As managing editor, I’m responsible for setting the tasting schedule here at Sporked. When I’m doling out assignments, sometimes I’ll take one for the team (believe me, I didn’t want to give myself hypertension sipping more than a dozen varieties of soy sauce from a spoon). Other times, I selfishly snag the good taste tests—for instance, the taste test in which I got to order and then eat every single variety of Haribo candy I could source here in the U.S. to find the best Haribo gummies of them all.
Candy is candy and candy is good, but not all candy is created equal. You know that. So what makes one variety of Haribo gummy better than another? I tore open each bag (ravenously, with my teeth) looking for a good variety of flavors, shapes that are unique and fun to eat, and that signature Haribo chew. Yes, I know that the act of eating Haribo gummies constitutes too rigorous a jaw workout for lots of people, but that’s the Haribo way. If you like your gummy bears super squishy, go buy some Albanese and relax. This one’s for the Haribo army.
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- Berries
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Haribo Berries are “crunchy & chewy” as the bag advertises, and, honestly, even thinking about eating them makes me wince! I liked these when I was a kid and could handle the sugary sweetness of a gumdrop coated in nonpareils. Now, it’s just too much. They look cute though!
Credit: Merc / Walmart
- Berry Clouds
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If you are a person who thinks that Haribo gummies are too firm (and you are still reading this ranking for some reason), maybe you’ll like these new Berry Clouds. They’re described as “soft & fruity” on the packaging, which strikes me as an overture to people who generally think Haribo gummies are too firm. Because they have a substantial mallow layer (kind of like Haribo Frogs, but thicker), these are much softer than other Haribo gummies, but, personally, that’s not what I’m coming to Haribo for. The flavors are blueberry, wildberry, and strawberry, and, sadly, they’re not great—sort of muted and wishy-washy, but all in all too sweet because of the fat mallow layer.
Credit: Merc / Walgreens
- Watermelon
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These are similar to Berry Clouds, but they’re better. The marshmallow squish-to-fruit gummy ratio is better (i.e. there’s more gummy than squish). The flavor is big and bright and bold—this is a pretty ideal phony watermelon candy flavor. My biggest problem with these and the Berry Clouds is that they’re too sweet because they’re coated in crunchy sugar. The sugar coating works better with the sour options (see: Sour Sketti) because the sweetness is offsetting the sourness rather than just compounding the sweetness of the gummy itself. (I hope everyone appreciates my thoughtful gummy analysis!)
Credit: Merc / Target
- Frogs
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Prior to this taste test, I don’t think I ever gave much thought to what flavor Haribo Frogs are. I mean, I guess they’re frog flavored? Nope. Peach. Peach flavored frogs. Doesn’t make sense, but anything goes in the Happy World of Haribo, man. Anyway, these are extremely fun to eat. They’re sweet but not too sweet because the marshmallow squish layer isn’t too thick. They do lose some points for lack of variety.
Credit: Merc / Walmart
- Happy Cherries
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Formerly known as Twin Cherries, Happy Cherries are two little gummy cherries connected by their gummy stems. If you really like cherry candy, you will love these. The flavor is so bright and tart and sweet, like a Luden’s cough drop but less medicinal. Again, these get dinged for lack of variety. There’s so much going on flavor-wise in so many other bags of Haribo candies. These are incredible, but if you think variety is the spice of life, pick another variety.
Credit: Merc / Walmart
- Sour Streamers
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If you eat sour candy just to get the sour powder, you’ll like these thin, delicate ribbons of licorice, which are also perfect for people who don’t love gummies. Honestly, you could probably eat these with no teeth. There’s something very pleasing about putting one of these streamers in your mouth and just letting it dissolve. There’s a good mix of flavors in this bag, too: sour blue raspberry, sour cherry, sour orange, and sour apple. I don’t like the demented man on the packaging, but what can ya do?
