Candy: Jolly Ranchers

Where were Jolly Ranchers first made?

Jolly Ranchers were created by a company in Colorado.

Jolly Ranchers have nothing to do with a rancher or a ranch, as far as I can tell. It seems the name was chosen because it was a nod to the U.S. west and Bill and Dorothy Harmsen thought it was a friendly name. 

It’s interesting how word connotations change. “Jolly” always feels a little forced or fake to me.

What’s the most popular Jolly Rancher flavor?

The hard candy that can cut your tongue when it gets too thin has stayed popular for decades.
Like other hard candy, red has stayed a favorite “flavor.” 

The first red Jolly Rancher might have been cinnamon. I couldn’t confirm this, but because cinnamon (Fire Stix) was one of the first flavors and later Fire Stix Jolly Ranchers were red, I assume the first ones were, too. At any rate, cherry soon was added to the flavor selections.

Today, there are at least four red flavors of Jolly Ranchers: cherry, watermelon, strawberry, and fruit punch. Red is such a popular “flavor,” that you can even buy bags of only red Jolly Ranchers.

How many Jolly Ranchers are sold each year?

I couldn’t find out how many pieces or pounds of the hard Jolly Rancher candy is sold each year. Statista says that in 2021, Jolly Ranchers were the top-selling hard candy in the U.S.