Airheads (candy)

Perfetti Van Melle USA Inc. has been based in Erlanger, Kentucky since 1979; in 1982, the company started making candy-based products. It is a 120,000-square-foot factory that currently has 200 employees.{{Cite book|last1=Tenkotte|first1=Paul A.|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Zc0eBgAAQBAJ&q=air+heads|title=The Encyclopedia of Northern Kentucky|last2=Claypool|first2=James C.|date=2015-01-13|publisher=University Press of Kentucky|isbn=978-0-8131-5996-6|language=en}}{{Cite web |title=Maker of Airheads, Mentos looks to expand its Northern KY headquarters |url=https://baynews9.com/fl/tampa/news/2021/12/11/perfetti-van-melle-to-expand-into-northern-kentucky-hq |access-date=2025-03-12 |website=baynews9.com |language=en}}

In December 2015, an explosion occurred at the factory, causing it to catch fire. Nobody was harmed in the explosion, but production was halted periodically.{{Cite web|url=https://www.wlwt.com/article/explosion-fire-at-erlanger-candy-factory-1/3560441|title=Explosion, fire at Erlanger candy factory|date=2015-12-04|website=WLWT|language=en|access-date=2020-04-13}}

{{citation needed|date=January 2025}}

File:Airheads Extreme Sweet Sour Belts Candy, May 2010.jpg

The candy comes individually wrapped in long colored strips, in the flavors of:

• Cherry (red)
• Blue Raspberry (blue)
• Watermelon (green)
• Green Apple (light green)
• Strawberry (pink)
• White Mystery (white)
• Orange (orange)
• Grape (purple)
• Strawberry & Watermelon (pink and green striped)
• Blue Raspberry & Cherry (blue and red striped)

The above flavors are also available in mini-size. Special edition flavors, such as Superman, SpongeBob and Spider-Man, are sold as promotions. "Airheads Xtremes" a spinoff version of the candy, are fruit rolls with a sour taste. Airheads Pops are lollipops available in the flavors of apple, blue raspberry, strawberry, cherry, watermelon, grape, strawberry kiwi and berry.

Airheads "Blue Mystery Blast" bars were distributed to travelers on JetBlue Airways on October 31, 2007, in celebration of Halloween.{{Cite web|url=http://www.happynews.com/news/1122007/no-trick-jetblue-treated-customers-halloween-candy.htm|title=Happy News - No Trick! JetBlue Treated Customers to Halloween Candy|website=www.happynews.com|access-date=2020-04-13|archive-date=13 May 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080513121701/http://www.happynews.com/news/1122007/no-trick-jetblue-treated-customers-halloween-candy.htm|url-status=dead}}

In June 2013, "Airheads Bites" were released.{{Cite web|title=Airheads Bites - Candy Blog|url=http://www.candyblog.net/blog/item/airheads_bites|access-date=2020-09-25|website=www.candyblog.net}} They are tiny Airheads flavored candy items in a candy shell. The flavors included in this version of the candy are "Cherry", "Orange", "Blue Raspberry", "Watermelon", and "Mystery". In the initial release, there was a "berry variety" but the flavor has since been discontinued.

In 2024, Airheads launched a cherry-scented Halloween-themed foot spray designed to fight odor and keep feet fresh. {{Cite press release|url=https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/airheads-debuts-first-of-its-kind-cherry-scented-foot-spray-to-protect-people-from-the-smell-of-trick-or-treaters-feet-302267991.html| title=Airheads released Cherry-Scented foot spray| access-date= February 12, 2025}}

Perfetti Van Melle partnered with Koldwave Foods LLC to create "Airheads ice cream" in August 2015. The ice-cream came in 8 different flavors: "blue raspberry", "cherry", "watermelon", "orange", "green apple", "pink lemonade", "grape", and "strawberry". Ice cream sandwiches and sundae cups were also produced with the same flavor options. In November 2019, "Airheads Paradise Blends" were released, which contained a set of four tropical flavors: "Cherry Pineapple Blast" (red), "Raspberry Lemonade" (pink), "Citrus Rush" (green), and "Blue Hawaiian" (blue), along with "White Mystery" bars.{{Cite web|url=https://www.instagram.com/p/Bx0RhUTl5JM/|title=JunkFoodOnTheGo on Instagram: "NEW Airheads Paradise Blends Bites & Mini Bars coming out November! @airheadscandy @sweets_and_snacks_expo @perfettivanmelle ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀…"|website=Instagram|language=en|access-date=2020-04-13}}{{Cite web |date=2015-08-28 |title=Airheads ice creams |url=https://thefoodpeople.co.uk/blog/perfetti-van-melle-adds-airheads-frozen-snacks-to-its-range |access-date=2025-03-12 |website=The Food People |language=en}}

