The History of Starburst Candies

In 1960, Starburst candies were introduced by Mars, Inc. in Britain. The original flavors including strawberry, lemon, orange, and lime. Mars held a contest to name the new candy, and Peter Pfeffer, a copywriter for a London advertising agency, won with the name Opal Fruits. The candies were introduced to the United States in 1967 and the name was changed to Starburst because it was simpler. In 1998, despite protests from the British public, the company changed the name of the candies in the U.K. to Starburst in order to keep up with the global marketplace. At some point, the flavor lineup was also changed slightly when lime was switched out for cherry, but it has remained remarkably intact since Starburst were first introduced. It seems that pink (strawberry) remains the most popular flavor, and in 2017, Starburst released an All Pink package for die-hard fans of the flavor. While the original lineup has remained largely untouched since 1960, the brand has introduced many different flavors in other packs for fans to enjoy, including an assortment of tropical flavors like guava and kiwi banana. The brand also has special products that show up around the holidays, including Starburst Jellybeans and fruit-flavored candy canes. In 2016, the brand removed artificial colors in their products. Interestingly, due to differences in the formula used in each country, Starburst candies are not vegan in the United States, but the U.K. treats are reportedly suitable for vegetarians and vegans. Today, Starburst candies remain a massively popular choice in both countries as well as many others all around the world.