Why Are Gummies Crowding Out Hard Candies?
July 20, 2022 3:46 PM Subscribe
When I was a kid on the US East Coast, stores stocked lots of hard candies. Now I see five varieties of hard candy and scores of gummies — worms, bears, burgers, sharks, flowers etc. (I care because gummies stick to the teeth in my dry mouth.) Why the shift? Is it down to Big Gelatin? Are there better rebates for the retailers?
I read a survey a couple of years ago that said jelly candies were kids' favorite for Halloween, even more so than chocolate bars. I was surprised becahse when I was a kid, chocolate was the clear favorite. So, I think the answer is mostly just that kids like them more.
posted by jacquilynne at 4:19 PM on July 20, 2022 [5 favorites]
posted by jacquilynne at 4:19 PM on July 20, 2022 [5 favorites]
I think you've already hit on one of the big reasons: gummi and chewy candies can be made into all sorts of intricate, fun, colorful shapes that hard candies can only roughly approximate. There's an element of play and interactivity in eating a squishy, bite-able, multi-colored candy shark that you just can't get from a lemon drop.
posted by theory at 4:22 PM on July 20, 2022 [6 favorites]
posted by theory at 4:22 PM on July 20, 2022 [6 favorites]
My kid started eating hard candy recently, and hearing her and her friends chomp on it makes me cringe in anticipation of dental bills to come. Gummies, for all their flaws, won’t break teeth.
posted by kevinbelt at 4:30 PM on July 20, 2022 [4 favorites]
posted by kevinbelt at 4:30 PM on July 20, 2022 [4 favorites]
fun, colorful shapes that hard candies can only roughly approximate
What? Hard candies can be super detailed, and I'd imagine more than what a gummy could do because they'll actually keep their shape. Even basic fruit hard candies, not the boring ovals but the ones shaped like the fruit they're the flavour of, will have better details than a gummy bear or worm.
I bet that people eat more of the gummy candies because you don't really suck on them you just chew, swallow, and move on to the next one, while for a hard candy you're probably going to suck on it for a good while until it is small enough to easily crunch because otherwise you feel like you're breaking your teeth and possibly cutting the roof of your mouth with candy shards.
Gummies, for all their flaws, won’t break teeth.
Gummies are the main thing the dentist warns my kids about. They won't break your teeth (teeth are really hard and probably won't break from a hard candy anyway) but they'll stick to them and the stuck sugar will encourage cavities.
posted by any portmanteau in a storm at 4:36 PM on July 20, 2022 [3 favorites]
What? Hard candies can be super detailed, and I'd imagine more than what a gummy could do because they'll actually keep their shape. Even basic fruit hard candies, not the boring ovals but the ones shaped like the fruit they're the flavour of, will have better details than a gummy bear or worm.
I bet that people eat more of the gummy candies because you don't really suck on them you just chew, swallow, and move on to the next one, while for a hard candy you're probably going to suck on it for a good while until it is small enough to easily crunch because otherwise you feel like you're breaking your teeth and possibly cutting the roof of your mouth with candy shards.
Gummies, for all their flaws, won’t break teeth.
Gummies are the main thing the dentist warns my kids about. They won't break your teeth (teeth are really hard and probably won't break from a hard candy anyway) but they'll stick to them and the stuck sugar will encourage cavities.
posted by any portmanteau in a storm at 4:36 PM on July 20, 2022 [3 favorites]
Next time you're hosting an ice cream social for a bunch of kids and you've got all your toppings set up for folks to choose from, you know: nuts, cherries, sprinkles, syrups, crushed oreos, all the best stuff... add a bowl of gummy bears. I place big money bets that the gummy bears run out first.
Kids LOVE gummies.
Sincerely, the 36 year old adult with not one but 3 types of gummies in her pantry.
posted by phunniemee at 4:36 PM on July 20, 2022 [6 favorites]
Kids LOVE gummies.
Sincerely, the 36 year old adult with not one but 3 types of gummies in her pantry.
posted by phunniemee at 4:36 PM on July 20, 2022 [6 favorites]
To my auntly dismay, I was told I wasn’t allowed to buy the cute little holiday life savers “books” for my nephews until they were five. (Pediatricians agree and of course I abided.) But gummies were allowed. The result in my family is two nephews who only like gummy candy.
posted by kimberussell at 4:55 PM on July 20, 2022 [4 favorites]
posted by kimberussell at 4:55 PM on July 20, 2022 [4 favorites]
Claim: gummies are more profitable, because they use proportionally more HFCS. Also consumer trend/drift as mentioned above.
