HARIBO Goldbears

What it is

Goldbears are small bear-shaped fruit gums in several colours and flavours, made by HARIBO. The company launched them in 1960 and registered the Goldbear as a trademark in 1967. Their predecessor was the Dancing Bear, a fruit gum that HARIBO founder Hans Riegel created in 1922, two years after setting up his business in Bonn.

How it works

Fruit gums are made by cooking a mixture of sugar, glucose syrup, gelatine, flavourings and colourings and pouring the hot mass into moulds. Traditionally the moulds are formed in trays of starch powder, into which shapes are pressed. Once the mass has set and dried, the gums are removed from the starch, cleaned and coated with a thin layer of wax to stop them sticking together. The result is a firm, chewy texture that has defined the category.

Why it stands out

The gummy bear is a German invention that has become a global product. The idea of a playful, figurative sweet appealed to children and adults alike and was widely copied. HARIBO has built a strong brand around the Goldbear, adapting recipes and flavours to local markets while keeping the familiar shape. The company remains family-owned and, like many German Mittelstand firms, has expanded internationally with production sites in several countries.

Where you meet it

Goldbears are sold in supermarkets, kiosks and petrol stations around the world, in bags of many sizes. They are a common sight in office drawers, cinemas and children's lunch boxes, and the bear has become a recognisable piece of German pop culture.