Didn't Ronald Reagan make jelly belly jellybeans famous?

Answer 1

When Ronald Reagan ran for Governor of California in 1966, he began eating jelly beans as part of his successful attempt to give up pipe smoking. The Oakland-based producer of the jelly beans sent a monthly shipment of jelly beans to the Governor's Office throughout Reagan's two terms as Governor. The company also made a custom-designed jelly bean jar for Reagan. The company continued to ship jelly beans to Reagan after Reagan left the governorship. In 1976 the company introduced the Jelly Belly brand. Within two years, the shipment consisted entirely of the Jelly Belly brand. The company provided the Reagan White House with Jelly Belly jelly beans for all eight years of Reagan's presidency. President Reagan's favorite Jelly Belly flavor was licorice. In February 1981 the company received official Government authorization to develop a Jelly Belly jelly bean jar with the Presidential Seal on it. These Presidential jars of Jelly Belly beans, each in its own blue gift box, were given by Reagan to heads of state, diplomats, and many other White House guests.