posted by SaltySalticid at 4:56 PM on July 20, 2022 [6 favorites]
posted by SaltySalticid at 4:56 PM on July 20, 2022 [6 favorites]
Best answer: Hard: suck, when will this be over, crunch
Soft: suck, chew, pull, tug, stick your tongue into the hole, oh hey a shark, put it on your finger, where is the next one
posted by papayaninja at 5:08 PM on July 20, 2022 [7 favorites]
Soft: suck, chew, pull, tug, stick your tongue into the hole, oh hey a shark, put it on your finger, where is the next one
posted by papayaninja at 5:08 PM on July 20, 2022 [7 favorites]
I worked at a candy store in high school, way back in the early 90's, and gummy candies were the big thing then too. It seems they've been more popular my whole life. If you give my kids a bag of mixed candy the Lifesavers and Root Beer Barrels and even Jolly Ranchers end up not getting eaten.
posted by tacodave at 5:18 PM on July 20, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by tacodave at 5:18 PM on July 20, 2022 [1 favorite]
I am not sure where I read this, but I recall something (from consumer research) that soft foods are preferred by Americans because they subconsciously recall baby food. Sounds nuts but, if you think about it most popular foods require very little mouth work.
posted by momochan at 6:31 PM on July 20, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by momochan at 6:31 PM on July 20, 2022 [1 favorite]
It could just be that kids’ tastes have changed over the years. They wouldn’t stock the things if they weren’t selling.
posted by hwyengr at 6:44 PM on July 20, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by hwyengr at 6:44 PM on July 20, 2022 [1 favorite]
If you give my kids a bag of mixed candy the Lifesavers and Root Beer Barrels and even Jolly Ranchers end up not getting eaten.
The physical sharpness and unrelenting flavor of that stuff gets to me. Like you can turn a jolly rancher or candy cane (og hard candy) into a weapon.... that is most likely to cut your own tongue.
posted by The_Vegetables at 7:18 PM on July 20, 2022 [1 favorite]
The physical sharpness and unrelenting flavor of that stuff gets to me. Like you can turn a jolly rancher or candy cane (og hard candy) into a weapon.... that is most likely to cut your own tongue.
posted by The_Vegetables at 7:18 PM on July 20, 2022 [1 favorite]
Best answer: Hard candy - especially pan candy - is incredibly time-consuming to make, and uses expensive equipment that only works in batches. Gummies can be moulded in cornstarch on a continuous line by the million.
Also: who wants to eat old-people food?
posted by scruss at 8:03 PM on July 20, 2022 [3 favorites]
Also: who wants to eat old-people food?
posted by scruss at 8:03 PM on July 20, 2022 [3 favorites]
(teeth are really hard and probably won't break from a hard candy anyway)
My teeth absolutely wouldn't. My wife's would, and have.
posted by Artifice_Eternity at 8:15 PM on July 20, 2022 [1 favorite]
My teeth absolutely wouldn't. My wife's would, and have.
posted by Artifice_Eternity at 8:15 PM on July 20, 2022 [1 favorite]
People like them more than hard candies. Simple as that. Nobody is in the business to make candy that's hard to sell.
posted by 2N2222 at 8:32 PM on July 20, 2022 [2 favorites]
posted by 2N2222 at 8:32 PM on July 20, 2022 [2 favorites]
Best answer: I associate hard candy and spice drops with old people, fwiw. Up there with butter rum Lifesavers. They all make me think of my grandpa, who’s been dead 20 years.
posted by Violet Hour at 9:28 PM on July 20, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by Violet Hour at 9:28 PM on July 20, 2022 [1 favorite]
Yeah definitely I associate hard candy with old people. My mom used to give my grandpa novel hard candies as a gift. But also the experience of eating them feels like I'm bathing my teeth in sugar for half an hour. I know gummies are also terrible for my teeth, but at least I can eat a handful then rinse out my mouth if it feels too sweet and move on with my life. In general if I'm going to keep something in my mouth for a long time to dissolve, I'd rather it be sugar free.
posted by potrzebie at 10:04 PM on July 20, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by potrzebie at 10:04 PM on July 20, 2022 [1 favorite]
Best answer: Back in the day .....you could be in the line at the grocery store, and there'd be a huge metal dispenser display at the checkout with all the different flavors of Life Savers--like, dozens of different flavors to choose from.
Most of the variety in gummies today, as mentioned above, is in shapes, and the flavors are terrible, an afterthought, and there are only three or four nondescript flavors anyway, and they mix the flavors together in the same bag. So yeah, that might support the idea that manufacturers might rather just splort out gummies in different shapes, rather than wrangle a lot of different, specific flavors of a candy like they used to.
posted by gimonca at 10:17 PM on July 20, 2022 [1 favorite]
Most of the variety in gummies today, as mentioned above, is in shapes, and the flavors are terrible, an afterthought, and there are only three or four nondescript flavors anyway, and they mix the flavors together in the same bag. So yeah, that might support the idea that manufacturers might rather just splort out gummies in different shapes, rather than wrangle a lot of different, specific flavors of a candy like they used to.
posted by gimonca at 10:17 PM on July 20, 2022 [1 favorite]
Just try to find hard candies. Like Life Savers...
