Last updated 3 months ago | Originally Published: September 15, 2021
America’s Eternal Love For Skittles Candy
Currently, Skittles are the leading non-chocolate candy in the world and one of the most beloved snacks on the market.
Indeed, the multicolored, chewy candies are a staple confectionary for young kids and adults alike. For years, folks have jokingly argued about which flavor is the best. On one hand, green apple reigns supreme for many, while for others, strawberry is the obvious choice. However, despite one’s flavor preference, Skittles always remains a top pick!
Over time, Mars Wrigley Confectionery, the company that produces Skittles, has reinvented the candy line on several occasions. Past innovations have included a yogurt line, limited-edition blue Skittles, and the famous sour Skittles released in 2000. The company’s history goes back much farther than that, with a few interesting turns along the way, as we’ll discuss in the article.
The Mystery Behind Skittles
Surprisingly, no one actually seems to know who the inventor of Skittles really is. Although known to have been invented in 1974, people have been unable to trace the candy back to any one individual. That’s not to say there hasn’t been speculation.
Perhaps the most realistic theory is that Frank C. Mars, the founder of the Mars Candy Company in 1911, was one of the masterminds behind this fruity creation. Of course, this rumor has since been disputed. Prior to 1979, Skittles were only sold in the UK.
In fact, it would be another five years before it hit North American stores! In other words, Skittles were made in Europe years before they were produced in the US, so the mystery continues!
One particularly creative theory claims that a British man named Mr. Skittles looked at a rainbow one day and simply wondered how it would taste, leading him to create a sugary rainbow-colored concoction of his own. Despite all of these theories, none have yet been proven as fact.
The Famous Slogan
Undoubtedly, “Taste the Rainbow” is one of the most recognizable candy slogans of all time. Furthermore, it’s one of the longest-running advertising campaigns in history, which first began in 1994. Behind the slogan and design of Skittles was D’Arcy Masius Benton & Bowles, an ad agency located in New York City.
According to the ad agency, their campaign was based on the rumor of Mr. Skittles pondering what a rainbow might taste like. Despite the fact that this story was based on mere hearsay, the slogan remains one of the most popular and catchy advertisements to this day.
Rumor Has It
Interestingly, there’s another unconfirmed rumor that the name of the candy originates from a game titled “skittles,” which is commonly played in the UK, and other European countries.
The game is a lot like bowling, with players throwing wooden or rubber spheres at nine pins in an attempt to knock them down. Reportedly, the shape of the spheres called “skittles” used in the game resembled the shape of the candies themselves, therefore inspiring the name! But just like the others, this is only a theory!
So, How Are Skittle Made?
Located in the town of Yorkville, Illinois, the Skittles factory is where most of the magic happens! Employees even have their own special terminology at the factory, calling the manufacturing technique “making the rainbow” and referring to the individual pieces of candy as “lentils.” Moreover, interns are drawn in by offers of a year of free candy as a sign-on bonus.
Each Skittles flavor has its own independent flavor-making process. On account of this, each flavor has an entire research and development team dedicated to it. Yet, the flavor is irrelevant to the color, as the outer shell is not what provides the sweet taste. Rather, this comes from a secret flavoring process that occurs prior to the candies being lacquered with the hard sugar shell coating.
Adding color to the candy is a long process that can take anywhere between 4-6 hours. Once made, the Skittles are then mixed together on a blending belt to ensure a more even ratio of flavors per package. Consequently, Skittles claims there are 371,292 possible flavor combinations in each bag!
Then vs. Now
When comparing the origins of Skittles to the candy that’s currently being sold, countless differences become apparent. For example, color choices were quite limited compared to the wide variety available today.
Early on, only a few core colors such as grape, orange, strawberry, lemon, and lime were available. Nowadays, the company has several creative campaigns to shake things up by introducing new flavors. As you may have noticed throughout the years, this brand has no limits!
Creative Campaigning
In 2000, Sour Skittles were introduced for the first time. Shortly after, in 2004, Skittles Bubble gum hit the shelves. Two years later, a limited-edition Skittles candy called X-Treme Fruit became all the rage. Other variations of Skittles exist as well, including Tropical, Wild Berry, and Cauldron flavor packs.
There are even spin-off products, including milkshakes, ice cream, party cakes, and frozen slushie drinks, offered by companies like Taco Bell and 7-Eleven. Another spin-off candy is Skittles Chewies, introduced in 2018 in the UK.
While very similar to Skittles, this candy lacks the hard outer shell and thus is a softer, chewier version of the original candy. On the packaging art, Skittles Chewies are represented as Skittles breaking out of their shell. Evidently, based on the sheer amount of Skittles-inspired treats, the candy’s popularity can’t be overstated.
Skittles On Social Media
That being said, Skittle’s popularity isn’t an accident. The company has actively reinvented itself in countless ways to adapt to modern times and become a candy suited for everybody.
For one thing, social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter, and even YouTube have all played a pivotal role in helping the company market itself to multiple age groups, particularly younger generations, worldwide!
With over 25 million followers on Facebook, it’s one of the most highly liked brand pages on the site. So as you can see, this brand clearly has an online fan base like none other!
Coupled with social media sites, Skittles also advertises on billboards, during Superbowl commercials, magazine ads, and even live performances and musicals.
This wide variety of public engagement speaks to the extravagance and creativity of the Skittles brand. Together with the ability to surpass most other candy brands in terms of promotion, it’s no wonder Skittles has reached such an extreme level of popularity.
Not to mention, they’re now a vegan-friendly product, which ultimately created several new advertising opportunities for the brand, which they clearly capitalized on!
