Article
DAVID YELLEN (BACKGROUND); COURTESY OF ZOLLI CANDY
Engineering, Physical Science,

Teeth-Cleaning Candy

How a kid like you created a sugar-free candy business

By Jeannette Ferrara
From the February 2022 Issue
Lexile: 900L; 560L
Key Focus Area: Chemical Reactions,
Standards
  • NGSS
    Core Idea: ETS1.A, ETS1.B, PS1.B
  • CCSS
    Reading Informational Text: 1.
  • TEKS
    Science: 3.2D, 4.2D, 5.2D, 6.5C; ELA: 3.6F, 4.6F, 5.6F, 6.5F

Presentation View
See Student View

Lexile® measure

  • 900L
  • 560L
Download and Print
560L
acidic

composed of acid, a substance that eats away at other substances

DAVID YELLEN (BACKGROUND); COURTESY OF ZOLLI CANDY (ALL OTHER IMAGES)

Zolli Candy founder Alina Morse

As you read, think about what has made Alina Morse’s product successful. 

On a trip to the bank with her dad, 7-year-old Alina Morse was offered a lollipop by the teller. Alina loved candy. But her dad reminded her that candy was full of sugar and bad for her teeth. Alina asked her dad: “Why can’t we make a sucker that’s good for your teeth?” 

Alina, who lives in Michigan, had a notebook of ideas for new inventions. But she was most excited about this one! So, with help from her family, she set out to make candy that kids could eat without harming their teeth.

About two years later, Alina founded Zolli Candy, a company selling sugar-free lollipops that actually protect your teeth! The company has expanded to sell other types of candies—most recently Zolli Peanut Butter Cups. Here’s how Alina, now 16, built her business. 

Alina Morse visited the bank with her dad when she was 7 years old. A bank teller offered her a lollipop. Alina loved candy. But her dad reminded her that candy was full of sugar. That made it bad for her teeth. “Why can’t we make a sucker that’s good for your teeth?” Alina asked her dad.

Alina lives in Michigan. She had a notebook of ideas for new inventions. But she was most excited about this one! So she got help from her family. She set out to make candy that wouldn’t harm kids’ teeth.

Alina founded Zolli Candy about two years later. The company sells sugar-free lollipops. They actually help your teeth! The company sells other types of candies too. It most recently created Zolli Peanut Butter Cups. Alina is now 16. Here’s how she built her business. 

COURTESY OF ZOLLI CANDY

Alina has worked at home during the Covid-19 crisis.

Finding a Recipe

Before creating her candy, Alina studied what causes tooth decay. She learned that when people eat sugar and many other foods, their mouth becomes more acidic, or contains more acid. Acid can eat away at enamel—the hard, protective coating on your teeth—making cavities more likely to form. 

Alina looked for ingredients that could replace sugar but were better for your teeth. She researched online and also talked with her dentist and dental hygienist to come up with new ingredients.

Eventually, Alina decided to replace sugar with a natural sweetener called erythritol (er-RITH-rih-tahl). Found in many fruits and vegetables, it can make saliva less acidic, protecting teeth.

Alina tested out candy recipes in her family’s kitchen. It was messy! “I even ruined a few kitchen appliances,” Alina says. She soon reached out to a local manufacturing facility to make the test batches. 

The first thing Alina did was study what causes tooth decay. She learned what happens when people eat sugar. A person’s mouth becomes more acidic. All that acid can eat away at enamel. That’s the hard, protective coating on your teeth. That makes cavities more likely to form. 

Alina looked for ingredients to replace sugar. The ingredients also needed to be good for teeth. She searched online. She also talked with her dentist and dental hygienist to come up with new ingredients.

Eventually, Alina decided on a natural sweetener. It’s called erythritol (er-RITH-rih-tahl). It’s found in many fruits and vegetables. It can make saliva less acidic and protect teeth.

Alina tested out candy recipes in her family’s kitchen. It was messy! “I even ruined a few kitchen appliances,” Alina says. She then reached out to a local manufacturer. They made test batches of her candy. 

Managing a Business

Once Alina had perfected her recipe, she designed the packaging. Then she presented her candy to stores. In 2014, Whole Foods became the first store to sell her candy. Zolli Candy is now found in thousands of stores in the U.S. and around the world.

Alina, who is still in high school, balances running her business with schoolwork and dance. She manages a team of 10 people working on different parts of the business. As her company has grown, Alina has never stopped learning from the people around her. “Asking questions is important,” she says. “I feel like once you stop asking questions, you stop being curious, and you stop growing.”

Over time, Alina perfected her recipe. Then she created the packaging. Finally, she took her candy to stores. Whole Foods became the first store to sell her candy in 2014. Zolli Candy is now carried by thousands of stores in the U.S. and around the world.

Alina is still in high school. She balances running her business with schoolwork and dance. She manages a team of 10 people working in different parts of the business. Her company has grown. But Alina has never stopped learning from those around her. “Asking questions is important,” she says. “I feel like once you stop asking questions, you stop being curious, and you stop growing.”

COURTESY OF ZOLLI CANDY

Alina transports material that will be made into packaging at the Zollipops factory.

Investigate It!

Think about how Alina Morse created her sugar-free candy and built her business. Use that information to answer the questions below.

What problem did Alina want to solve with her product?


What were Alina’s criteria for a successful candy?


How did research play into Alina’s design process? 


Alina thinks asking questions is important to running a business. Do you agree? Why or why not?


Investigate It!

Think about how Alina Morse created her sugar-free candy and built her business. Use that information to answer the questions below.


What problem did Alina want to solve with her product?


What were Alina’s criteria for a successful candy?


How did research play into Alina’s design process? 


Alina thinks asking questions is important to running a business. Do you agree? Why or why not?

Continue Your Learning

  • A lot of foods contain sugar. Some sugars occur naturally in the food and some are added. Examine some of the labels on foods in your home or at the grocery store. What foods have added sugars? Do any of those foods have erythritol or other nonsugar sweeteners like aspartame, saccharin, stevia, or sucralose?

Continue Your Learning

  • A lot of foods contain sugar. Some sugars occur naturally in the food and some are added. Examine some of the labels on foods in your home or at the grocery store. What foods have added sugars? Do any of those foods have erythritol or other nonsugar sweeteners like aspartame, saccharin, stevia, or sucralose?
video (1)
Activities (4) Download Answer Key
Skills Activities
Quizzes (1)
Text-to-Speech