Warheads (candy) facts for kids
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| Owner | Impact Confections (2004-present) |
|---|---|
| Introduced | 1975 |
| Markets | Worldwide |
| Previous owners | The Foreign Candy Company (1975-2004) |
Warheads are super sour candies known for their intense taste! They are made by a company called Impact Confections. These candies are famous for being "extreme" because of how sour they are. Kids and teens especially love them. In 1999, Warheads were a huge success, making about $40 million!
The candy first started in Taiwan in 1975. It came to the United States in 1993. The Foreign Candy Company brought them over. Later, in 2004, Impact Confections bought the brand. Today, Impact Confections makes and sells Warheads in the U.S. Another company, Universal Candy, sells them in Australia.
Why Are They Called Warheads?
The name "Warheads" sounds intense, right? It's because eating them can feel like a small "warhead" exploding with sourness in your mouth! The candy's mascot is Wally Warhead. He's a boy with a funny puckered face. A small mushroom cloud even comes from his head!
When people try Warheads for the first time, they often make funny faces. This is because the sour taste is so strong! The main ingredient that makes them sour is citric acid. Another ingredient, malic acid, helps the sourness last longer.
Many kids used to have fun competitions with Warheads. They would see who could eat the most candies at once! This helped make Warheads very popular.
The Science of Sour
Warheads Extreme Sour Hard Candies get their strong sour flavor from malic acid. This acid is put on the outside of the hard candies. The super sour taste lasts for about 5 to 10 seconds. After that, the candy becomes much milder. It then tastes more like ascorbic acid and citric acid.
Candies that are very acidic can sometimes wear away your tooth enamel. Tooth enamel is the hard outer layer of your teeth. Because of this, Warheads packaging has a warning. It says: "Eating multiple pieces within a short time period may cause a temporary irritation to sensitive tongues and mouths." This means your tongue might feel a bit tingly or sore if you eat too many too fast.
Flavors and Types of Warheads
Warheads Extreme Sour Hard Candies come in five main flavors:
- blue raspberry
- lemon
- green apple
- black cherry
- watermelon
There are also "Smashups Extreme Sour" candies with other flavors. These include cherry-lime, orange-pineapple, mango-melon, lemon-berry, and strawberry-grape.
Besides the hard candies, Warheads makes many other types of candy. These include gummy candies, licorice, and even liquid sprays! Some popular kinds are:
- Warheads Extreme Sour Hard Candy Minis
- Warheads Super Sour Spray
- Warheads Sour Jelly Beans
- Warheads Sour Cubes
- Warheads Lil' Worms
- Warheads Ooze Chewz
In the past, Warheads also made "hot" versions of their candies. They even had a line of spicy gummy worms called "Hotheads." These were discontinued after a few years.
