The blue raspberry flavor – trending elsewhere across the candy aisle in recent years – joined the original mix of cherry, lime, lemon and orange in 2014.
Starting in the 1970s, Canadian confectioner Allan Candy produced the famed chewy, sour treats, then known as Mars Men. They hit the US market in 1985, by then made by a joint venture between Allan and Malaco Licorice Company (M&A Candy Co.). Cadbury-Adams scooped up the brand in the ‘90s before selling it to Mondelēz, which operates the brand under Post Consumer Holdings.
Over the years, the ‘sour then sweet’ candy has expanded to include extreme and ‘exploding’ versions, berry-centric mixes, and a variety of shapes other than kids – bunnies and zombies, for instance.
In January, Post and Mondelēz unveiled a Sour patch Kids cereal, available first at Wal-Mart followed by national distribution this June. The company said at the time that it was inspired by its line of product-focused cereals, including Oreo O’s, Nutter Butter and Chips Ahoy.
One color wave
Sour Patch Kids aren’t the only candy to receive the single-color treatment.
Starburst, owned by Mars Wrigley, pulled a similar single-color trick with its pink flavor in 2017. Consumers practically ripped them off the shelves, leading the candy maker to offer them again last year. In May, it debuted an all-pink bag of minis.
On the other side of the rainbow, Skittles stripped the color from its fruity gem candies for an all-white pack sold in support of individuality and specifically, Pride Month.