Credit: Merc / Target
- Tropifrutti
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If this list was based solely on my preferences, these would rank way higher. I love and am in love with this candy. The texture is like no other candy, Haribo or otherwise—waxy on the outside with a firm jelly center. And the mix of tropical flavors is so amazing: melon, banana, passion fruit, mango-mandarin, pomegranate (aka granatapfel in German—Haribo is a German company), and pineapple. I’m truly not sure which is which (like, yes, the banana one is shaped like a banana, but what flavor is the palm tree??), but I wholly endorse these, especially if you’re a fruity gummy fan who wants to expand their horizons.
Credit: Merc / Amazon
- Ingwer-Zitrone
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Haribo Ingwer-Zitrone (aka Ginger-Lemon) are surprisingly gingery. They’re tart and citrusy and have real burn. It’s a very grown-up gummy candy; Sporked editor-in-chief Justine Sterling said they taste like eating a really relaxing shower. Yum, I think!
Credit: Merc / German Foods Shop
- Happy Cola
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You can also eat these little bottles in one bite, although if you don’t bite the lid off first, I don’t see the point in eating these. They are whimsical. That’s the only way I can think to put it. I loved them as a kid. You mean I can eat glass?? What fun! The cola flavor is a little weak—it reminds me of generic cola served flat and warm, but they’re still a fun novelty.
Credit: Merc / Walmart
- Sour Kicks
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If you like Haribo Twin Snakes (number 3 on this list), but wish both snakes were sour, you’ll like these new lil’ gummy sneakers. Even though these aren’t coated in sour powder, they manage to be extremely sour. The flavors are really good, too! And there’s a good number of them: sour raspberry (purple), sour grape (clear), sour orange (duh), sour lemon (yellow), and sour strawberry (red). The strawberry strikes me as especially tart, but sour raspberry is really delicious and different. It’s a flavor you won’t find in other Haribo mixes. Unfortunately, the sneakers themselves are weirdly long and skinny, which we all agreed was a little gross.
Credit: Merc / Walmart
- Rainbow Worms
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These are pretty new to the Haribo lineup (at least in the U.S.), and I gotta say, they’re just about the most beautiful gummy worms I’ve ever seen. The gradient goes from red to blue, in ROY G. BIV order, and the flavors go from strawberry to lemon to black currant. Be forewarned: These are VERY FIRM. But it’s high time Haribo gave us a worm and these are very good.
Credit: Merc / Walmart
- Sour S’ghetti
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Oh, shit, it’s the ultimate cool kid candy. The ultimate snacking snacking candy. The ultimate movie theater candy (if you flout the rules and bring your movie snacks, like a cool kid). The best thing about Sour S’ghetti is that they’re genuinely sour, but the next best thing is that these little strands of licorice manage to pack so much fruit flavor. Tart, tangy, and impressive.
Credit: Merc / Target
- Twin Snakes
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For a long time it seemed like Twin Snakes were Haribo’s answer to the gummy worm. Now they sell a proper worm, but there’s still room for these. They’re made up of conjoined snakes, one sour and one sweet. You can eat them together or tear them apart—lady’s choice—but eating them together is kind of the move because the flavor combos are so unique: cherry & orange, apple & lemon, and blueberry & black currant. These are probably my personal faves.
Credit: Merc / Target
- Mini Rainbow Frogs
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I believe these Mini Rainbow Frogs came into our lives after regular Haribo Frogs, but they’re definitely better. Something about eating the marshmallow squish and the fruit gummy in one bite is so satisfying. Plus, you get a variety of flavors (orange, lemon, raspberry, strawberry), which you don’t get with the peach-flavored Frogs. (Incidentally, there are green frogs in this bag, but they aren’t peach! They’re strawberry!) The size makes these extremely fun to eat and I think these will appeal to even Haribo decriers, because the mallow layer makes them less firm as a whole. An excellent gummy candy and one of the best Haribo gummies of them all.
Credit: Merc / Walmart
- Goldbears
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Mini Rainbow Frogs nearly took it, but sometimes you just have to go with the classic. And these are a classic for a reason. They come in great flavors—orange, strawberry, pineapple, lemon, and raspberry—and they’re small enough to chew without too much effort. But they still have that signature Haribo chew. I know they’re not for all gummy bear fans, but these gummy bears are certainly for all Haribo fans.
Credit: Merc / Amazon
Haribo!
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