Jelly Belly

1866–1913

Gustav Goelitz came to the United States in 1866 and in 1869 started the confectionery business Gustav Goelitz in Belleville, Illinois. His younger brothers Albert and George emigrated to America soon after and joined him in the business. In 1898, the company began manufacturing mellowcreme candies (also called mellow cream, and butter cream). Candy corn, a type of mellowcreme candy, was likely developed by George Renniger, an employee of Wunderlee Candy Company in Philadelphia. The Goelitz Confectionery Company was successful in selling a variety of mellowcreme candy including candy corn. In 1904, the company relocated to Chicago, and then to North Chicago in 1913.

1913–1979

Herman Goelitz, the son of Gustav, moved to the West Coast to start his own business, Herman Goelitz Candy Company. The company eventually settled in Oakland, California, in 1924. In 1960, the company expanded to jelly beans, gummy bears, and various jells. “One of those new products was a small and very flavorful Mini Jelly Bean [developed in 1965].” The Mini Jelly Bean center had natural flavoring, innovative for the time when only the outer shell was flavored.

Ronald Reagan first tried the Mini Jelly Beans in 1966. “The then California governor had quit smoking years before and turned to popping candy as a...substitute.” Reagan wrote to Herman Rowland, Sr. while governor, “It’s gotten to the point...where we can hardly start a meeting or make a decision without passing around a jar of jelly beans. We owe you a special measure of thanks for helping keep our state government running smoothly.”

In 1976, David Klein, a candy and nut distributor, collaborated with Herman Rowland – great-grandson of Gustav Goelitz and chief executive of the Goelitz Confectionery Company – to create a jelly bean using natural purees. Using the Mini Jelly Bean concept, the Jelly Belly jelly bean was created. Klein sold the first Jelly Belly jelly beans in 1976 at an ice cream parlor called Fosselman's in Alhambra, California. The first flavors were Very Cherry, Tangerine, Lemon, Green Apple, Grape, Licorice, Root Beer, and Cream Soda. It was David Klein's idea "...to sell them as separate flavors instead of a variety pack and he came up with the name ‘Jelly Belly’”. In 1980, Klein sold his interest in the Jelly Belly name. The Goelitz company renamed itself to Jelly Belly in 2001.

1980–present

Marinus van Dam, product developer and plant manager for the company, oversaw the development of the Jelly Belly. By the 1980s, many flavors had been developed. "In 1980, David Klein sold the Jelly Belly trademark to Rowland for $4.8 million, paid in monthly installments over 20 years, which Klein split with a partner." The Jelly Belly trademark was registered August 3, 1982. The Mr. Jelly Belly character was developed in 1983. Prior to the development of the character David Klein called himself "Mr. Jelly Belly."

After Ronald Reagan became President in 1980, the general public became aware of his preference for Jelly Belly jelly beans. The company supplied Reagan with Jelly Belly jelly beans during his eight years of presidency. Chairman Rowland recalls, "We were thrilled by press reports that President Reagan gave jars of Jelly Belly jelly beans to visiting dignitaries." (Reagan, however, "started to favour M&M's as the official White House candy during his eighth and final year in office.") Reagan made them the first jelly beans in space, sending them on the Space Shuttle Challenger during the STS-7 mission in 1983, surprising the astronauts.

Products

Today the company produces more than 100 different confections. Of the signature Jelly Belly jelly beans, there are over 58 flavors including:

7 Up, A&W Cream Soda, A&W Root Beer, Berry Blue, Blueberry, Bubble Gum, Buttered Popcorn, Cantaloupe, Cappuccino, Caramel Corn, Champagne, Chili Mango, Chocolate Pudding, Cinnamon, Coconut, Cold Stone Birthday Cake Remix, Cotton Candy, Crushed Pineapple, Dr Pepper, French Vanilla, Grape Crush, Green Apple, Island Punch, Juicy Pear, Kiwi, Lemon, Lemon Drop, Lemon Lime, Licorice, Lime, Mango, Mixed Berry Smoothie, Orange, Orange Crush, Orange Sherbet, Pancakes & Maple Syrup, Peach, Pink Grapefruit, Plum, Pomegranate, Raspberry, Red Apple, Sizzling Cinnamon, Sour Cherry, Strawberry Banana Smoothie, Strawberry Cheesecake, Strawberry Jam, Tabasco, Tangerine, Toasted Marshmallow, Top Banana, Tutti-Fruitti, Very Cherry, Watermelon, and Wild Blackberry.

The company has produced several flavors based on popular alcoholic beverages, beginning with Mai Tai in 1977. Over the years, new additions have included Blackberry Brandy, Strawberry Daiquiri, Margarita, Mojito, and Piña Colada. The Hefeweizen-inspired ale flavor of Draft Beer was introduced in in 2014. All such flavors are entirely alcohol-free.

Sugar-free flavors

Sugar-free Jelly Belly jelly beans are sweetened with Splenda and Maltitol. The flavors are Buttered Popcorn, Cherry, Green Apple, Juicy Pear, Lemon, Licorice, Pineapple, Sizzling Cinnamon, Strawberry, and Tangerine.

Jewel Collection

Introduced on National Jelly Bean Day, April 22, 2013, the Jelly Belly Jewel Collection features jelly beans with an iridescent sheen. Flavors include:

Berry Blue, Blueberry, Bubble Gum, Cream Soda, Ginger Ale, Grape Soda, Orange, Sour Apple, Sour Lemon, and Very Cherry.

