timeless vintage brands #7 Haribo

After having showed the amazing world of handcrafted candies, here I'd like stay on the line to this sugary world... Indeed I'm glad to dedicate this 7th issue of timeless vintage logos to HARIBO, maybe the standing confectionery producer over the world. Gummy bears, cola twist, liquorice wheels, starmix etc... this hall of fame of candies belongs to Haribo! I'm sure that everyone of you was, at least for a short time in her or his life, a sound addicted of one of these gummy delicious sweeties!

This brand was born almost a century ago: HAns RIegel of BOnn, HA-RI-BO, created its firm of candies in Germany in 1920. As soon as in 1922 the first "tanzbär" (litterally "dancing bear") was created: it was the ancestor of the actual "Gold-Bear", a cult candy for children and grown-up ones! In a certain way, these candies were one of first attempts of popular mass candies: in a period of economic and social crisis, such as the post WWI Germany, these funny bears represented an inexpensive drop of happiness!

Yet the most funny aspect that I experienced is the Haribo is the most French of German firms. My apologized for the game with words, but the rivalry between French and German people is notorious; in spite of that, Haribo is the leading producers of bonbons in France! Since 1967, when Haribo took over some French producers, it started also a production of a "vedette" candy, that was shortly assimilated as a French flagship: the Fraise Tagada, a guimauve with the flavor of strawberry coated with red sugar. Tagadas are as ingrained in French culture to such extend that it was calculated that one of them is eaten every second here! I guess that Tagadas are sold in other countries under the name of Primavera (Italy and Germany for instance) or Strawbs (UK and US). If you find them in your country, try them!