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 flavouring, sugar
Flavours	watermelon, strawberry, green apple, dragon fruit, mango, grape, peach, banana, melon, cherry, kiwi, açai, pineapple, blueberry, raspberry, black cherry and (exclusive to Hawaii) lilikoi

Hi-Chew (pronounced "Hai-chew") is a super popular fruit candy from Japan! It's made by a company called Morinaga & Company.

The Sweet Story of Hi-Chew

How Hi-Chew Candy Began

Hi-Chew candy first came out in 1975. Later, in February 1996, it was re-released with each candy wrapped separately. This made them easier to share and enjoy!

The idea for Hi-Chew started with Taichiro Morinaga, the founder of the company. He wanted to make a type of chewing gum that people could swallow. This was because in Japan, it was not polite to take food out of your mouth.

Morinaga already made a chewy caramel candy. He thought, "What if I mix my chewy caramel with fruit flavors?" This led him to create a new candy called Chewlets in 1931.

From Chewlets to Hi-Chew

During World War II, Morinaga's business faced many challenges. After the war, he had to rebuild his company. That's when Chewlets were brought back, but with a new name: Hi-Chew! And that's the name we know and love today.

What Makes Hi-Chew Special?

Discovering Hi-Chew's Look and Feel

Each Hi-Chew candy comes wrapped in its own special foil or paper. Most Hi-Chew candies have a white outer layer and a colorful, fruity inside.

But some flavors are different! For example, Strawberry Cheesecake, Yogurt, and Cotton Candy flavors have a colored outside and a white inside. Cola-flavored Hi-Chews are brown all the way through.

The Unique Texture of Hi-Chew

Hi-Chew has a texture that's a mix between chewing gum and a soft, chewy fruit candy. Think of candies like Mamba from Germany or Starburst from the UK. It's chewy but also melts in your mouth!

You can find Hi-Chew in many places around the world. It's very popular in Taiwan, Shanghai, Singapore, and Hong Kong. In other countries, you might find it in special import stores. You can even find smaller packs of Hi-Chew at Walt Disney World's Epcot in Florida, with English translations.

Special Hi-Chew Flavors

Sometimes, Hi-Chew releases special flavors. These often feature fruits grown in specific parts of Japan. For example, there have been flavors like Seto Inland Sea Lemon and Okinawan Shikuwasa.

Ingredients and Dietary Information

Since 2012, Hi-Chew has been made without gluten. This means it's safe for people who avoid gluten. However, Hi-Chew contains gelatin from pork. Because of this, it is not considered halal, kosher, or vegetarian.

The main ingredients in Hi-Chew include Glucose syrup, Sugar, Hydrogenated Palm Kernel Oil, Gelatin, and fruit flavors. It also has ingredients like Malic Acid, Citric Acid, and natural colors. Some Hi-Chew products might contain soybeans or be made in factories that also process dairy products.

Hi-Chew in the United States

How Hi-Chew Became Popular in the U.S.

In the early 2010s, Hi-Chew started selling really well in Salt Lake City. This was partly because Mormon missionaries who had visited Japan shared the candy.

Seeing this, Hi-Chew decided to start a big marketing campaign. They even worked with Major League Baseball players! This helped their sales grow a lot. In 2012, they sold $8 million worth of candy, and by 2021, that number jumped to over $100 million!

Hi-Chew Flavors in the U.S.

In the United States, you can find Hi-Chew in many exciting flavors. Some popular ones include Blue Hawaii (a mix of citrus and pineapple), blue raspberry, rainbow sherbet, watermelon, green apple, strawberry, mango, and grape.

In February 2016, Hi-Chew also released "Hi-Chew Sours" and "Hi-Chew Bites." Hi-Chew Sours come in tangy flavors like lemon, lime, and grapefruit. Hi-Chew Bites are soft, chewy candies that mix two flavors, like "grape and strawberry" or "mango and orange." Overall, more than 170 different Hi-Chew flavors have been created!

Choosing New Flavors

In 2018, Hi-Chew held a fun contest called "East meets West." People could vote for their favorite Japanese Hi-Chew flavor. The winning flavor would then be brought to the United States. On April 11, 2018, Hi-Chew announced that Dragon Fruit had won! It was introduced to the U.S. the following year.

Important Information: Product Recall

Why Some Hi-Chew Was Recalled

In 2008, Morinaga had to recall some of its Hi-Chew products. This happened because a few people found rubber-like material in their candy.

It turned out that a small piece of a worker's glove had accidentally fallen into the candy mixture at the Hyogo Morinaga factory.

Which Products Were Affected?

The recall affected green apple and grape flavored Hi-Chew candies that had an expiration date in 2009. Some of these candies had also been sent to Hong Kong. The Centre for Food Safety in Hong Kong kept an eye on the situation and told people not to buy or eat the affected products.