Runts

What it is

Fruit-shaped hard-shell candies with a tangy, chalky center, a lot like SweeTarts.

The story

• 1982: first made by The Willy Wonka Candy Company.

Fun facts

• The 1982 lineup was banana, cherry, strawberry, orange and lime.
• Watermelon and blue raspberry came in the late 1990s and lime left.
• Pineapple and mango arrived in 2007 and were gone by 2009, replaced by green apple and grape.

Are Runts still made?

Yes. Runts are still made, by Ferrara Candy Company. Look for it at candy shops that stock old-fashioned candy, or search for Runts on Amazon.

If you like Runts

• Nerds (1982): Tiny, crunchy, tangy pebbles of candy, usually two flavors in one box with two lids.
• Everlasting Gobstopper (1976): A hard jawbreaker made of layers that change color and flavor as you suck on it.
• Life Savers Holes (early 1990s): The little discs punched out of the middle of Life Savers, sold in a flip-top tube.
• Bottle Caps (1972): Tangy pressed candies shaped like soda bottle caps: grape, cola, orange, root beer and cherry.

See every candy from the 1980s or all hard and tangy candy.