Jelly Belly launches Beer-flavored jelly beans
Global confectionery company Jelly Belly Candy Company (Jelly Belly) are set to launch a new beer flavoured jelly bean, available in global markets from early 2014. The new product appears to be another example of the global market trend of some well-known non-alcoholic food or drink brands carrying the flavour of an alcoholic beverage within a popular product range usually consumed by young people.
Jelly Belly said the new Draft Beer flavour, which had its debut at the Winter Fancy Food Show in San Francisco between 19 January 2014 and 21 January 2014, had be a "highly-requested flavour" for decades.
"This took about three years to perfect," said Ambrose Lee, a Research and Development Manager for Jelly Belly. "The recipe includes top secret ingredients, but I can tell you it contains no alcohol," he said.
Jelly Belly said the flavour is "effervescent and crisp" and comes in a "golden jelly bean with an iridescent finish". "Beer connoisseurs will find the flavour profile to be clean with notes of wheat and a touch of sweetness," the Company said. "The aroma is mildly bready," it said.
"Usually the factory has a sweet and fruit aroma, but when we're making this flavour it's just like being in an ale house," said Jeff Brown, Vice President of Manufacturing for Jelly Belly.
The Draft Beer flavour is the latest in a line of flavour innovations from Jelly Belly. The Company first created a non-alcoholic "gourmet" flavour in 1977 with 'Mai Tai'. Since then, more flavours such as Blackberry Brandy and Strawberry Daiquiri have been developed, inspired by popular cocktails. Other flavours, such as Pina Colada (released in 1983), Margarita (1995) and Mojito (2010) make up ?the Jelly Belly Cocktail Classic collection of six cocktail flavours.
Jelly Belly said the Draft Beer jelly bean could be combined with the Company's other Jelly Bean flavours to create "beer cocktail" flavours:
2 Draft Beer jelly beans + 1 Peach jelly bean = Beer Sangria
2 Draft Beer jelly beans + 1 Red Apple jelly bean = Beer cider
2 Draft Beer jelly beans + 1 Lemon Lime jelly bean + 1 Tabasco jelly bean = Michelada
The Jelly Belly Candy Company's history dates back to 1869, when Gustav Goelitz, aged 24, opened a candy business in Belleville, Illinois. The Company was continued by his son and grandchildren. The third and fourth generation of Goelitz's family introduced jelly beans and other confectionery in the 1960s. Mini flavour-infused jelly beans were introduced in 1965, with the first range of flavoured Jelly Belly jelly beans, including Root Beer, Green Apple, Licorice, Cream Soda, Lemon Tangerine, Cherry and Grape flavours, introduced in 1976. In 2001, the Company, known for four generations by the family name Goelitz, was renamed the Jelly Belly Candy Company.
