Gummy bears have a surprisingly clever origin story. In 1920s Germany, confectioner Hans Riegel, founder of what would become Haribo, wanted a candy that was both fun and shelf-stable. His big idea came in 1922: the first gummy bear, then called the Tanzbär (Dancing Bear). Unlike today's soft, gelatin-based gummies, these early bears were firm, closer to a gumdrop or chewy lozenge. Riegel's trick was using sugar, fruit flavoring, and gum arabic (acacia gum) as the gelling agent instead of gelatin. That kept the little bears from melting at room temperature.
The Constraints Hans Riegel Faced in 1922
Riegel operated under tight constraints that shaped his candy. These included:
- Temperature swings: No climate control meant the candy had to survive summer heat and winter cold without melting or getting brittle. Riegel formulated for wide temperature tolerance.
- Gum arabic base: The first bears were set with acacia gum, the same plant-derived base used in wine gums. It gave them a firm, chewy bite and kept them stable without refrigeration.
- Hand-poured production: No machines. Riegel made the first batches in a copper kettle in his home kitchen, and each bear was poured by hand into molds. That took skill and patience.
- No preservatives: The candy needed to stay stable for weeks without spoiling or attracting pests.
- Primitive flavors and colors: Only simple natural extracts and a limited palette were available. Riegel kept it simple.
Which Constraints Are Still Permanent?
Several of Riegel's constraints are now permanent industry standards. The bear shape has to hold at room temperature, with no melting in transit. The chewiness has to be that signature soft-but-not-sticky texture, even though we now use gelatin instead of gum arabic. No refrigeration required: shelf-stable, as it was in 1922. The molding process still relies on pouring hot syrup into starch or silicone molds, the most reliable way to shape gummies at scale. Fruit flavors still carry the classic mix: lemon, orange, raspberry, strawberry, pineapple, and apple, echoing Riegel's original fruit extracts.
Gum Arabic, Gelatin, and the Pectin Option
Riegel's gum arabic formula worked, but it set firmer and chewier than the soft bite shoppers expect today. When Haribo relaunched the bear as the Goldbear in the 1960s, gelatin became the standard gelling agent, and it still is for most classic gummies. Gelatin is animal-derived, though, which leaves out vegetarian and vegan buyers. That is where pectin enters. Pectin, the fiber found in fruit peels, gels without animal ingredients, which is why it is the usual choice for vegan gummy lines and a common base in reduced-sugar recipes. A manufacturer today picks the gelling agent the same way Riegel did: to match the texture, the shelf life, and the label a brand needs.
The fundamentals (temperature resistance, texture, storage) have stayed consistent since 1922. The tools got better, but the rules didn't. At KorNutra, every batch we make still lives by those rules, with a lot less hand-pouring.