Sour Patch Kids, the internationally-known and beloved sour candy brand, has been around since the late 1970s. Many people often wonder who invented this sugary yet sour treat that provides a unique burst of flavor with every bite.
The story behind Sour Patch Kids dates back to 1976 when Jaret International—a Canadian-based confectionery firm—decided to create a new candy product that would attract teenagers and young adults. They wanted something that was not overly sweet but packed a punch of sourness in their taste buds.
After months of research and development, they came up with a revolutionary concept for Sour Patch Kids. Originally called “Mars Men,” these candies were shaped like aliens from outer space but lacked the signature sour coating we all know today. However, total sales for Mars Men flopped largely due to its lack of popularity among consumers at the time.
Fast forward to 1985; Frank Gallant—Vice President Marketing & Sales of Jaret International—was on vacation in California where he observed children eating unsold packets of an extremely tart candy from Mexico made with superfine granular sugar imported exclusively from Japan called “Tart ‘n’ Tinys.”
Inspired by what he had seen during his stay in California, Gallant now knew exactly how to rebrand Mars Men into what will eventually become the legendary Sour Patch Kid.
Back home in Canada where he put all his resources together until finally hitting breakthrough success thousands could only dream about! These cute yet distinctive candies were different-sized gummies coated with both sweet and tangy flavors perfect enough for those adventurous taste buds out there ready for some fun!
Sour Patch Candy History Through The Years
Jaret International first released Sour Patch Kids throughout Canada in 1985 before releasing them across America shortly after—as well as introducing new fruity flavors along the way such as Lime (green), Orange (orange), Lemon yellow), Grape(Purple).
The candies became an instant hit, becoming widely popular with children and adult consumers alike due to its unique combination of sour and sweet flavors. The company had successfully identified a gap in the confectionery market around sour-flavored sweets.
Jaret International faced some competition in 2014 when Mondelez International (previously known as Cadbury Schweppes) released their version of sour candy called “Sour Patch Xtreme”. However, Jaret International owned the trademark rights over Sour Patch Kids, making this product liable for misrepresentation of their intellectual property.
In 2002 or thereabouts approximately, Jaret International was soon acquired by a US-based company that decided it was time to start branding each color/flavor more creatively such as Berry Punch (Blue), Cherry (Red), Melon(Orange/pink) Grapefruit(Pink/Dark Pink). Additionally, expanding into numerous countries worldwide apart from just Canada and the USA.
Are Sour Patch Kids Vegan Or Gluten-Free?
Yes! Sour Patch Kids are typically vegan-friendly since they don’t contain any animal-derived ingredients like gelatin. As for being gluten-free? Only three varieties – blue raspberry, lemon-lime and grape- contain wheat starch as one of their ingredients.
Final Thoughts
Who invented Sour Patch Kids? It all began with Frank Galant’s vision who brought it to fruition after noticing how receptive kids were towards unsold packets small but intensely tart candy imported from Japan during his visit to California back in 1985.
Today we can enjoy these delightful treats around the world thanks largely through creative marketing campaigns paired alongside amazing flavor combinations offered by companies like Mondelez Internationals’ Sour Patch Xtreme or Trolli’s sour gummi worms—each offering quite twists designed tickle our taste buds leaving us craving more!
Sour Patch Kids are undoubtedly one of the most beloved candy brands in the world today. Their unique combination of sweet and sour flavors has made them a household name among both children and adults alike. But who exactly invented this sugary yet sour treat that provides a burst of flavor with each bite?
The story behind Sour Patch Kids dates back to 1976 when Jaret International, a Canadian-based confectionery firm, decided to create a new candy product that would appeal to teenagers and young adults. They wanted something that wasn’t too sweet but packed enough tartness to tantalize taste buds.
After months of research and development, they came up with a revolutionary concept for Mars Men – candies shaped like aliens from outer space but without the signature sour coating we know today. However, sales for Mars Men flopped largely due to its lack of popularity among consumers at the time.
Fast forward to 1985; Frank Gallant – Vice President Marketing & Sales of Jaret International – was on vacation in California where he observed children eating unsold packets of an extremely tart candy called “Tart ‘n’ Tinys.” Made from superfine granular sugar imported exclusively from Japan, Tart ‘n’ Tinys inspired Gallant’s vision for rebranding Mars Men into what eventually became the legendary Sour Patch Kid.
Back home in Canada, Gallant marshaled all his resources until finally hitting breakthrough success thousands could only dream about! These cute yet distinctive candies were different-sized gummies coated with both sweet and tangy flavors perfect enough for those adventurous taste buds out there ready for some fun!
Jaret International first released Sour Patch Kids throughout Canada before releasing them across America shortly after- as well as introducing new fruity flavors along the way such as Lime (green), Orange (orange), Lemon yellow), Grape(Purple).
The candies became instant hits becoming popular with both adult consumers and kids alike due their unique combination have been aiding sales for years on a large scale.
Despite facing competition in 2014 when Mondelez International released their version of sour candy, Sour Patch Xtreme, Jaret International owned the trademark rights over Sour Patch Kids. This made any other similar product liable to misrepresentation of intellectual property.
In 2002 or thereabouts approximately, Jaret International was acquired by a US-based company which decided it was time to start branding each color/flavor more creatively such as Berry Punch (Blue), Cherry (Red), Melon(Orange/pink) Grapefruit(Pink/Dark Pink). They expanded into numerous countries worldwide apart from just Canada and the USA.
If you are vegan or seeking gluten-free options, no worries! According to reports, Sour Patch Kids are typically vegan-friendly since they don’t contain any animal-derived ingredients like gelatin. However only three varieties – blue raspberry, lemon-lime and grape- contain wheat starch as one of their ingredient thus making them not wholly gluten-free but still sustainable enough for those avoiding its consumption altogether.
Overall, Frank Galant’s vision brought the concept behind these delightful treats into fruition. Today we can enjoy this beloved candy around the world thanks largely through creative marketing campaigns paired alongside amazing flavor combinations offered by companies like Trolli’s sour gummi worms — each offering quite twists designed tickle our taste buds leaving us craving more!