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 a starch-based binder 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.
- Scarce gelatin: Post-WWI Germany made gelatin expensive and unreliable. So Riegel used starch, which gave his gummies a unique chewy-firm bite.
- Hand-poured production: No machines—each bear was hand-poured into starch molds. That took skill and patience.
- No preservatives: The candy needed to stay stable for weeks, not months, 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—no melting in transit. The chewiness has to be that signature soft-but-not-sticky texture, even though we now use gelatin instead of starch. No refrigeration required—shelf-stable, just like 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. And fruit flavors? Strawberry, lemon, orange, raspberry—still the best sellers, echoing Riegel's original fruit extracts.
So the fundamentals—temperature resistance, texture, storage—have stayed remarkably consistent since 1922. The tools got better, but the rules didn't. At KorNutra, every batch we make still lives by those rules—just with a lot less hand-pouring.