You can now buy cold brew gummy bears

Once upon a time, sweets were just sweets. Whether you liked them chewy, crunchy or colourful, you knew that you were getting a guaranteed spike in blood sugar and a potential cavity in your molar. The formula might not have been especially complicated, but it was at least extremely effective. Times, apparently, have changed.

Today, a new sweet has to be something more than a recipe for early onset diabetes. It’s not enough that their ingredients list contains more “E’s” than an acid house rave in 90s Manchester. Modern consumers want their snacks to do something other than make them feel slightly jittery. Now, you can get sweeties that promise to not only be sugar-free and virtuous, but also have hidden health benefits. Some even ignore traditional fruity flavourings for something much more NSFW.

This week, American-based adult sweet sensations Sugarfina announced their latest attempt to drag the confectionary industry into the 21st century. Just in time for the start of summer, the brand revealed an all new line of cold brew-inspired coffee-flavoured gummy bears. Created In collaboration with Los Angeles-based coffee shop Alfred Coffee, the new sweeties are packed with caffeine and the first of their kind available anywhere on earth.

Available in three flavours – Cold-Brew, Bourbon Cold-Brew, and Iced Vanilla Latte – each bag is packed with 60 milligrams of caffeine, making them more potent than the average espresso and probably just as delicious. Entitled “But First, Coffee”, the new creations promise to be as trendy as they are tasty.

It isn’t just the recipe that aims to help the new product stand out from the crowd. According to the Sugarfina website, customers can also get their hands on a range of coffee-themed gummy products, including gummy bears served in a “coffee bag”, bears served in plastic cold brew cups and “coffee tumblers” with their own separate bear sachets. If the site is anything to go by, Sugarfina have given serious consideration to their coffee theme.

In a press release accompanying the announcement, Sugarfina founder Rosie O’Neill said, “With this collaboration, we’re combining two of our favourite pick-me-ups – candy and caffeine.” This isn’t the first time that they’ve sought adult inspiration in their range. The company has already made headlines after releasing a range of rosé-flavoured gummies which can actually get you drunk, should you manage to eat enough of them. The new coffee candies are just the latest step in the company’s mission to mature the industry as a whole.