Our expert gummy tasters provide a definitive ranking of the absolute best gummy candy one can experience, from classic (Haribo) to niche (Peelerz?)
Who ever could guessed how vast, varied, and devout the world of gummy candy would become? According to one analysis, the gummy candy category is already worth nearly $500 million, and it’s expected to grow into a $750 million business by 2032, proof positive that our obsession has no signs of slowing. And what’s not to love? They’re sweet, they’re chewy, dentists hate them (or maybe love them, since candy gives them business), and they’re impossible to stop eating, especially for anyone who loves sinking their teeth into that QQ texture (a Taiwanese term for that bouncy, boba-esque chewing experience we love).
So, how does one rank the “best” gummy candies, when there are literally thousands of varieties out there? Well, Eater is home to a few enthusiastic and judgmental gummy aficionados. At every gas station and airport candy store, for instance our staff writer Amy McCarthy is on the hunt for the best — and weirdest — gummy candies from the United States and beyond. She has a deep appreciation for German confectioner Haribo and its iconic gummy bears and really enjoys the current proliferation of foamy, sour Swedish gummies. Meanwhile, our senior commerce editor Hilary Pollack is straight-up otaku about hard-to-find gummies, ordering them from strange corners of the internet and falling deep into #CandyTok for tips on lesser-known varieties. As such, we feel highly qualified to bestow upon the internet this highly opinionated ranking of the best gummy candies out there, listed in descending order.
Factors we considered: Flavor (balance of sweetness and tartness; realism of fruit flavors); bounciness and chewiness; and overall texture (overall mouthfeel when not chewing).
Disagree? Too bad, make your own list.
15. Haribo Goldbears
This classic really sets the standard for what a gummy bear should be, which makes sense considering that Haribo founder Hans Riegel invented the gummy bear in 1922. The texture is a little toothier than your average generic-brand imitator, and the pineapple (clear) flavor is especially compelling. Iconic and timeless! — Amy McCarthy, reporter
14. Trolli Sour Brite Crawlers
If you’d asked me to make this list 20 years ago, when I was a mouthy 17-year-old with a penchant for candy, I’d have put Trolli’s Sour Brite Crawlers at the top of my list. And while my palate has expanded since then, there’s still no denying the appeal of these dual-flavored worms coated in sugar and citric acid for the perfect amount of sour-sweet punch. — AM
13. Haribo Happy Cola
Cola-flavored candies have long been popular in Germany, and in 1965, Haribo introduced its Happy-Cola candy, and an icon was born. These dense, stretchy gummies do taste shockingly like a fizzy can of Coca-Cola, just without all the burps — with a tangy, caramel flavor that’s pure nostalgia. — AM
12. Life Savers Gummies (Wild Berries, specifically)
When Life Savers Gummies were first released in 1992, I was a very small child with a dad who was addicted to classic butterscotch Life Savers hard candies, so I was practically born allegiant to the brand. The five-flavor Life Savers Gummies did nothing for me even as a kid, but the Wild Berries mix has always been exceptional, and, in my opinion, severely underrated in the modern candysphere. The Wild Berries flavor developers went above and beyond; this isn’t just blueberry, raspberry, and cherry, or whatever. There are six flavors in this mix: strawberry, red raspberry, blackberry, black raspberry, white grape, and cherry berry. It’s very femme, very romantic, very 1992, actually — this was the year that Annie Lennox’s “Walking on Broken Glass” and Celine Dion’s “If You Asked Me To” topped the charts and that doesn’t feel like a coincidence, astrologically or culturally. Beyond the flavor, the texture is flexible, stretchy — unafraid to be a little rubbery. You’re at a gas station in the middle of nowhere and need a mood boost, these are going to save you. And put Annie Lennox on when you get back in the car. — Hilary Pollack, senior commerce editor
11. Bubs Goody Sour Ovals
The Swedish candy trend shows no signs of slowing down, and that’s a good thing — the Swedes know a thing or two about making excellent gummy candy, especially if you’re into sour stuff. But my actual favorite are Bubs Sour Ovals, a soft, foamy gummy available in tons of compelling flavors, including banana-caramel and strawberry-pomegranate. — AM
10. Albanese Peach Rings
Those few weeks each year when fresh peaches are abundant and in-season are all too fleeting, and the rest of the time, I have to make due with peach rings. The fake peach flavor in peach rings is, somehow, better than most other fake fruit flavors, and Indiana-born candy purveyor Albanese makes the very best. Their peach rings are perfectly chewy and boast a more sophisticated, peachier flavor than the average iteration of this beloved gummy candy. — AM
9. Sour Patch Kids
An OG in the American gummy scene, Sour Patch Kids have been on the market since 1985, and they still hit. In middle school, I peeled off the inside of my mouth countless times sucking all the citric acid and sugar from these sour-then-sweet candies, and I regret nothing. Now, I’m more likely to grab the Sour Patch Kids watermelons, an improvement on the original Kids in both texture and flavor. — AM
