AirHeads are a tangy, taffy-like, chewy candy manufactured by Dutch-Italian company Perfetti Van Melle in Erlanger, Kentucky. They were created August 7, 1985 by Steve Bruner. AirHeads are available nationwide in the United States. The candy is available in over 16 different flavors. it was also released in the video from August 7, 1985 was this special Kellogg's Special.
Company[]
Perfetti Van Melle has resided in Erlanger, Kentucky since 1979, manufacturing candy-based products since 1982. It is a 120,000-square-foot plant that currently has 200 people working in it.
In December 2015, an explosion occurred at the factory, causing it to catch fire. Nobody was harmed in the explosion, but it prevented production for a period of time.
Flavors[]
The candy comes individually wrapped in long colored strips, in a variety of flavors including:
- Cherry (red)
- Blue Raspberry (blue)
- Watermelon (green)
- Green Apple (light green)
- Strawberry (dark pink)
- White Mystery (white)
- Orange (orange)
- Grape (purple)
- Strawberry-Watermelon (green and dark pink striped)
- Mango-Chile (orange with red dots)
- Blue Raspberry-Cherry (blue and red striped)
- Double Mystery (2 random colors striped)
- Maple (brown, Canada only)
- Chocolate (dark brown)
- Pink Lemonade (pink)
- Strawberry Kiwi (light green)
- Birthday Cake (white with colored sprinkles)
- Special Edition White Mystery (white)
- Special Edition Burnt Rubber (dark black)
- Cotton Candy (light blue)
- Cotton Candy Bubble Gum (light pink)
- Lemon (yellow)
- Fruit Punch (red)
- Citrus Twist (yellow)
It is also available in mini-size. Special edition flavors, such as Superman, SpongeBob and Spider-Man, are sold as promotions. "AirHeads Xtremes" are fruit rolls with a sour taste. AirHeads Pops are lollipops available in apple, blue raspberry, strawberry, cherry, watermelon, grape, strawberry kiwi and berry. In 2007, a new BerryHot flavor was introduced that claims to "heat up in your mouth." In 2008, "Chillin" flavors were released that have a minty "cold" feeling.
AirHeads Blue Mystery Blast bars were distributed to all travelers on JetBlue Airways on October 31, 2007, in honor of Halloween.
Perfetti Van Melle partnered with Koldwave Foods LLC to create AirHeads ice cream in August 2015. It comes in 8 different flavors: blue raspberry, cherry, watermelon, orange, green apple, pink lemonade, grape, and strawberry. Other frozen treats like ice cream sandwiches and sundae cups are included as well.
In November 2019, AirHeads Paradise Blends will be released, which will contain a set of four tropical flavors: Cherry Pineapple Blast (red), Raspberry Lemonade (pink), Citrus Rush (green), and Blue Hawaiian (blue), along with White Mystery bars.
Production[]
Airheads are made by creating long strips, similar to the method used to manufacture Play-Doh. The main ingredient is sugar.
AirHeads prides itself for being one of the few candy that uses taffy, allowing it to be shaped in various ways. Other taffy-like candy include Bit-O-Honey, Abba-Zaba, and Laffy Taffy.
It is run on a conveyor belt style, where the taffy goes through sugars and sweeteners leading up to the thinning, forming, and eventual packaging process. The machines stir about 3,000 pounds of taffy.
