People’s cravings for tangy and sweet candy didn’t start in the 90s but began back in the 60s and 70s with a candy called Shock Tarts. Shock Tarts were true to their name in being shockingly and mouth-wateringly sour while containing a little bit of fruity sweetness.
The candy was first introduced in cherry and grape flavors to attract people who wanted to try new and fresher flavors. This candy has been associated with the Willy Wonka brand since the 1980s, which is why they are still memorable to this day.
The candy’s name changed several times over the years to Shockers and even SweeTarts. Nevertheless, the iconic taste of the candy remained the same, with more fruity flavors introduced and more fun additions made to the line for different tastes.
Originally, a taffy was also available with the same flavor profile as the sweet and sour candies, and people loved these yummy treats in their childhood. Many people are still nostalgic for the old packaging, which is slightly different from the previous one but doesn’t spark that sense of childish joy in some individuals.
History and Background of Shock Tarts
Shock Tarts began to be distributed to the public in 1962 and were initially made with the same recipe for Lik-M-Aid and Pixy Stix. Fun Dip was originally called Lik-M-Aid. All three of these products were designed to appeal to the public looking for new sweet-and-sour candies to satisfy their sweet cravings.
The trend for sour and sweet candies was at an all-time high, and Shock Tarts were introduced to the public in grape and cherry flavors with an additional taffy line with the same flavors. Sunline created these candies, but after the ownership of the business was shifted to Nestle, these candies became a part of the Willy Wonka brand.
The product line of the candy grew exponentially with a new trick-or-treat collection, and SweeTarts flavored taffy. You can still avail various sizes and shapes of these candies today with hard candies and chewy twisted rope candies.
Taste of Shock Tarts
Shock tarts used to be a delicious brand of candy that offered a variety of tastes and different textures to suit everyone. The easy availability and variety in the product line are what made the candy much more popular and fun to share with others.
Shock Tarts were not exclusively sour or sweet but contained various flavors for a fun mix. If someone does not like the exclusively extremely sour flavors of the candy, they can opt for a much more mellow and sweet version of the candy. The mildly sour and sweet candy was what made the brand so much more popular in the beginning.
Different Flavors of Shock Tarts
Shock Tarts or Shockers candy were available in various fruit flavors, which were loved by kids and adults. The candy packaging also changed over the years, with the original Shock Tarts sold in a tube and a larger bag.
Many people associate these candies with their school days in the 90s and reminisce about how these candies used to make their tongues bleed, but they still couldn’t help devouring them. The Shockers candy was sold in the following flavors:
Grape
Green Apple
Lemon
Cherry
Blue Punch
Orange
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