8. Haribo Sour S’ghetti
The real innovation in Haribo’s Sour S’ghetti is its now-beloved shape — long, noodle-y gummies coated in sour sugar. Slurping actual spaghetti noodles is fun, sure, but it’s even better when the noodles are made out of candy. — AM
7. Amos Peelerz
Amos are more new-school innovators in the candy world, producing some very interesting products such as jelly-filled Mermaid Jewels and “4D” strawberries that are dazzlingly beautiful (although I find those gummies a bit too firm, which is why they’re not on this list). Peelerz are really Amos’s greatest offering, and as their name suggests, they are gummies that you peel like a fruit, albeit not terribly easily. They can also be eaten whole, and the texture is phenomenal — a very smooth, silky gummy — and the fruit flavors are very true to form and potent, especially the mango, which suggests an Alphonso. One of the top ingredients is mango jam, which is impressive, given that the vast majority of gummies on the market are artificially flavored. That being said, I’m gonna warn you right now: They are weird. While oddly satisfying, there is also something surgical about the peeling process that makes me feel a bit weird inside. That being said, they are a very original gummy. — HP
6. Haribo Watermelon
Yeah, there’s a lot of Haribo on this list — and that’s because Haribo gummies are among the best. Few gummies can compete with Haribo Watermelon, which combine the fluffy texture of a marshmallow with the classic bouncy interior of a gummy bear into a candy that’s dangerously easy to eat an entire bag of in one sitting. — AM
5. Haribo Pico Balla
What sets Pico Balla apart from other Haribo gummies is that it’s basically a finely cut-up fondant-filled licorice tube. Yes, you get the chewy exterior of the tube offers the gummy experience you seek, but it’s the creamy, sugary filling (dare I say it’s marshmallow-adjacent?) that provides a truly lovely, luxurious-feeling contrast. Each tiny candy actually has two distinct fillings combined, so you might get one bite that’s lemon-banana and another that’s apple-raspberry. Sensational, truly. (Yes, Haribo is really dominating this list, but it’s a story about gummy candy; what do you expect?) —HP
4. Albanese Gummy Bears
Haribo may have invented the gummy bear, but Albanese perfected them. The flavor assortment, which includes watermelon, pink grapefruit, and mango, is much more compelling than the usual cherry-orange-green-apple offering, and the soft, bouncy texture is extremely satisfying. — AM
3. Kasugai Muscat Gummies
When it comes to QQ texture, Kasugai gummies absolutely reign supreme in my book. They are soft and pillowy with excellent bounce and a silky outer coating, and the flavor selection is also unparalleled, with lychee, yuzu, and kiwi among the offerings. It is the muscat, however, that I originally fell in love with as a child, and to which I remain most loyal; for those who have not had muscat grapes, they are larger, more floral, muskier, and far sweeter than an average green table grape, with a complex aroma that is as akin to a lychee as it is to what we think of as “grape flavor.” The muscat flavor is refreshing yet conveys yearning, with a mouthwatering, honey-like quality. These gummies are truly elite status. — HP
2. eFrutti Apple Trio
You think you’ve had good gummy candy, and then you stumble upon eFrutti’s Sweet & Sour Apple Trio and your whole life changes. While apple wouldn’t necessarily my go-to flavor for any candy, here, it is the truly appley appleness that makes this candy inconceivably good. It is not one, but three apple varieties combined in each pouch (thus the Trio): Honeycrisp, Granny Smith, and Golden Delicious. You can actually distinctively taste the different floral notes and sweet-tart moments of each distinct variety. I have zero interest in eating a Granny Smith apple whole, but here, I come to appreciate its edge in tartness, while also appreciating how it refreshingly balances the more sugary apple flavor of Honeycrisp. Also, great bounciness, great QQ, a real sink-your-teeth-in gummy texture. Do not sleep on these. — HP
1. Nerds Gummy Clusters
Sitting atop this assortment of excellent gummies is the One True Gummy King: Nerds Gummy Clusters. The flavors are great, yes, but the combination of crunchy Nerds and chewy gummy center is a revelation. And sure, you might say these are just chopped up bits of Nerds Ropes, but real gummy enthusiasts know that Gummy Clusters are the pinnacle of the form. — AM
It’s hard to describe the alchemy that makes Nerds Gummy Clusters such a transcendent candy. They are the true manifestation of what I was promised by watching Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory as a child. They are crunchy yet yielding, chewy yet multidimensional, undoubtedly sweet yet also tart and oddly balanced. They are “fruity,” and yet a flavor all their own that’s like the elusive payoff I always imagined drinking strawberry watermelon Bath & Body Works body spray would taste like. I would give anything to have been a fly on the wall (or actually, a taster) for the research and development phase that resulted in this candy. Greater than the sum of its part, and a triumph. — HP
There you have it: the one true ranking of gummy candies. Now go stock your candy drawer.
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