Jelly sweets have long been a favourite with children (and adults who refuse to grow up) for years; in fact you may be surprised at how far these tasty treats date back. Gunny bears were first manufactured in the 1920s by the now well known German sweet manufacturer, Haribo. It was a few decades before Haribo started to make their jelly sweets in the US with the products appearing in 1982 and have continued to increase in popularity in the years since. So how are these delicious sugary treats made?

The bear shape that we all know and recognise was originally created by artists who carved it into very small moulds made of plaster. Machines would then copy this bear mould before running the duplicates through a starch powder machine in order to make starch powder mold pans. The original jelly bears made by Haribo have a smaller head than the rest of the body, with the head having much softer curves as well as tiny little ears. Styling of the body varies from manufacturer to manufacturer, however the Haribo version has a little intricate texturing on the body for fur whereas brands like Trolli have a head that is just as large as the body with small bumps for the eyes and nose as well as small, nararow legs.

The recipe for the traditional jelly bear consists of glucose syrup, sugar (of course), artificial flavouring, stach, colouring, citric acid and gelatin. Some types of gummy bears are made using pectin or starch in place of the gelatin, thus making the sweets suitable for vegetarians. For those who prefer it, there are gummy bears made from organic products. These are made with organic corn malt syrup, organic fruit and vegetable juice concentrates, dehydrated cane juice, apple pectin, organic spinach powder, natural fruit flavouring, citric acid, carnauba wax (from palm trees) as well as organic expeller pressed sunflower oil.

Both Haribo and Trolli brands of jelly bears come in various flavours including pineapple, lemon, orange, lime, cherry and berry. Additional flavours are of course available if you buy your sweets from other manufacturers.

Another big difference between the Haribo and Trolli versions of these sweets is in terms of their softness. Trolli bears are a very soft and aromatic type of candy, whereas the Haribo version are a little firmer but just as delicious. Whatever your preference, both types of jelly bears are very fruity and pleasantly chewy but do make sure you get them as fresh as possible so that you can make the most of their flavour.

Haribo sweets have been very popular throughout Europe for decades and in recent years they have expanded their portfolio of sweets ever further to the point where they are the biggest manufacturer of gummy and jelly sweets in the world. They are still based in Germany where they currently have 5 factories as well as sales offices in almost every country in Europe as well as the united states. the success of their jelly bears is certainly reflected in the slogan ‘Haribo makes children happy – and adults tool’

Author Bio: Dave Matthews is writing on behalf of American Soda, a leading UK importer of Jolly Ranchers.

Category: Food and Drinks
Keywords: sweets, candy, jolly ranchers, jelly bears, gummi bears, haribo, food, snacks, drinks, soda