Shock Tarts – A Sweet-and-Sour Blast from the Past

Last Updated on October 28, 2022 by Jim Edwards

People’s cravings for tangy and sweet candy didn’t start in the 90s but began back in the 60s and 70s with a candy called Shock Tarts. Shock Tarts were true to their name in being shockingly and mouth-wateringly sour while containing a little bit of fruity sweetness.

The candy was first introduced in cherry and grape flavors to attract people who wanted to try new and fresher flavors. This candy has been associated with the Willy Wonka brand since the 1980s, which is why they are still memorable to this day.

The candy’s name changed several times over the years to Shockers and even SweeTarts. Nevertheless, the iconic taste of the candy remained the same, with more fruity flavors introduced and more fun additions made to the line for different tastes.

Originally, a taffy was also available with the same flavor profile as the sweet and sour candies, and people loved these yummy treats in their childhood. Many people are still nostalgic for the old packaging, which is slightly different from the previous one but doesn’t spark that sense of childish joy in some individuals.

History and Background of Shock Tarts

Shock Tarts began to be distributed to the public in 1962 and were initially made with the same recipe for Lik-M-Aid and Pixy Stix. Fun Dip was originally called Lik-M-Aid. All three of these products were designed to appeal to the public looking for new sweet-and-sour candies to satisfy their sweet cravings. T

he trend for sour and sweet candies was at an all-time high, and Shock Tarts were introduced to the public in grape and cherry flavors with an additional taffy line with the same flavors. Sunline created these candies, but after the ownership of the business was shifted to Nestle, these candies became a part of the Willy Wonka brand.

The product line of the candy grew exponentially with a new trick-or-treat collection, and SweeTarts flavored taffy. You can still avail various sizes and shapes of these candies today with hard candies and chewy twisted rope candies.

Taste of Shock Tarts

Shock tarts used to be a delicious brand of candy that offered a variety of tastes and different textures to suit everyone. The easy availability and variety in the product line are what made the candy much more popular and fun to share with others.

Shock Tarts were not exclusively sour or sweet but contained various flavors for a fun mix. If someone does not like the exclusively extremely sour flavors of the candy, they can opt for a much more mellow and sweet version of the candy. The mildly sour and sweet candy was what made the brand so much more popular in the beginning.

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Different Flavors of Shock Tarts

Shock Tarts or Shockers candy were available in various fruit flavors, which were loved by kids and adults. The candy packaging also changed over the years, with the original Shock Tarts sold in a tube and a larger bag.

Many people associate these candies with their school days in the 90s and reminisce about how these candies used to make their tongues bleed, but they still couldn’t help devouring them. The Shockers candy was sold in the following flavors:

• Grape
• Green Apple
• Lemon
• Cherry
• Blue Punch
• Orange

The green apple flavor was replaced by zesty lime in 2002, and the lemon flavor was discontinued by Nestle in 2013. The current range of flavors for SweeTarts includes blue punch, cherry, grape, green apple, and lemon. Nonetheless, many forms of SweeTarts do not come in the lemon flavor.

Nestle has also released some special flavors over the years for fans of the candy. Some of these limed-time flavors include pink lemonade, watermelon, and strawberry. These flavors for SweeTarts were originally seasonal flavors but were later on included in the mix of SweeTart ropes and jelly beans flavors.

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Shock Tarts: Nutritional Information and Ingredients

For three servings of Shock Tarts Assorted Chewy Candy (17 g), the nutritional information for the candy is as given below:

Calories:	60
Total Fat:	0.5 g
Cholesterol:	0 mg
Sodium:	0 mg
Total Carbohydrates:	14 g
Sugar:	11 g

Ingredients include Corn Syrup, Yellow 6 Lake, Yellow 6, Red 3, Mono And Diglycerides, Carnauba Wax, Sugar, Malic Acid, Magnesium Stearate, Egg Albumen, Silicon Dioxide, Artificial Flavors, Hydrogenated Coconut Oil, Xanthan Gum, Red 40 Lake, Dextrose, Yellow 5 Lake, Yellow 5, Blue 2 Lake, Blue 1, Blue 1 Lake.

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Shock Tarts – Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Were Shock Tarts discontinued?

Yes, Shock Tarts were discontinued, which was a shock to many fans of the candy. The candy was relaunched with different branding, a different name, “Shockers”. Shockers were later renamed again as SweeTarts.

Why do Shock Tarts make my mouth hurt?

Acidic candies break down the enamel part of the teeth, which makes people’s teeth more sensitive. This sensitivity can be painful, while some people also experience burning on their tongues, gums, and cheeks.

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