Before There Were Gummy Bears…

It's hard to imagine the candy world without gummy bears, but for most of human history, they simply didn't exist. Gelatin-based confections only became widely available in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, once gelatin could be produced and processed at an industrial scale. The stage was set for a revolutionary candy idea — and one man in Bonn, Germany would bring it to life.

Hans Riegel and the Birth of Haribo

In 1920, a young confectioner named Hans Riegel founded a small candy company in his kitchen in Bonn, Germany. He named it HARIBO — an acronym formed from HAns RIegel BOnn. His wife Gertrud was the company's first employee, delivering early products by bicycle.

Initially, Haribo made a variety of hard candies and sweets. But in 1922, Hans Riegel created something entirely new: a soft, chewy, gelatin-based candy in the shape of a dancing bear — inspired by the trained bears commonly seen at European street markets and fairs at the time. He called it the Tanzbär, or "dancing bear."

The Dancing Bear Becomes the Gold Bear

The Tanzbär was an immediate hit. Its fun shape, satisfying chew, and fruity flavors delighted customers across Germany. Over the following decades, Haribo refined the recipe and shape, eventually launching the now-iconic Goldbär (Gold Bear) in 1967 — slightly smaller and more refined than the original dancing bear, with five distinct fruit flavors.

The Gold Bear's global expansion accelerated in the 1980s when Haribo opened facilities in the United States and aggressively expanded into international markets. The memorable slogan "Kids and grown-ups love it so, the happy world of Haribo" became one of the most recognized jingles in candy history.

The Gelatin Revolution

What made gummy bears technically possible was the industrialization of gelatin. Derived from collagen in animal bones and connective tissue, gelatin had been used in cooking for centuries. But refined, food-grade gelatin became widely commercially available in the early 1900s, giving confectioners a powerful new ingredient for creating chewy, moldable textures.

Riegel's genius was in recognizing that gelatin could be used not just for savory aspics and dessert jellies, but as the foundation for a new category of candy altogether. This insight effectively launched the gummy confectionery industry.

Gummies Go Global

Inspired by Haribo's success, candy manufacturers worldwide began developing their own gelatin-based confections throughout the latter half of the 20th century. The format expanded rapidly:

  • 1980s: Gummy worms, rings, and fruit slices proliferate
  • 1990s: Sour gummies coated with citric acid become a sensation
  • 2000s: Giant gummies, novelty shapes, and licensed character gummies appear
  • 2010s–present: Vegan gummies using pectin or agar gain significant market share

A Legacy Still Chewy After 100 Years

Today, gummy candy is one of the most popular confectionery categories worldwide. Haribo alone produces billions of Gold Bears annually. Hans Riegel's simple idea — give people something fun-shaped, chewy, and fruity — turned out to be one of the most enduring innovations in candy history.

The next time you pop a gummy bear in your mouth, you're participating in a tradition that stretches back over a century to a small kitchen in Bonn, Germany. Not bad for a dancing bear.