Sour Patch Kids (known as Very Bad Kids in France,[1] and known as Maynards Sour Patch Kids in Canada and previously in the UK) are a brand of soft candy with a coating of invert sugar and sour sugar (a combination of citric acid, tartaric acid, and sugar).[2] The tartaric and citric acids provide the candy with a sharp burst of tartness, while the inverted sugar gives the soft gummy its sweet flavor.[3] Sour Patch Kids Extreme, which contains malic acid in addition to the tartaric and citric acids, is considered the sourest variation in the Sour Patch line of candies.[3] The slogans "Sour Then Sweet" and "Sour. Sweet. Gone." refer to the candy's sour-to-sweet taste.[4]
 | |
| Owner | Mondelez International |
|---|---|
| Introduced | 1970s (as Mars Men) 1985 (as Sour Patch Kids) |
| Website | sourpatchkids |
History
editSour Patch Kids were created in the early 1970s by Frank Galatolie, originally under the name "Mars Men," while working as a confectioner at Jaret International.[5][1] In the late 1970s, Cadbury and the Malaco Licorice Company formed the Allen Candy Company in Hamilton, Ontario to produce them.[6] In 1985, they were re-branded to "Sour Patch Kids."[5][1] The name was likely changed to capitalize on the popularity of Cabbage Patch Kids at the time.[1] Mondelez International currently handles production of the candy, following their acquisition of the Allen Candy Company in the late 1990s.[6]
Related products
editVideo game
editWorld Gone Sour is a 2011 video game based on Sour Patch Kids. It was developed by Playbrains and published by Capcom. It was released on December 20, 2011, for PC, April 10, 2012, for PlayStation Network, and April 11, 2012, for Xbox Live Arcade (XBLA). The PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions received "mixed or average reviews" according to the review aggregation website Metacritic.[7][8] It was delisted from platforms around 2015.[9]
Other food products
editIn 2014, Sour Patch Kids gum became available.[10]
In 2018, Dreyer's produced Sour Patch Kids-flavored ice cream, and J&J Snack Foods launched Sour Patch Kids-flavored ice pops.[11]
Post released Sour Patch Kids cereal in 2018. The cereal is shaped like Sour Patch Kids candy[12] and dusted with sour sugar, which dissolves in milk.[13]
On May 6, 2024, Sour Patch Kids Oreos released to store shelves, with colorful sour sugar inclusions in the cookie and creme.[14]
References
edit- ^ a b c d Flager, Madison (16 May 2018). "Sour Patch Kids Used To Have A Totally Different Name". Delish. Hearst Digital Media. Archived from the original on 5 August 2023. Retrieved 13 April 2021.
- ^ "9 Sweet Facts for Sour Patch Kids Day". 25 July 2015. Archived from the original on 11 June 2023. Retrieved 20 October 2016.
- ^ a b Hartel, Richard; Hartel, AnnaKate (2014). Candy Bites. New York: Springer. p. 169. ISBN 978-1-4614-9383-9.
- ^ "Sour Patch Kids (History, FAQ, Pictures & Commercials) - Snack History". 2021-08-20. Archived from the original on 2023-10-28. Retrieved 2022-03-11.
- ^ a b "Sour Patch Kids Creator Frank Galatolie, Of Valley Stream, Dies At 74". CBS New York. October 24, 2016. Archived from the original on December 1, 2021. Retrieved August 31, 2019.
- ^ a b York, Brianna (2021-08-20). "Sour Patch Kids (History, FAQ, Pictures & Commercials) - Snack History". Snack History. Archived from the original on 2023-10-28. Retrieved 2023-07-26.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
MCPS3was invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Cite error: The named reference
MCX360was invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ ShawnS (2016-04-27). "World Gone Sour". Delisted Games. Archived from the original on 2023-06-19. Retrieved 2023-05-05.
- ^ "Mondelez's Sour Patch Kids gets sugar-free gum makeover and wins analyst vote". confectionerynews.com. 11 December 2013. Archived from the original on 22 February 2024. Retrieved 19 November 2023.
- ^ Rock, Taylor (2018-04-11). "Sour Patch Kids Ice Cream and Popsicles Are Here to Satisfy Your 'Sour Then Sweet' Tooth". The Daily Meal. Archived from the original on 2023-05-05. Retrieved 2023-05-05.
- ^ "We Tried the New Sour Patch Kids Cereal Before Anyone Else". Thrillist. Archived from the original on 2023-06-10. Retrieved 2023-05-05.
- ^ Judkis, Maura (December 6, 2018). "Sour Patch Kids cereal spoils a perfectly good bowl of milk". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on December 6, 2018. Retrieved May 5, 2023.
- ^ Lamour, Joseph (2024-04-24). "EXCLUSIVE: Oreo is getting a sour punch with this new candy-infused flavor". TODAY.com. Archived from the original on 2024-04-28. Retrieved 2024-04-29.