Skittles Gets Political
Some campaigns have also delved into the political sphere. In 2016, the brand launched limited-edition white-colored Skittles. In light of the legalization of same-sex marriage happening around that time, this move was made in support of the LGBTQIA+ movement. The candy was released in June, which is also Pride Month, and continues to be produced regularly.
A Symbol of Innocence
By the same token, Skittles became a symbol of the innocence of Trayvon Martin, a black teenager who was shot in 2010 while walking through a neighborhood. George Zimmerman, the killer, and the so-called neighborhood watch coordinator claimed that Martin was attempting to rob a neighbor’s house, and thus he shot and killed him.
Following an investigation, it was revealed that Martin didn’t have any weapon that suggested he was involved in an attempted burglary. Instead, a pack of Skittles was found in his back pocket, which he purchased at a nearby 7-Eleven. This image became seared into the minds of millions as the candy spoke to the youthful innocence of Trayvon Martin, who was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Although Zimmerman was eventually acquitted, a wave of protests occurred that year, with countless protestors marching with bags of Skittles in their hands. The candy was also bought and sold to raise additional campaign funds. With that said, it’s clear which side of history this brand chooses to be on, and we couldn’t agree with them more!
A Future-Focused Brand
Looking ahead, the Wrigley company also plans to develop more environmentally friendly facilities by the year 2025. This entails having a zero-waste garbage system at their facilities, as well as a significant reduction in the use of plastic. Regarding the packaging they currently use, the company claims to use 100% recyclable, reusable, or compostable materials.
The Ongoing Debate
Recently, in 2018, there was some controversy surrounding the actual Skittles flavors. Research conducted by Don Katz, Ph.D., a professor of psychology at Brandeis University, suggested that knowing the color will subjectively influence what we think the candy tastes like even though they all share the same flavor.
In the experiment, folks were given blindfolds and nose plugs. As a result, tasters’ ability to name the right flavor significantly decreased, supporting the theory that all Skittles have the same taste. Yet, taste and smell are intrinsically linked. Therefore, Dr. Katz proposed that it’s primarily the fragrance, which differs based on color, that flavors the candy.
In response, Mars Wrigley Confectionery denied these claims, claiming the Skittles have both individual tastes and flavors. Regardless, the results didn’t seem to significantly influence customer’s opinions one way or the other, as the candy remains in very high demand to this day.
Skittles Today
By far, Skittles is one of the most popular candies in history. With over 200 million pieces of Skittles produced daily, this candy is sold in over 65 countries worldwide!
Plus, Skittles has several brand ambassadors who proudly promote this product. Most notably, Marshawn Lynch serves as a spokesperson for the brand! In fact, Lynch claims the candy helped him get to where he is today as a professional athlete!
Lynch explained he often struggled with stomach problems when he was younger, and despite trying everything from Alka Seltzer to Pepto Bismol, nothing seemed to provide him relief.
Oddly, one day, his mom advised him to eat some Skittles; sure enough, his stomach pain disappeared! Following this, his mom would bring bags of what Lynch dubbed “power pellets” before a big game. Fast forward to 2014, and Lynch has signed an endorsement deal with Skittles, taking home an estimated $5 million per year!
Lynch isn’t the only one who adores the rainbow candy. All in all, people from far and wide seem to enjoy the candy for its bright, colorful appearance and delicious, fruity taste.
To put it simply, it’s an easy, timeless snack! While Skittles can be found in stores worldwide, they can also be purchased over the internet at Candy Retailer, which is quickly becoming one of America’s most popular online candy stores!
Recipe for Skittles Slushies
Try this recipe from The Today Show for a delicious copycat version of the aforementioned Skittles slushie! Perfect on a warm day, there’s simply nothing more refreshing! But then again, we’re sure you already know! After all, who hasn’t had a Skittles Slushie!?
So if you love these fruity frozen drinks just as much as we do, then you’re really going to love this Homemade DIY Recipe! Not only will you be impressed, but your friends and family will be blown away by your familiar creation! With that said, here’s how to make Skittles Slushies from home!
PREP TIME: 30 minutes
SERVINGS: 15-20
Ingredients
1 14-ounce bag original skittles
4 cups water
1⅔ cup lemon juice, divided
1 bag ice
1 bottle seltzer
Preparation
1. Separate the Skittles by color into five separate Mason jars.
2. In a saucepan, stir together the sugar and water and simmer the mixture over medium heat until the sugar dissolves. The mixture should appear clear rather than cloudy.
3. Remove the sugar syrup from the heat and pour ⅕ of a portion into each of the Mason jars. Let them cool slightly, then secure lids onto the jars, shake the mixture, and let them sit for several hours or overnight if needed. Before you make your slushie, shake each jar again and strain. Each color will yield roughly 1 and ¼ cups of Skittles syrup.
4. For each candy color, add 6 cups of ice to a blender, the Skittles syrup, and ⅓ cup of lemon juice.
5. Blend everything until fully combined. The mixture will be a slushie consistency and should not be chunky. Pour it into glasses (or, for a fun twist, try serving the drink in food-grade-safe chemistry beakers), and stir in a splash of seltzer water to get some bubbles. Serve and enjoy!
Now It’s Your Turn To Taste The Rainbow
With everything said and done, it’s now your turn to taste the rainbow! To achieve this, head over to our Skittle Product Page, where you’ll find endless possibilities! Once there, choose your favorite flavors and leave the rest to us! With fast nationwide shipping available, you’ll receive your bulk supply of Skittle in no time! On that note, check us out now and experience the difference! Thanks for reading! 🌈
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