AirHeads facts for kids
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| Type | Taffy |
|---|---|
| Owner | Perfetti Van Melle |
| Country | United States |
| Introduced | 1985 |
| Markets | North America, United Kingdom |
| Previous owners | Van Melle |
| Tagline | "Out of Control" |
AirHeads are a super chewy candy, kind of like taffy. They are made by a company called Perfetti Van Melle. This company is from the Netherlands and Italy. AirHeads are made in Erlanger, Kentucky, in the United States.
They are known for their tangy and chewy taste. AirHeads were first made on August 7, 1985, by Steve Bruner. You can find AirHeads all over the United States and Canada. There are more than 16 different flavors to try!
Contents
The Company Behind AirHeads
The company that makes AirHeads is called Perfetti Van Melle. They started making candy in Erlanger, Kentucky, in 1982. Their factory is very large, about 120,000 square feet. Around 200 people work there to make all the yummy candies.
In December 2015, there was an event at the factory. No one was hurt, but it stopped candy production for a little while.
What Flavors Can You Find?
AirHeads candies come wrapped individually in long, colorful strips. There are many different flavors, including:
- Cherry (red)
- Blue Raspberry (blue)
- Watermelon (green)
- Green Apple (light green)
- Strawberry (pink)
- White Mystery (white)
- Orange (orange)
- Grape (purple)
- Pink Lemonade (light pink)
- Strawberry-Watermelon (pink and green striped)
- Mango-Chili (orange with red dots)
- Blue Raspberry-Cherry (blue and red striped)
- Double Mystery (two random colors striped)
- Maple (light brown, only in Canada)
- Pink Lemonade-Orange (light pink and orange striped)
- Birthday Cake (white with colored sprinkles)
- Special Edition White Mystery (white)
- Special Edition Burnt Rubber (black)
- Cotton Candy (light blue)
- Cotton Candy Bubble Gum (light pink)
- Fruit Punch (red)
- Citrus Twist/rush (yellow)
You can also buy AirHeads in smaller, mini-sizes. Sometimes, special flavors are released for promotions. These have included flavors for characters like Superman, SpongeBob, and Spider-Man.
Other AirHeads Treats
- AirHeads Xtremes are fruit rolls that have a sour taste.
- AirHeads Pops are lollipops. They come in flavors like apple, blue raspberry, strawberry, cherry, watermelon, grape, strawberry kiwi, and berry.
- In 2007, a new BerryHot flavor came out. It was supposed to make your mouth feel warm.
- In 2008, "Chillin" flavors were released. These had a cool, minty feeling.
On Halloween in 2007, JetBlue Airways gave out AirHeads Blue Mystery Blast bars to all their passengers.
In June 2013, AirHeads Bites were released. These are tiny, chewy AirHeads pieces covered in a candy shell. The flavors include Cherry, Orange, Blue Raspberry, Watermelon, and Mystery.
In August 2015, Perfetti Van Melle teamed up with Koldwave Foods LLC. Together, they created AirHeads ice cream. It came in 8 different flavors, like blue raspberry and cherry. They also made other frozen treats, such as ice cream sandwiches.
In November 2019, AirHeads Paradise Blends were released. These have four tropical flavors: Cherry Pineapple Blast, Raspberry Lemonade, Citrus Rush, and Blue Hawaiian. They also include White Mystery bars.
How AirHeads Are Made
AirHeads are made in a way that is similar to how Play-Doh is made. They create long strips of the candy. The main ingredient in AirHeads is sugar.
AirHeads are special because they use taffy. This makes them very chewy and allows them to be shaped in different ways. Other candies that are like taffy include Bit-O-Honey and Laffy Taffy.
The taffy moves along a conveyor belt. It goes through different stages where sugars and sweeteners are added. Then, the taffy is thinned, shaped, and finally packaged. The machines can stir about 3,000 pounds of taffy at one time!
Where AirHeads Are Sold
AirHeads were first sold in Canada and the United States. In 2015, the company announced that AirHeads would also be sold in the United Kingdom. AirHeads Xtremes and the regular bars are made in the US. AirHeads Pops are made in Mexico and Spain.
AirHeads Advertising
In 2000, Perfetti Van Melle worked with Mattel to reach kids across the USA. They showed commercials on kids' TV channels like Fox Kids and Nickelodeon. These ads continued AirHeads's "Out of Control" campaign. The commercials offered chances to win trips to Disneyland. They also had coupons on AirHeads wrappers for Mattel's X-V Xtreme Skateboarders.
In 2003, more commercials started airing on Nickelodeon. The Airheads.nick.com website even held a poll. This poll helped advertise the green flavor, which was a special color for the network.
Nutritional Information
It's good to know what's in your candy! Here are some facts about AirHeads:
- A regular 3.3 ounce (94 gram) pack of AirHeads has about 360 calories. It also has 51 grams of sugar and 3 grams of saturated fat.
- AirHeads Xtremes Sweetly Sour Belts (3 ounces or 85 grams) have about 300 calories. They have 45 grams of sugar and no saturated fat.
- A single small AirHeads bar (0.55 ounces or 15.6 grams) has about 60 calories. It has 11 grams of sugar and no saturated fat.
See also
In Spanish: Cabezas huecas para niños
