Before Barnum's took over, another retro animal cracker brand ruled America
Nabisco's Barnum's box is iconic, but a Pennsylvania bakery called Stauffers was producing animal crackers decades earlier, starting back in 1871.
When most Americans think of animal crackers, the familiar red Barnum’s box likely comes to mind.
Nabisco’s circus-themed version, however, was not the first animal cracker sold in the United States.
Long before Barnum’s became a household staple, a Pennsylvania bakery was already producing the nostalgic snack after animal crackers gained popularity overseas.
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Animal crackers were first made in England during the mid-1800s before eventually being imported to the United States, according to the food and dining website Tasting Table.
In 1871, baker David F. Stauffer began producing the crackers in York, Pennsylvania, through what became the D.F. Stauffer Biscuit Company, now known as Stauffers, according to the company.
At the time, crackers were commonly sold from large barrels and purchased by weight rather than packaged individually. Stauffer reportedly delivered the products around town using a wheelbarrow before later expanding to horse-drawn wagons and railroad shipments as demand increased.
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The company still sells its classic animal crackers today, featuring shapes such as elephants, lions, camels, bears and tigers.
Today, Stauffers operates as a subsidiary of Meiji America Inc. and remains headquartered in York, Pennsylvania, where it continues manufacturing snack products in the United States, according to the company.
Decades after Stauffers began producing the snack, the National Biscuit Company, now known as Nabisco, introduced Barnum’s Animal Crackers.
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The product was inspired by the popularity of the Barnum & Bailey Circus and packaged in the now-iconic circus train box designed to resemble a Christmas ornament.
The crackers quickly became one of America’s most recognizable snack foods and remain a staple in grocery stores generations later.
Today, animal crackers continue to span generations, with brands including Nabisco, Stauffers, Trader Joe’s and Costco all selling their own versions.
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On social media, many users reflected on the nostalgia associated with the snack.
"As a little girl, I would always feel super cool carrying this box around the grocery store. It was like a little purse to me," one Reddit user wrote.
Another person added, "Brings back so many memories."
Fox News Digital reached out to Barnum’s for further comment.
