pork, and Chicken & Beef Pizza with a Garlic Buttery Crust. Yikes.
- Daughter of Hot Pockets co-founder Paul Merage, Michelle, was part of the college admissions scandal, and after pleading guilty, was sentenced to five months in jail, along with a $250,000 fine and two years of supervised release after serving her time.
- The crisping sleeve that makes Hot Pockets crispy is called a susceptor and converts microwave energy to radiant heat and allows the food to brown. Nestlé recommends using a paper plate beneath the crisping sleeve rather than a ceramic one so that the plate doesn’t absorb any of that energy.
