Alina Morse: Founder of Zollipops, The Healthy Lollipops

If you say that candy can be hazardous to your health, think again. For these matters, you should be asking an 11-year-old girl how can a Lollipop be healthy for you.

Meet Alina Morse, founder of Zollipops, - lollipops that are actually good for your teeth.

Now, as we celebrate the International Women's Day, the 11-year-old girl who created Zollipops, “healthy” lollipops, has released a new formula for the beloved treat.

According to founder Alina Morse, “I love Women’s Day because it celebrates female entrepreneurs and being part of that community is a huge honor.”

Alina, a 4th grader in Wolverine Lake, Michigan, is like any other kid — she loves to dance, sing, and act. But unlike most kids, she understands that candy is bad for her teeth. So in 2013, she decided to create a healthier version of lollipops, her favorite treat. Zollipops are GMO-free and don’t contain sugar or gluten. Even better, they actually reduce the risk of tooth decay by raising a person’s pH levels (the scale used to measure acidity or basicity in the mouth). Zollipops contain the sugar alternatives erythritol, xylitol, and stevia and come in cherry, strawberry, raspberry, orange, pineapple and grape flavors.

Now, Alina revealed new updates to Zollipops: They now have a shelf life that’s three times longer and a lower glycemic response, which helps satiate hunger.

The tween concocted the idea for the lollipops one day after accompanying her father to the bank. “The teller offered me a lolly and my dad said that candy will rot my teeth,” says Alina. “I asked him, ‘Why can’t I make candy that’s good for my teeth?”

To get her business off the ground, Alina turned to her entrepreneur father and her mother, who works in sales and marketing. “Since I’m a kid, I need help with lots of things,” she explains. “This was a $7,500 investment, and I had a little less than half of that because I saved all the money I was given for birthdays and holidays.” The rest of the funds came from her parents and grandparents.

However, Alina’s sister takes credit for naming the product. “After we had our first batch of lollipops that we did trials for, I asked my 5-year-old sister if she wanted a xylitol lollipop. She said, ‘Do you mean a zollipop?’”

Today, Zollipops are sold on Amazon and in Whole Foods, Toys R Us, and most recently, the grocery store Kroger. Zollipops were also the only candy served at the White House’s annual Easter Egg Roll in 2016. According to dad Tom Morse, Zollipops grew more than 200 percent in 2016 and the company is expected to earn between one and two million in 2017.

Alina isn’t just the face of the brand — she attends middle school by day and works on the business at night and on weekends. “Alina does big picture thinking, works on packaging, and has attended candy trade shows in New Orleans and Germany,” her mom, Sue Morse claims.

 What’s next for Alina? On the next days, she’s announcing the launch of Zaffi Taffy, a taffy treat that contains the same ingredients as Zollipops. However, despite her success, Alina is serious about school, saying, “I love doing my math and science homework.”

Now, you can indulge yourself eating Zollipops as much as you can 😉

Cheerio!