Sour Patch Kids facts for kids
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| Owner | Mondelez International |
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| Introduced | 1970s (as Mars Men) 1985 (as Sour Patch Kids) |
Sour Patch Kids are a popular type of soft, chewy candy. They are famous for their unique taste that starts very sour and then becomes sweet. This is why their slogans are "Sour Then Sweet" and "Sour. Sweet. Gone." In France, they are called Very Bad Kids. In Canada, they are known as Maynards Sour Patch Kids.
These candies get their sour kick from a special coating called sour sugar. This sugar is a mix of different acids, like citric acid (found in lemons) and tartaric acid (found in grapes). The sweet part comes from a type of sugar called invert sugar, which helps make the candy soft and chewy. There's also a super sour version called Sour Patch Kids Extreme. It has an extra acid called malic acid, making it even more tart!
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The History of Sour Patch Kids
Sour Patch Kids were first created in the early 1970s by a candy maker named Frank Galatolie. He worked at a company called Jaret International. When they first came out, these candies had a different name: "Mars Men."
In the late 1970s, two companies, Cadbury and the Malaco Licorice Company, teamed up. They formed a new company called the Allen Candy Company in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. This company started making the candies.
Then, in 1985, the candy got a new name: "Sour Patch Kids." This change probably happened because another popular toy, the Cabbage Patch Kids, was very famous at the time. The new name helped the candy become even more well-known. Today, a big company called Mondelez International makes Sour Patch Kids. They took over the Allen Candy Company in the late 1990s.
Other Fun Sour Patch Products
Sour Patch Kids aren't just candies anymore! Over the years, many other products have been made with their unique sour-then-sweet flavor.
Play the Sour Patch Kids Video Game!
Did you know there was a video game based on Sour Patch Kids? It was called World Gone Sour. The game came out in 2011 and was developed by Playbrains. Capcom was the company that published it. You could play it on PC, PlayStation Network, and Xbox Live Arcade. However, the game was later removed from these platforms around 2015.
Sour Patch Kids in Other Foods
The sour-then-sweet taste has been added to many different foods:
- In 2014, Sour Patch Kids gum became available.
- In 2018, you could find Sour Patch Kids-flavored ice cream made by Dreyer's.
- Also in 2018, J&J Snack Foods launched Sour Patch Kids-flavored ice pops, perfect for a hot day.
- Post released Sour Patch Kids cereal in 2018. The cereal pieces look like the candies and are covered in sour sugar. This sugar dissolves when you pour milk on it!
- Most recently, on May 6, 2024, Sour Patch Kids Oreos hit store shelves. These cookies have colorful sour sugar pieces mixed into the cookie and cream filling.
