HARIBO Goldbears live up to the hype

Hershey’s chocolate bars. Lifesavers. Snickers. Dots. Sour Patch Kids. Kit Kats. Jolly Ranchers. Milky Way bars.

All good candies, but they cannot compare to the classic HARIBO gummy bear.

Those who are craving a late-night snack that explods with flavor should look no further than HARIBO, a German candy company named for founder HAns RIegel BOnn. While the company is known for its Goldbears, or gummy bears, as most students call them, they manufacture a number of candies, most of which are variations on a theme.

The Goldbears line celebrated its 100th birthday in 2022, and claims to be “America’s #1 gummy” according to IRI data from 2022.

The Goldbears are packaged in a shiny, metallic gold plastic that draws the consumer’s eye. It is airtight so the bears do not become stale, and a clear strip in the center of the packaging allows customers to view the colorful gummies before purchasing.

Each bag comes with approximately 15-20 Goldbears. Considering the $2.49 price tag, one gummy costs about $0.16. (Photo by Elvis Garcia)

The HARIBO company has embraced inflation, causing the pocket-size bag of Goldbears to sit at $2.49. For a small, 2 oz. bag of candy, this pricetag is quite expensive.

The texture of the product is firm at first, though not overly so. Still, in the Chronicle’s taste tests, the gummies were hard enough that the staff checked the expiration date of the candies: all clear by three months. The tough exterior quickly gives way to a chewy and soft interior. Best of all, compared to other gummies, HARIBO does not stick to the consumer’s teeth.

As for taste, the HARIBO Goldbears are chewy and flavorful, just as the consumer expects. Some – the yellow, for example – include a slightly sour tang, but the taste is subtle. The product, overall, actually has a fruity flavor, unlike other gummies. Each color tastes like the fruit it represents: raspberry (red), orange (orange), lemon (yellow), pineapple (clear), and strawberry (green).

One might feel badly about biting the heads off of the sweet, little bears, but they are sometimes hard to resist. Depite their small size, they are packed with flavor, and while gummy bears may not be everyone’s favorite choice, it is easy to see why these are #1 in America.

About the Contributors

Elvis Garcia, Reporter

Elvis is a future business administrator with desirable goals, such as owning his own dream house and preferred vehicle (a 2024 Porsche 911). Fundamentally, his scheme is to acquire knowledge from a college/university and commence his business career. As a senior student at West Chicago Community High School, Elvis is extremely intelligent when it comes to mathematics and investing money. Additionally, Elvis Garcia has a deep affection for sports, particularly soccer, basketball and football.

Antos Kumar, Reporter

Antos Kumar is a very hands-on person: if anything is fixable, he is on top of it. As a sophomore at WCCHS, he already has plans to go into the Marines after high school. If that does not work out, Antos plans on going to trade school to learn to be an electrician. Recently, he has gotten into RC cars in his free time. He also has a Great Dane Labrador named Shere Khan, just like the tiger from "The Jungle Book". Antos is very outgoing, as he loves going out to spend time with friends and family, instead of staying cooped in his room all day.

Alyssa Apostoli, Reporter

Alyssa Apostoli is a celloist of nine years, and an aspiring forensic scientist who plans on using her skills to potentially pursue a career as an investigator with the FBI one day. As a senior at WCCHS, Alyssa is known for her bubbly demeanor and energetic personality. Outside of school, Alyssa loves to draw and enjoys spending time with her two dogs, Shenzi and Teddy.

Jayden Lang, Reporter

Jayden Lang is someone who can be found writing poetry, taking inspiration from a poet named Kwota B. In the future, he wants to write and publish a book and use his poetic style to be a motivational speaker. When he is not writing or doing school work as a senior at West Chicago Community High School, he enjoys playing “The Division” or spending time with his poodle mix, Ace.

Ivon Garcia, Reporter

Ivon Garcia is in her fourth year at West Chicago High School. After being a fixture in Wildcat Chronicle slideshows and videos, Ivon is now heading behind the camera as a reporter. In her spare time, Ivon likes to do her acrylic nails, and spend quality time with friends outside of school. One of her goals in the future is to be a doctor.

Julisa Munguia, Reporter

Julisa Munguia is looking into the careers of cosmetology and interior design as she is a senior, soon to graduate. She enjoys being creative, and considers both fields as a means of expressing herself through a form of art. Although Julisa does spend most of her spare time working, as she does have two jobs, but when she has a bit of freedom in her schedule, she enjoys spending it with her family and friends.

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