Sweet and spicy isn't a new trend (just ask barbecue fans), but now you can get it in a bag of candy. The Mars company, which includes brands like M&Ms, Snickers, and Dove, just introduced a brand new product, Sweet Heat Skittles, and they asked Oakland Raiders football player Marshawn Lynch to help them deliver the new candy.
The company announced they were adding the spicy new flavors to the Skittles line up last May at the National Confectioners Association Sweets & Snacks Expo, but they haven't been available nationwide in grocery stores until now.
To tell the truth, half the fun of this product launch is watching Oakland Raiders football player Marshawn Lynch drive around a senior living community in a Skittles golf cart handing out the new candy, doing a little light power walking, and getting trash-talked at pickleball. Lynch is a long-time fan of Skittles (and the origin story of his connection to "power pellets" is super sweet.)
The seniors' reviews of the spicy-sweet candy are generally good. Though you should note that a lady out there says they're "really spicy" so you might want to follow her friend's advice and eat them one at a time.
Mars, Incorporated
According to the best taste testers around, you get the sweet first and then the spicy bite. It's a slow burn, but a good one.
A bag of the new Sweet Heat Skittles has five flavors that mix the fruit taste with a spicy kick: Sizzlin' Strawberry, Fiery Watermelon, Flamin' Orange, Lemon Spark, and Blazin' Mango.
The candy industry seems to be encouraging consumers to develop a taste for sweet heat candy that mixes tangy flavors with fruit flavors. Along with the new Sweet Heat Skittles, the snack manufacturer also makes Sweet Heat Starburst, which includes spicy flavors like Strawberry Mango and Fiery Watermelon.
You can watch the video of Lynch's visit to the senior community here.
