Skittles Builds a Candy With Two Textures, and Calls It Gummy Crystals

Skittles is adding a new member to its lineup: Gummy Crystals, a piece that wraps a soft gummy center in a shell of tangy, crunchy candy crystals, pitched as two distinct textures in one bite. Mars Snacking is launching it in two flavor lines, Original (strawberry, lemon, grape, orange, and green apple) and Tropical Splash (fruit punch, pink lemonade, mango melon, pineapple, and watermelon).

The rollout is staged rather than simultaneous. A limited early-access bundle lands on TikTok Shop on November 2, a wider release follows later this year, and the candy does not go fully national until 2027. That is a long runway for a snack, and it doubles as a hedge: TikTok Shop gives Mars a controlled test audience and a built-in unboxing-and-reaction-video engine before the company commits shelf space nationwide.

"Consumer-led innovation is at the heart of Mars Snacking, and the true magic of Skittles lies in delivering the unexpected," said Ro Cheng, marketing vice president for Mars Snacking North America. It is a tidy line for a category that has spent the last few years chasing the same trick: Nerds Gummy Clusters proved shoppers will pay a premium for "two textures, one candy," and Skittles is the biggest name yet to bet its flagship product on the same idea rather than spinning it off as a separate sub-brand.

Source: NCA (Candy USA)

Kyle Duford, Founder & Editor, BRNDWIRE. More from Kyle →