Slush Puppie

Slush Puppie founder Will Radcliff (1939–2014) decided to start the company after seeing a slush-making machine at a Chicago trade fair in 1970. Radcliff, his sister and their mother came up with the name "Slush Puppie" (based on hush puppy) while sitting on their front porch in Cincinnati, Ohio.

The business started from a home address in Cincinnati and progressed to a single door small warehouse, to a manufacturing plant/warehouse, to a candy and tobacco distributor, to a front door repair shop, to finally a showplace building that overlooks the city of Cincinnati. As the company expanded, Radcliff added additional product lines, including Thelma's frozen lemonade, Pacific Bay Smooth-E, and Lanikai Frozen Cocktails. Under Radcliff, Slush Puppie grew to $25 million in annual sales.

Radcliff sold Slush Puppie to Cadbury Schweppes for $16.6 million in 2000. Slush Puppie was then acquired by J & J Snack Foods, a food manufacturer based in Pennsauken Township, New Jersey, on May 30, 2006.

United Kingdom

In 1974, Slush Puppie was launched in the United Kingdom when businessman Ralph Peters bought three Slush Puppie machines. The Slush Puppie license continued to be held in the United Kingdom by the Peters family for decades, and was later joined by the Frutina brand. In December 2019, it was announced that the UK license with the Peters family (now known as Frozen Brothers) would be terminated. In June 2021, the UK license for Slush Puppie was awarded to Vimto Out of Home. In November 2024, the Slush Puppie license was then changed to Celtic Frozen Drinks.

Spin-offs of Slush Puppie sold in UK retail outlets, such as a home slush machine, have been sold by Fizz Creations since 2017. A freezeable pouch version was introduced by Manchester Drinks in July 2018. In 2021, Rose Confectionary began making various Slush Puppie candy assortments. In March 2023, a soft-drink version called Slush Puppie Fizzie was launched by Nichols plc. There are other items produced, such as ice lollies, teacakes and milkshake powder by CRC Innovations. There are also air freshers and air sprays available by RTC Direct.