Freeze-dried candy seems to have been gaining popularity in the past few years. What was once only seen at craft fairs, TJ Maxx checkout aisles, and farmer’s markets have now gained proliferation in gas stations and grocery stores. The most popular seem to be variations of freeze-dried Skittles. I don’t fully understand the legality of an independent candy company buying branded candy, sucking the water out of it, and then re-selling the confection under a new name and brand, but hey, that’s capitalism for ya! So, when I saw Skittles was launching its own freeze-dried candy, my immediate thoughts ranged from “Of course!” to “DUH.”
Skittles Pop’d has launched in both Original and Sour varieties. I opted for the latter for a bit more intrigue and interest. The flavor variety differs from the original Sour Skittles mix. The Sour Skittles Pop’d comes in Strawberry, Lemonade, Blue Raspberry, Cherry, and Watermelon. The combination lands closer to the Mixed Berry mix, which some people will adore! Sour Mixed Berry? Yes, please!
Watermelon is the least perceivably sour and much closer to the true watermelon candy flavor. The blue raspberry and strawberry are similar to their original Skittles flavors, but the concentrated flavor from the freeze-dried process makes them way more intense. Lemonade is BY FAR the most sour, and Cherry just sort of tastes like generic sour/sweetness, with the cherry flavor getting lost in the overwhelming hit of sugar.
The freeze-drying process removes all moisture from the food or candy and inherently changes the texture and flavor delivery. Moisture and how it is chemically bound to other molecules in a food play a large role in how our taste buds perceive flavors. So, it wasn’t necessarily surprising that these Sour Skittles Pop’d were INTENSELY sweet the second they started to dissolve on the tongue. What was a little less expected was which part of the candy was sour. I’m used to Original Sour Skittles being sour on the outside, where the citric acid and sugar coating is applied. If you let that coating dissolve, the inside of an original Sour Skittle is sweet, just like Original Skittles. These are sour on the inside, making the entire eating experience sour from start to finish, something I really enjoyed.
The texture of Skittles Pop’d is the largest difference from the original. The freeze-drying process made these extremely crunchy and not at all chewy. Like most freeze-dried foods, they sort of take on that chalky, crunchy, pull-all-the-moisture-out-of-your-mouth type of experience I’d otherwise only associate with science museum gift shop astronaut ice cream (also freeze-dried). The texture is fun but not something I can tolerate as long as the original chewy candy.
Overall, I think there’s a reason the original Skittles has stood the test of time. Whether Original, Sour, or one of the many flavor varieties, the sweet, chewy Skittle delivers an enjoyable and expected candy experience. But I think it’s strategic for the brand to carve out its own space in the growing freeze-dried candy market. I mean, hell, if competitors are going to re-sell Skittles anyway, it might as well get in on that branded action.
Purchased Price: $5.99
Size: 5.5 oz Resealable bag (individual smaller bags also sold)
Purchased at: Target
Rating: 7 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (30 pieces) 120 Calories, 1 gram of fat, 5 milligrams of sodium, 28 grams of carbohydrates, 21 grams of sugar (21 grams of added sugar), 0 grams of protein.