Nerds (candy)

For the descriptive term, see Nerd.
Nerds is an American candy launched in 1983 by the Sunmark Corporation under the brand name Willy Wonka Candy Company. Nerds are now made by the Ferrara Candy Company, a subsidiary of Ferrero Group. but is still distributed internationally by Nestlé. With their anthropomorphic covers, Nerds usually contain two flavors per box, each flavor having a separate compartment and opening.
Nerds were first introduced in 1983 and rolled out nationally in 1985. It was developed by a team led by marketing manager Angelo Fraggos at Sunmark's Willy Wonka Candy division and targeted at tweens with allowance money. The dual-chamber design of its box was driven by research that showed boys preferred pouring the candy into their mouths, while girls tended to put it in their hands.
After initial success in the 1980s, Nerds settled into a middling market status for decades until the introduction of Nerds Gummy Clusters in 2020. In 2021, Nerds Gummy Clusters received free advertising from Kylie Jenner to her 200 million Instagram followers, after which the candy went viral on social media. A 2024 Super Bowl commercial for Nerds Gummy Clusters featured TikToker Addison Rae, and was followed by a 2024 Super Bowl commercial with Shaboozey. Annual brand revenue increased from about $40 million in 2018 to more than $500 million in 2024, with Nerds Gummy Clusters accounting for more than 90% of the total.
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. The contents of the barrels are then transferred to boxes, which are divided into two compartments by a vertical partition so each half of the box contains a different flavor. Certain flavor combinations are frequently packaged together, such as grape and strawberry, the most popular pairing in the United States.
The nucleus of each candy is composed of one or more complete sucrose crystals. These optically clear monoclinic crystals are about 0.2–1 mm in length and help define the irregular shape. They are thickly glazed with carnauba wax, which gives them a hard bite and a gloss.
Nerds Gummy Clusters are made by pouring melted gel into molds to form the core. In a massive stainless steel bowl, dots of sugar are spun until "baby Nerds" are created. The gummy balls are then sent tumbling to be coated with baby Nerds.
Nerds may contain traces of gluten. 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, mostly from carbohydrates, with little fat or protein.) The Halloween hand-out size is typically 15 grams (0.53 oz), and the larger boxes contain 141.7 grams (5 oz).
Nerds were a popular candy in the 1980s, but they had big competitors that included Pop Rocks, Candy Buttons, and Mike and Ike. Nerds also had a close cousin in the 1990s: 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 very short time on the market, however.
Nerds consist of various flavors and colors, ranging from extremely sweet to extremely sour; often, the two flavors in one box will contrast, and a single flavor may even exhibit both extremes. A Nerds breakfast cereal based on the concept appeared in the 1980s with two varieties (Orange and Cherry / Grape and Strawberry), but it had a short lifespan.
Although many other flavors are available, some of the current regular flavors of Nerds include the following:
Willy Wonka has also come up with several spin-off products of Nerds:
Throughout the 1980s, several new flavors of Nerds were introduced from time to time; for example, "Hot and Cool" Nerds (cinnamon and wintergreen flavored), blueberry and raspberry, banana, lemon and lime, and Cherry Cola.
In 1985, Nerds were named "Candy of the Year" by the National Candy Wholesalers Association.
In 2025, Nerds spinoff, NERDS Gummy Clusters, won the Product of the Year Canada award.