The Cult-Favorite Candy That Was Revived After Nearly 30 Years

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In the late 1990s and early aughts, what would become candy cult favorites were constantly being produced, with sour candy especially evolving over the years. Major candy makers experimented with unique flavors and textures in ways that contributed to sour candies' growing popularity in the 2000s. Possibly inspired by this, the candy mint brand Altoids got in on the sour game, putting its curiously strong spin on the candy trend with Altoid Sours. Unfortunately, despite being embraced by sour snackers, Altoid Sours were discontinued in 2010. Thankfully, candy makers within the local and major industries, such as Iconic Candy, have stepped in. The latter especially has worked its retro-inspired magic and partnered with Cracker Barrel and Target to revive the product, making it once again readily available for fans. 

It may seem like yesterday to some, but Altoid Sours took its first tartly toed steps into worldwide stores in 2004. Admittedly, aside from merely wanting a piece of the sour candy market, it's unclear what truly inspired those tangy little gem-shaped candies. Although the regular Altoids have maintained a tradition of minty flavors, its Sours line became more aligned with fruit and berries, with flavors like apple, mango, raspberry, and citrus. Harmonizing with Altoids' traditional packaging, the Sours products came wrapped in white paper, encased in a round tin canister rather than the rectangular tin of its predecessor. Although some, like a now-deleted Reddit commenter under an Altoid Sours appreciation post, mentioned that Sours' shape could hurt your mouth, it was also said that enduring the discomfort was worth its delicious flavor. 

Sadly, Altoid Sours were quietly removed from shelves by 2010 due to low sales, according to communications between a representative of Altoids' parent company, Mars, and Bustle. In the conversation, Mars mentioned there's always a chance to bring back discontinued candies by inquiring with the company. Perhaps the food giant hasn't noticed the many petitions since at least 2015 demanding the return of Altoids Sours, but fortunately, other candy makers have. Florida-based Lofty Pursuits recreated several of the original Altoids Sours flavors from scratch — like mango, apple, citrus, and tangerine — based on the tin's ingredient list and fans' descriptions. Similarly, with a reputation built since 2012 for recreating various discontinued candies, Iconic Candy has stepped up in the commercial realm to bring back Altoid Sours as Retro Sours (as of 2024).

On that note, Iconic Candy has ensured that Altoid Sours won't be among the discontinued fruit snacks that deserve a comeback. While anyone is welcome to purchase recreations from local establishments like Lofty Pursuit, Iconic Candy has made Retro Sours readily available in tangerine, mango, and citrus to fans via a few partnerships. Patrons of IT'SUGAR will be able to purchase them for $5, either online or in one of the brand's many locations. Additionally, the candy will be purchasable both online and in-store at Target, and at Cracker Barrel's iconic gift shop. It should be noted that an Iconic Candy representative told Today that the commercial candy maker doesn't use the same recipe as Altoids did. With that said, it's likely that fans won't be disappointed, possibly even finding it equally as good as the original given the company's track record.