Hi-Chew facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Hi-Chew
Japanese snack food
Japanese name	ハイチュウ (haichū)
Maker	Morinaga & Company
Ingredients	Gelatin, fruit flavoring, sugar
Flavours	Watermelon, strawberry, green apple, dragon fruit, mango, orange, grape, peach, banana, melon, cherry, kiwi, açai, pineapple, blueberry, raspberry, black cherry, lemon and passion fruit, rainbow sherbet, blue hawaii, blue raspberry, and cola

Hi-Chew (pronounced "Hai-chew") is a super popular chewy candy from Japan! It's made by a company called Morinaga & Company. This candy first came out in 1975. People love Hi-Chew because it's really soft and stretchy, kind of like a mix between chewing gum and a soft taffy candy.

Each Hi-Chew piece usually has a yummy flavored center with a slightly lighter outer layer. You can find Hi-Chew candies in tons of fruit and dessert flavors. It's sold all over the world, including Asia, North America, Europe, and Australia. Over 170 different flavors have been made! In the United States, Hi-Chew has become very popular since the 2010s.

How Hi-Chew Started

The idea for Hi-Chew came about a long time ago, in the early 1900s! The founder of Morinaga & Company, Taichiro Morinaga, wanted to make a candy that people could chew and swallow. This was because, in Japan, it wasn't polite to take chewing gum out of your mouth in public.

So, in 1931, Morinaga & Co. created a candy called Chewlets. It was a chewy caramel with fruit flavors. After a big war, the company started up again. Chewlets then changed and became the Hi-Chew candy we know today, first sold in 1975.

What Hi-Chew Looks Like and Tastes Like

Each Hi-Chew candy comes wrapped in its own special foil or paper. Most Hi-Chew pieces have a white outer layer and a colorful, fruity center. But some special flavors, like Strawberry Cheesecake or Yogurt, have a colored outside and a white inside. The Cola flavor is brown all over!

The candy feels like a mix between chewing gum and other chewy fruit candies you might know, like Mamba or Starburst. You can find Hi-Chew in many countries, including Taiwan, China, the United States, and Australia.

Sometimes, special limited-edition flavors are released. These often highlight unique fruits grown in different parts of Japan. For example, there have been flavors like Seto Inland Sea lemon.

Since 2012, Hi-Chew has been made without gluten. This means it's safe for people who need to avoid gluten in their diet. It's important to know that Hi-Chew contains gelatin, which comes from pork. Because of this, it's not suitable for people who follow halal, kosher, or vegetarian diets.

The main ingredients in Hi-Chew include glucose syrup, sugar, palm kernel oil, and gelatin. It also has natural and artificial flavors, fruit juices, and colors. Sometimes, it might contain ingredients like soybeans or dairy products.

Hi-Chew's Journey to the United States

Hi-Chew became very popular in the United States, especially after 2010. Sales grew a lot, going from $8 million in 2012 to over $100 million by 2021! To help it grow, Hi-Chew even partnered with Major League Baseball players for marketing.

Popular Hi-Chew Flavors in the U.S.

You can find many exciting Hi-Chew flavors in the United States, including:

New Hi-Chew Products and Flavors

In February 2016, Hi-Chew introduced new types of candy like Hi-Chew Sours and Hi-Chew Bites. Hi-Chew Sours come in tangy flavors like lemon and watermelon. Hi-Chew Combos mix two flavors, such as tropical smoothie (passionfruit and mango). Hi-Chew Plus Fruit even has real fruit bits inside!

Over the years, more than 170 different Hi-Chew flavors have been created worldwide.

In 2016, Hi-Chew opened its very first factory in the United States, located in North Carolina.

In 2018, Hi-Chew held a fun "East meets West" contest. People voted for a Japanese flavor they wanted to see in the U.S. The winner was dragonfruit, which then became available in the United States.

Keeping Hi-Chew Safe

In 2008, Morinaga, the company that makes Hi-Chew, took quick action when a small problem happened. Some people reported finding a tiny, rubber-like piece in their candy. The company investigated and found that a small part of a worker's glove had accidentally fallen into the candy mix at their factory.

To make sure everyone stayed safe, Morinaga immediately recalled the affected Hi-Chew products. This means they asked stores to remove those candies from shelves. Food safety groups also helped to inform people about the situation. This shows how companies work to keep their products safe for everyone to enjoy.

See also

• Chewits