Starburst (candy) facts for kids
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Cherry (red), lemon (yellow), strawberry (pink) and orange flavoured starbursts
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| Owner | Mars |
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| Country | United Kingdom |
| Introduced | 1960 |
| Markets | Asia, Canada, Europe, United States |
| Tagline | Unexplainably Juicy |
Starburst is a popular, chewy, fruit-flavored candy. It comes in small, square shapes and is known for its juicy taste. This candy is made by The Wrigley Company, which is part of Mars, Incorporated. Starburst has many different types, like Tropical, Sour, and FaveREDs. It was first introduced in the United Kingdom in 1960.
History of Starburst Candy
Starburst candy was first launched in the UK in 1960 by Mars. It was originally called Opal Fruits. A person named Peter Phillips won a competition to name the candy, and he chose "Opal Fruits." The first candies were made in Slough, England. The four original flavors were strawberry, lemon, orange, and lime.
In 1967, the candy came to the United States. It was first called "M&M's Fruit Chewies" before being renamed Starburst. The name "Starburst" might have been chosen to suggest a "burst" of flavor. It also came out when space travel was very popular. In the US, the lime flavor was changed to cherry in the early 1980s.
Over time, new flavors and types were added. For example, "Sunshine Flavors" came out, which later became "Tropical Opal Fruits." In Europe, lemon and lime flavors were combined. This made space for a new blackcurrant flavor.
The name Opal Fruits was stopped in the UK and Ireland in 1998. This was done to make the candy's name the same all over the world. However, the original Opal Fruits were brought back for short times in 2008 and 2020.
In 2008, Mars bought Wrigley, and Starburst became part of Wrigley. Today, Starburst has many different flavor mixes. These include FaveREDs, Tropical, Sour, and Very Berry. Some other flavors that have been made are Strawberry Lemonade, Blue Raspberry, Kiwi, Mango, and Watermelon.
It's interesting to know that Starburst in the UK is suitable for vegetarians. It does not have artificial colors or flavors. But in the US, Starburst contains gelatin, which means it is not vegetarian.
In 2007, lime Starburst returned for a short time in special "Baja" packs. Also, a different type called Starburst Choozers was released in the UK. These are chews with a liquid fruit juice center.
The advertising slogan for Starburst has been "Unexplainably Juicy" since 2016. Sadly, Starburst candies were stopped in New Zealand in 2021. They were also stopped in Australia in 2022.
Starburst Marketing and Ads
Starburst has used many fun ways to advertise. In the 1970s, Opal Fruits in the UK had a famous jingle. It went, "Opal Fruits—made to make your mouth water!" This jingle helped people remember the candy.
Starburst has also teamed up with movies. For example, they had a special candy for the movie Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest. They changed some flavors to match the movie.
In 2002, Starburst even created a song for Australia called "Get Your Juices Going." A made-up pop group called Starburst released it as a CD single.
A Starburst commercial for their Berries and Creme flavor became very popular in 2007. It was called "The Little Lad Dance." In the ad, a man in old-fashioned clothes sings and dances about how much he loves the candy. This commercial became a "viral" hit. It was so popular that it went viral again on TikTok in 2021.
Other Starburst Products
Starburst isn't just chewy squares! The candy has been made into many other products. These include:
- "Fruit twists" or ropes
- Candy corn
- Popsicles
- Chewing gum
- Candy canes
- Jelly beans
- Fruit roll-ups
- Gelatin
- Energy drinks (with C4 Energy)
- Lip gloss (with Lip Smackers)
- Yogurt (by Yoplait in 2019)
For Valentine's Day, the company also makes heart-shaped jelly beans. In 2021, Starburst released its first vegan gummy candy in the US. This means it does not contain any animal products.
From 1997 to 2020, other Starburst products were sold in Australia and New Zealand. These included gummy "Snakes" and "Sucks" lollipops.
See also
In Spanish: Starburst (caramelos) para niños
