Wrigley turns up the heat

Wrigley introduces sweet and spicy Skittles, Starburst.

Wrigley was among several companies introducing sweet and spicy candy at the Sweets & Snacks Expo.

The Chicago-based company has developed Skittles Sweet Heat and Starburst Sweet Heat. Both start out with fruit flavors, and then the spice creeps up at the end of the tasting experience.

Set to debut in December, each Skittles pack has five flavors: Fiery Watermelon, Blazin’ Mango, Flamin’ Orange, Sizzlin’ Strawberry and Lemon Spark. Each Starburst pack has four flavors: Fiery Watermelon, Strawberry Mango, Flamin’ Orange and Pipin’ Pineapple.

Michelle Green, Wrigley U.S. marketing communications manager, said these items are “not just for young people,” or even daredevils looking for a sweet treat. Citing NPD research, Green said 60 percent of consumers are willing to try a spicy product.

Wrigley will also move one of its classic gum brands – Extra – into the mints category. Also set to debut in December, Extra Chewy Mints have a crunchy outer shell and a chewy core reminiscent of the Skittles texture. They’ll be available in two flavors: Peppermint and Polar Ice.

“We’re excited to see what it does for the category,” Green says.

Alyse Thompson has held many positions with BNP Media, first serving as an intern at Candy Industry Magazine in summer 2012. She joined Candy Industry's staff full time as associate editor in August 2016 after a few years at newspapers in West-Central Illinois, becoming managing editor in March 2019. Alyse has also served as managing editor of Cannabis Products Magazine since March 2019. She has bachelor’s degrees in journalism and Spanish from Western Illinois University.