Nerds (candy)

Nerds are an American candy sold by Nestlé under The Willy Wonka Candy Company. Their unusual shape and thin candy-coating is comparable to rock candy. With their anthropomorphic covers, Nerds usually contain two flavors per box, and each flavor has a separate compartment and opening. Larger packages may contain various colors—sometimes referred to as "Rainbow Nerds."

Angelo Fraggos launched the production of Nerds in 1983. By 1985, Nerds were recognized as "Candy of the Year" by the National Candy Wholesalers Association (NCWA). The United Kingdom sold a three-box chambered package of Nerds, with strawberry cola as one of the flavors. Throughout the years, the product has been sold in a box with compartments, each compartment containing a different flavor .

The television show Unwrapped explains how Nerds are made. A factory worker states, "Basically we start off with a sugar crystal and we just keep coating it with more sugar." The factory spins huge barrel-like containers of sugar crystals, which receive coats of sugar until the Nerds are formed. Their original color is pure white; they receive their colors in separate barrels. Each barrel is then transferred into the different nerd boxes. For instance, strawberry and grape go together—the most famous flavor combination among Nerds.

The article "Nerds Candy Nutrition" states, "Nerds primarily consist of sugar. The top three ingredients are dextrose, sugar and malic acid. The rest of the candy contains less than 2 percent of corn syrup, artificial flavors, carnauba wax and artificial coloring. The artificial coloring varies by flavor." The allergy warnings of this candy state that Nerds are created "in a facility that also produces wheat and egg." The normal serving size is one tablespoon—about 15 grams. (One serving of Nerds is equivalent to 60 calories.) The Halloween hand-out size is typically 15 grams, and the larger boxes contain 141.7 grams. Nerds consist of neither fat nor protein; the main calories come from carbohydrates.

Nerds were a popular candy in the 1980s, but they had big competitors including Pop Rocks, Candy Buttons, and Mike and Ike’s. Nerds also had a close cousin in the '80s—Dweebs. Dweebs were very similar to Nerds; but they were less sour and bigger in size. One of the most popular differences is that Dweebs contained three flavors instead of two, though the United Kingdom had a box of nerds with three flavors for a limited time. According to Rob Bricken, "A squishier Nerd with more leg space and a surprise in the middle, Dweebs were more substantial, less sour, and displayed a greater depth and complexity than Nerds." Dweebs only lasted a short time on the market, however.

...
Wikipedia