Sour candy is a very specific kind of craving. It’s that electric jolt that makes your face pucker, your eyes squint, and your taste buds brace for impact—before the sour fades into sweetness. And when you’re in the mood for that sensation, an average candy just won’t cut it.
For some fans, that craving has gone unsatisfied for more than a decade. Ever since a certain sour candy disappeared from store shelves in the 2010s, its absence has left a void that no replacement could fill. In fact, fans have missed it so much, they even launched a petition in 2023, which has since gathered more than 500 verified signatures.
“Let’s get these back on the market,” one fan rallied. “The demand for sour candy with kids is crazy right now—and just the same for a sour connoisseur as myself!”
Well, it looks like the petitioning has paid off. The beloved sour candy is finally making its long-awaited comeback.
Starburst Sour Fruit Chews Are Officially Back
Starburst Sour Fruit Chews are officially returning to shelves, featuring four signature fruit flavors: Strawberry, Green Apple, Blue Raspberry, and Watermelon.
If you remember these chewy squares, you know they weren’t just any candy. For many fans on Reddit, these chews were a “childhood staple” they would buy “religiously.”
“Grew up on these,” one fan shared on the petition. “Stockpiled them under my bed, always had a pack in my pocket, even sold ’em for a small profit at school so I could keep hoarding ’em.”
Fans say they’ve “been searching for years” for the nostalgic chews, but the original line had been quietly shelved. Starburst even launched Sour Gummies and Sour Minis, but nothing quite matched that original tang. Meanwhile, other Mars tangy favorites like Skittles Sours have stayed strong, recently even getting a Skittles Pop’d spin-off, which only added to the impatience of Starburst loyalists.
Now, at last, the spotlight is finally back on the squares that started it all. The comeback candies are just as tangy and tart as fans remember, with that signature stick-to-your-teeth chew, and early reviewers say they’re “pretty close to the OGs.” Of course, after ten years, your taste buds may have changed—but if Starburst says the iconic chews are back, that’s good enough for us.
Eagle-eyed fans have already spotted the returning favorite at Kroger so be on the lookout at major grocery chains for this iconic sour candy.
