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| Consumer Trends |
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| Jelly Beans Sprout New Flavors |
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Former U.S. President Ronald Reagan is widely quoted as saying “You can tell a lot about a fellow by his way of eating jelly beans.” The president’s image was so associated with the munchable candies, that mourners even included them in his farewell tributes earlier this year.
As president, he served them at Cabinet meetings and even had them on Air Force One, the presidential jet, according to the Jelly Belly candy company. The company, which says Reagan’s favorite was licorice, even created a blueberry flavored bean so Reagan could serve red, white and blue beans at the 1981 inaugural festivities.
Like the world itself, the jelly bean world continues to change. In a recent 12 month period, according to the research company Mintel, there were 33 introductions of new jelly bean products or packages. Nearly half were in the U.S., but bean products sprouted also in Vietnam, New Zealand, Ireland, Singapore, Canada, UK, Germany, and Mexico. Low carbohydrate, low fat, and sugar-free introductions seemed more focused on the nutritional profile than on exciting flavors. New packaging, such as paper cups with lids, sprang up with vigor.
But new flavor twists seem to be half the fun. In the U.S. , Jelly Belly introduced roasted garlic and cinnamon toast flavors, and a Walgreens collection boasted angel food cake, pear, and chocolate pudding. In the UK, Starburst included a blackcurrant variety. Mexico savored a spicy tamarind flavored bean, Ireland enjoyed toasted marshmallow and island punch, and South Africa tried a tropical mix flavor. Jelly Belly UK reports that the “most preferred” flavor today is buttered popcorn. Least popular? Jalapeno.
If jalapeno doesn’t appeal to you, don’t even think about the Bertie Bott’s Every Flavor Beans, marketed as the jelly bean preferred by Harry Potter. Among those flavors: Earwax, Dirt, Grass, Spaghetti, Soap, and Earthworm.
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