Why Are Goldfish Crackers Shaped Like Fish?

If you’re like us, Goldfish crackers were an integral part of your childhood. And your adolescence. And your adulthood, or whatever phase it is where your bones keep making noise but you haven’t really learned how taxes work. Bottom line, you’re familiar with Goldfish crackers. But how well do you really know them? Their hopes? Their dreams? Their history? Why Goldfish crackers are shaped like fish in the first place?

Here are the answers to the Goldfish questions you didn’t know you had!

Why are Goldfish crackers shaped like fish?

Goldfish crackers do not contain fish. Surely nobody will be upset to hear this about a product that goes nowhere near the refrigerator. The fish shape comes from the Swiss cookie manufacturer, Oscar J. Kambly, who cooked up the original product. He created the fish-shaped crackers as a birthday present for his wife, who was a Pisces, and because the goldfish was a sign of luck. 

Wait, Goldfish crackers are Swiss?

No, most Goldfish crackers are cheddar. (JK.) Hilarious pun aside, the Goldfish crackers we now proudly produce in America were originally born of a Swiss idea. Margaret Rudkin, Pepperidge Farm founder, visited the aforementioned Swissman, Oscar Kambly, while on vacation in Europe, where they reached an agreement to bring the product to the U.S. 

What other Goldfish flavors are there besides cheddar?

The first five Goldfish flavors launched were actually original (lightly salted), cheese, barbeque, pizza, and smoky. In 1966, four years after the initial launch, cheddar cheese made its way onto your shelves and into our hearts. Since then, flavors have expanded massively to include parmesan, pretzel, Frank’s RedHot, s’mores, vanilla cupcake, and more. 

What’s with the smile?

The signature Goldfish cracker smile was added in 1997, but only about 40% of the crackers have that smile, including the familiar sunglassed spokesfish on the packaging. His name is Finn and no, we did not make that up. Additionally, looking at the ingredient list on the bag will reveal that they are “made with smiles.” How wholesome!