BeanBoozled

Since 2008, BeanBoozled jelly beans have flavors that mimic the color of normal Jelly Belly jelly beans. Lance Jensen invented this product for Jelly Belly after working for the company for only a year. Here are the current weird flavors, and associated regular flavor whose color they imitate:

Barf (Peach), Booger (Juicy Pear), Canned Dog Food (Chocolate Pudding), Dead Fish (Strawberry Banana Smoothie), Lawn Clippings (Lime), Moldy Cheese (Caramel Corn), Rotten Egg (Buttered Popcorn), Spoiled Milk (Coconut), Stinky Socks (Tutti-Frutti), and Toothpaste (Berry Blue).

Sport Beans

Sport Beans are formulated jelly beans for sports performance. They provide carbohydrates for fuel, electrolytes for fluid balance, and vitamins to protect muscles. "Juicy Pear and Green Apple join Sport Beans flavors of Lemon Lime, Orange, Berry and Fruit Punch and the Extreme Sport Beans, a caffeinated variety, available in Pomegranate, Watermelon, and Cherry."

Organic jelly beans

The company's first line of organic jelly beans and fruit snacks was introduced the winter of 2015. The product is USDA certified with non-GMO ingredients. The flavors and colors are from natural sources. The organic jelly beans come in 10 assorted flavors: apple, berry, blueberry, cherry, coconut, lemon, orange, pear, peach, and strawberry. The five sour organic jelly bean flavors include apple, cherry, lemon, orange, and berry. The organic fruit snacks featuring rainforest animals includes six flavors: apple, berry, cherry, lemon, orange, and strawberry.

Candy corn

The company began making candy corn, a type of mellocreme candy, around 1898. "The company has the longest history of making candy corn of any in the industry." Jelly Belly Candy Company creates seasonal candy corns: Cupid Corn, Giant Corn, Reindeer Corn, and Bunny Corn.

JBz

Manufactured from 2003 through 2009, JBz were chocolate candies covered with Jelly Belly flavored shells. More than 20 flavors were used, including Raspberry, Coconut, Strawberry Cheesecake, Juicy Pear, Apricot, Cappuccino, Very Cherry, Ice Blue Mint, Cotton Candy, Top Banana, Honey Graham Cracker, Orange Juice, Licorice, Green Apple, Sizzling Cinnamon, Grape, Blueberry, Buttered Popcorn, Toasted Marshmallow, and Tutti Fruitti. A "chocolate lovers" assortment was also made that included Chocolate Cappuccino, Chocolate Caramel, Chocolate Coconut, Chocolate Fudge Brownie and Chocolate Vanilla.

Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans

Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans were based on a product featured in the Harry Potter book series. They consist of a mixture of the original Jelly Belly jelly bean flavors, as well as some unique, less pleasant ones. According to the Harry Potter Lexicon, flavors may include: Sardine, Black Pepper, Grass, Horseradish, Vomit, Booger, Earwax, Dirt, Earthworm, Spaghetti, Spinach, Soap, Sausage, Pickle, Bacon, and Rotten Egg. The brand is sold under license from Warner Brothers Consumer Products. The Harry Potter series also produced other candy products like Chocolate Frogs and Jelly Slugs.

Cold Stone Creamery

Cold Stone Creamery Signature Creation Jelly Belly jelly beans include: Mint Mint Chocolate Chocolate Chip, Our Strawberry Blonde, Apple Pie A La Mode, Chocolate Devolution, and Birthday Cake Remix.

Disney

The Disney line features Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, Goofy, Minnie Mouse, Anna, Queen Elsa, Olaf, Lightning McQueen, Dory, and Star Wars characters.

Dreamworks Trolls

The Dreamworks Trolls line features flavors inspired by the characters.

Soda Pop Shoppe

The six flavors include 7UP, A&W Cream Soda, A&W Root Beer, Dr. Pepper, Grape Crush, and Orange Crush.

Sunkist

Jelly Belly Candy Company makes Sunkist licensed candy products. The Sunkist Fruit Gems include five flavors: pink grapefruit, raspberry, orange, lemon, and lime flavor (blueberry flavor was retired). Sunkist Orange Slices are an orange-flavored pectin candy. Sunkist Jelly Belly jelly beans citrus flavors include lemon, orange, pink grapefruit, lime, and tangerine.

Jelly Belly Gourmet Soda

Introduced by WIT beverages in October 2009, the gourmet soda has ten flavors of Lemon Drop, Sour Cherry, French Vanilla, Blueberry, Green Apple, Crushed Pineapple, Tangerine, Juicy Pear, Strawberry, and Very Cherry.

Tabasco

Tabasco jelly beans produced under licence from the McIlhenny Company are flavored using the hot sauce itself, packaged in bags or bottles shaped like the classic Tabasco bottle.

Facilities

The company operates three manufacturing plants in Fairfield, California; North Chicago, Illinois; and Rayong, Thailand. A fourth facility in Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin, is for distribution.

The Fairfield and Pleasant Prairie locations offer free daily tours. The 1/4-mile-long self-guided Fairfield tour features interactive exhibits, Jelly Belly bean art, and videos featuring the candy manufacturing process; it was named one of the best factory tours for kids by FamilyFun Magazine in 2014. The Pleasant Prairie tour features a train ride through the warehouse with videos and displays about the candy manufacturing process and company history.