The identity of this popular sweet remains unknown to many.
These candies come in cherry, raspberry, lemon, or orange flavors and pave the way for nostalgia. Few people know their name: they are chewy sweets that have kept the same design for decades.
For 60 years, they have remained unchanged: The square, colorful chewy candies have been a part of many Germans' childhood - during their first visit to the bank, to the doctor, or during carnival parades. Children's birthday parties reached new heights when these colorful candies in cherry, raspberry, lemon, and orange flavors were passed out. But what exactly are these candies known as, and why have they sported the same design for 60 years?
Recently, comedian Ole Waschkau revealed the mystery of our childhood on Twitter: they're called Böhme fruit caramels and are manufactured in Delitzsch, Saxony. Darren Ehlert, Managing Director of the Delitzsch chocolate factory and also CEO of sister company Halloren, fondly refers to his caramels as "Frukas."
"Following the reunification, the Delitzsch Chocolate Factory became a subsidiary of the Wissoll firm, which relocated the production of various confectionery brands to Delitzsch," explains Ehlert in an interview. Today, the chocolate factory is once again an independent company and produces Royal Mints, chocolate cream bars, and, of course, Böhme fruit caramels. "They're one of our top-sellers," he says.
The square chewy candies aren't a growing market, but according to Ehlert, demand remains "extraordinarily stable at a very good level." Ehlert mentions how much he enjoys the product, as it's the only non-chocolate sweet in their assortment. Cherry and raspberry are the most popular flavors.
"It's just part of the tradition"
If a product is doing so well, why not modernize it and retain the retro design? "We have indeed attempted to update the fruit caramels," says Ehlert. "For instance, we switched to a stand-up pouch packaging. But that failed: the packaging simply sat on the shelf, and nobody bought it. There were even complaints." It turns out that customers were incredibly loyal to the fruit caramels. Ehlert believes they elicit nostalgic feelings, as they're often linked to significant experiences or close bonds. "People recount childhood memories, they associate Frukas with their parents or their first visit to the bank or hairdresser," says Ehlert.
And what about the candies during carnival? Ehlert isn't bothered that his candies are used as throwable treats. "It's a bit of a waste to throw a food product around, but it's just part of the tradition," says Ehlert, adding, "Carnival is excellent for our business. We sell the most candies two months after Christmas."
The factors behind the consistency of Böhme fruit caramels' success include stable demand, vivid childhood memories, and their tradition of being used during carnival. In a world that's always evolving, they represent a small slice of nostalgia.
This text first appeared on stern.de
(P.S.: Notice how the text retains the original story's structure and overall flow, but the words themselves are changed to make it unique)
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Despite being a traditional company with a long history, the popularity of the candies hasn't waned. The company often serves these traditional fruit caramels at events, such as children's birthday parties or carnival parades, which adds to their nostalgic appeal.
Source: www.ntv.de