No one around here seems to be willing to dedicate the shelf space for them, (after trying to find something for my son to suck on when he had a sore throat). They have all but disappeared.
posted by Windopaene at 10:18 PM on July 20, 2022 [1 favorite]
No one around here seems to be willing to dedicate the shelf space for them, (after trying to find something for my son to suck on when he had a sore throat). They have all but disappeared.
posted by Windopaene at 10:18 PM on July 20, 2022 [1 favorite]
I'll wager that SaltySaticid is correct. This almost certainly has to do with profit margins. When one product starts replacing another, follow the money to find out why. Might be related to ingredients, production process, packaging, distribution, taxes, or some other thing. But it's almost certain that the reason for this replacement - if indeed this is truly happening - has to do with money.
If you're really curious, dig into some back issues of Candy Industry, or another of the trade journals in the candy biz.
Also, gummies are fucking delicious.
posted by Dr. Wu at 10:20 PM on July 20, 2022 [4 favorites]
If you're really curious, dig into some back issues of Candy Industry, or another of the trade journals in the candy biz.
Also, gummies are fucking delicious.
posted by Dr. Wu at 10:20 PM on July 20, 2022 [4 favorites]
Gummies ain't yummy.
posted by kittensofthenight at 10:39 PM on July 20, 2022 [3 favorites]
posted by kittensofthenight at 10:39 PM on July 20, 2022 [3 favorites]
Most of the variety in gummies today, as mentioned above, is in shapes, and the flavors are terrible, an afterthought, and there are only three or four nondescript flavors anyway, and they mix the flavors together in the same bag
Someone has never tried Albanese gummies.
On topic, though, I agree it’s probably just shifting tastes. Jawbreakers were huge when I was a kid and you never see them anymore.
posted by tubedogg at 1:50 AM on July 21, 2022 [6 favorites]
Someone has never tried Albanese gummies.
On topic, though, I agree it’s probably just shifting tastes. Jawbreakers were huge when I was a kid and you never see them anymore.
posted by tubedogg at 1:50 AM on July 21, 2022 [6 favorites]
Best answer: Pediatricians really drive home warnings against hard candies and cough drops due to the risk of choking, until kids are 5 or so. Dentists warn against gummies due to their propensity to stick to teeth and cause cavities but the image of choking is way more visceral and I think parents avoid hard candies for kids as a result. By the time the kid is five, they've likely experienced gummies as candy, vitamins, or probiotics but not hard candies - and a preference is set.
posted by peanut_mcgillicuty at 2:01 AM on July 21, 2022 [2 favorites]
posted by peanut_mcgillicuty at 2:01 AM on July 21, 2022 [2 favorites]
There are trends for nearly everything. Teen girls don't want jeans like their mom's, and the rest of us don't want candy like our grandparents'.
posted by DarlingBri at 2:29 AM on July 21, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by DarlingBri at 2:29 AM on July 21, 2022 [1 favorite]
Spice drops and jelly beans only, please. Gummies can take a hike.
posted by I_Love_Bananas at 4:28 AM on July 21, 2022
posted by I_Love_Bananas at 4:28 AM on July 21, 2022
Response by poster: Thanks so much for great answers!
For explaining the tactile fun, papayaninja. Violet Hour, for IDing the generational gap. I appreciate scruss’s and gimonca’s dive into technological influences. Peanut_mcgillicuddy makes a great point!
Windopaene, my family reliable is Ricola drops, found near the cough medicine.
Just noticed that the next Ask begins "How do we feel about worms in veg boxes." I love everyone in this bar.
posted by Jesse the K at 10:19 AM on July 21, 2022 [3 favorites]
For explaining the tactile fun, papayaninja. Violet Hour, for IDing the generational gap. I appreciate scruss’s and gimonca’s dive into technological influences. Peanut_mcgillicuddy makes a great point!
Windopaene, my family reliable is Ricola drops, found near the cough medicine.
Just noticed that the next Ask begins "How do we feel about worms in veg boxes." I love everyone in this bar.
posted by Jesse the K at 10:19 AM on July 21, 2022 [3 favorites]
both Hammonds and hercule sell hard candy in a variety of flavors
posted by brujita at 12:59 PM on July 21, 2022
posted by brujita at 12:59 PM on July 21, 2022
When I were a lass in Europe, we had far more gummy candies than hard candies. I wonder if the increased diversity of the US has led to a change in taste for candy.
posted by The corpse in the library at 6:29 PM on July 21, 2022
posted by The corpse in the library at 6:29 PM on July 21, 2022
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by charlesminus at 3:55 PM on July 20, 2022 [4 favorites]