A normal {{convert|3.3|oz|g|abbr=on}} pack of Airheads is 360 calories, 51 grams of sugar, and 3 grams of saturated fat. "Airheads Xtremes Sweetly Sour Belts" ({{convert|3|oz|g|abbr=on}} is 300 calories, 45 grams of sugar, and 0 grams of saturated fat.{{Cite web|url=https://cspinet.org/resource/big-movie-theaters-fill-bucketsand-bellies|title=BIG: Movie Theaters Fill Buckets...and Bellies {{!}} Center for Science in the Public Interest|website=cspinet.org|access-date=2020-04-13}}

A single {{convert|0.55|oz|g|abbr=on}} Airheads is 60 calories, 11 grams of sugar, and 0 grams of saturated fat.

Airheads are made by creating long strips, similar to the method used to manufacture Play-Doh. The main ingredient is sugar. Airheads uses taffy as one of its main ingredients which allows it to be somewhat malleable.{{Cite book|last=Smith|first=Andrew F.|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=7-WcKK01H1cC&q=air+heads|title=Fast Food and Junk Food: An Encyclopedia of What We Love to Eat|date=2012|publisher=ABC-CLIO|isbn=978-0-313-39393-8|language=en}} The candy is manufactured on a conveyor belt, where the taffy goes through sugars and sweeteners leading to a thinning, forming, and packaging process. The machines stir about 3,000 pounds of taffy.{{Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gGCTGoW6Nvk |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211213/gGCTGoW6Nvk |archive-date=2021-12-13 |url-status=live|title=Inside the Airheads Candy Factory|website=YouTube |date=2014-12-01|access-date=2020-04-13}}{{cbignore}}

All Airheads for the United States are made in Erlanger, Kentucky.{{Cite web |title=New landmark sign celebrates the birthplace of Airheads in northern Kentucky |url=https://spectrumnews1.com/ky/louisville/news/2024/07/02/new-airheads-sign |access-date=2025-03-12 |website=spectrumnews1.com |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=You are being redirected... |url=https://www.bestofnky.com/made-in-nky-feature/ |access-date=2025-03-12 |website=www.bestofnky.com}}

Airheads were originally sold across Canada and the United States, but an expansion into the United Kingdom was announced in 2015.{{cite web|url=http://www.licensing.biz/news/read/tallia-storm-to-be-face-of-new-chupa-chups-airheads-launch/042039|publisher=Licensing.biz|title=Tallia Storm to be face of new Chupa Chups Airheads launch|first=Samantha|last=Loveday|date=18 May 2015|access-date=7 June 2015|archive-date=18 May 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150518235414/http://www.licensing.biz/news/read/tallia-storm-to-be-face-of-new-chupa-chups-airheads-launch/042039|url-status=dead}} "Airheads Xtremes" and "Bars" are manufactured in the US and "Airheads Pops" are manufactured and sold in Mexico and Spain.{{cite web|title=Frequently Asked Questions |url=http://www.airheads.com/faq.aspx |publisher=AirHeads |access-date=8 January 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130717022302/http://www.airheads.com/faq.aspx |archive-date=17 July 2013 }}

In 2000, Perfetti Van Melle started a partnership with Mattel to use targeted advertising against children in the USA. The advertisements ran on children's programming networks like Fox Kids and Nickelodeon to continue Airheads' already existing "Out of Control" campaign. The advertisements offered sweepstakes to Disneyland, as well as coupons on the back of Airhead packets for Mattel's "X-V Xtreme Skateboarders".{{Cite web|url=https://adage.com/article/btob/cut-chase/259047|title=Cut to the Chase|date=2004-12-13|website=adage.com|language=en|access-date=2020-04-13}}

In 2003, commercials started airing on Nickelodeon. Airheads.nick.com held a poll, advertising the green flavor, a trademark of the network.{{Cite book|last=Mazzarella|first=Sharon R.|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ZSCWY3soen4C&q=airheads|title=20 Questions about Youth & the Media|date=2007|publisher=Peter Lang|isbn=978-0-8204-6334-6|language=en}}

In 2023, Airheads candy challenge went viral as TikTok users discover they've been eating it 'incorrectly'.{{Cite web |last=Moore |first=Cortney |date=2023-05-11 |title=Airheads candy challenge goes viral as TikTok users discover they've been eating it 'incorrectly' |url=https://www.foxnews.com/lifestyle/airheads-candy-challenge-goes-viral-tiktok-users-discover-eating-incorrectly |access-date=2025-03-12 |website=Fox News |language=en-US}}

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Category:Brand name confectionery

Category:Perfetti Van Melle brands

Category:Products introduced in 1985

Category:American brands

Category:Taffies (candy)

Category:American confectionery