Tootsie Rolls are awful. As far as candy is concerned, they rank somewhere below candy corn and just above sugar cubes. BARELY above sugar cubes.

But all the way back in 1908, Tootsie Rolls were... groundbreaking?

Back in the day, candy was sold out of glass jars. It would had to be scooped out and weighed. That led to an obvious problem: it all stuck together. If you ever tried to break off a piece of attached candy... you know it's not gonna work well.

So, New York-based Austrian Jewish immigrant Leo Hirschfeld had an idea: he individually wrapped the candy! That, and he developed a flavor somewhere between taffy and caramel, naming it after his daughter. Hence, the Tootsie Roll.

For over 100 years, Hirschfeld's invention has been enjoyed... as it now sticks to your teeth, not to other candy.

Today, Tootsie Rolls are not groundbreaking, just toothbreaking.