Answers to the Most Frequently Asked Questions

1.  What makes Jelly Belly beans different from other jelly beans?

Jelly Belly jelly beans differ from ordinary jelly beans because of their authentic and intense flavours, the number of flavours, the smaller size and the brilliant colours.  Developed for the sophisticated palate, many Jelly Belly flavours use fine natural ingredients when possible to flavour the beans, i.e., milk chocolate, coconut, and fruit juices and purees such as strawberry, pear and passion fruit.

2.   Is Jelly Belly the first of its kind?

Yes, Jelly Belly was the first jelly bean to blend flavours into the heart of the bean.  Traditional jelly beans have no flavouring in the centre.  Jelly Belly is The Original Gourmet Jelly Bean^®.

3.   How many different Jelly Belly flavours are there and what are they?

Fifty official flavours are made year round.  Test flavours are introduced regularly to the Jelly Belly consuming public.  Depending on their popularity they enter the fifty official flavours line-up or are dropped in favour of new trials.  Currently new flavours are Chili Mango, Lychee, and Mooncake.

4.   How are flavours tested?

Before an introduction, a new Jelly Belly bean is subjected to a Critic Session and Tasting Party.  These sessions bring top management and employees together to submit opinions.  The proposed new Jelly Belly bean is rated by flavour, colour, texture of the centre, appearance and thickness of the shell. When we reach an enthusiastic consensus of opinion, we release a new flavour to the public.  It’s called the “WOW” factor!

5.   When were Jelly Belly jelly beans invented?

Jelly Belly beans first appeared on the shelves of fine candy stores in the United States in 1976.  They are now sold in over 50 countries worldwide.

When introduced in 1976, Jelly Belly beans were an instant success in the marketplace.  They have become the favourite of many famous personalities from journalist Larry King, musicians Phil Collins, and Jewel, and actors Courtney Thorne-Smith, Marlee Matlin, Brad Garrett, to political figures around the world.

They were also the first jelly beans in outer space when they went up with the U.S. astronauts in the June 21, 1983 voyage of the space shuttle Challenger (the same voyage as the first American woman in space, Sally Ride).

6.   How were Jelly Belly beans invented?

A Los Angeles candy distributor had an idea for a new breed of jelly beans made from “natural” flavours.  A phone call to Herman Rowland, president of Herman Goelitz Candy Co. (now Jelly Belly Candy Company) intrigued the candy maker.  The company had been successfully making jelly beans since 1965, but this was something entirely new.  Our master candy makers went to work and came up with eight flavours in a small bean packed with intense flavour in the centre and the shell.  The “original gourmet jelly bean” was born.  Jelly Belly Candy Company continues to use real ingredients, when possible, to flavour Jelly Belly beans.

7.   Is there any special way to eat a Jelly Belly?

Yes!  The flavours are so dramatically different that we recommend you eat one at a time to discover the true flavour of each and every Jelly Belly bean.   You can also creatively mix complementary flavours for a real gourmet treat.  For example:

2 Lemon + 2 Coconut = Lemon Meringue Pie

2 Candy Floss + 2 Lemon = Pink Lemonade

1 Cantaloupe + 1 Green Apple = Honeydew Melon

Create a recipe yourself!

8. How many calories are in a single Jelly Belly bean?

There are approximately 4 calories per bean, or about 100 calories per single serving 28g.  They have no fat content, no dairy, no gluten, and no gelatine.  Jelly Belly beans offer a satisfying burst of flavour for modest calorie investment.

9.   How many Jelly Belly beans are produced a day?

Together, Jelly Belly Candy Company in Fairfield, California, and its North Chicago, Illinois factories can produce 1,680 beans per second. Over 2 billion beans are produced in the Thailand factory each year.

10.   Are tours of the factory offered to the public?

Yes! Last year 450,000 visitors took the free tour of our state-of-the-art plant in Fairfield, California.  Guides lead visitors on the Jelly Belly Trail, a quarter-mile long elevated walkway offering a bird’s eye view of the candy making. Tours are given on a first come basis daily from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. except holidays, April 1 and the last week in June through the first week in July. Information is available by calling 1 (800) 953-5592 within the United States and 1 (707) 428-2800 outside the United States.

The Jelly Belly Centre located in Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin, near Kenosha opened its doors for public tours July 28, 2001.  Free warehouse tours via indoor train operate daily 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

11.   Are there any flavours which outsell the rest?

Currently, Very Cherry, Liquorice, Buttered Popcorn, Juicy Pear and Watermelon are at the top of the hit parade.  Tastes vary by country, however.  In England the most popular flavours are Very Cherry and Green Apple; in Korea they are Berry Blue and Candy Floss; in Australia they are Buttered Popcorn and Bubble Gum; and in Germany they are Very Cherry and Tutti Fruitti.

We continue to make a large variety of flavours because it has been an important element to the popularity of Jelly Belly beans–people love to select their favourite flavours.

12.   How much do Jelly Belly beans cost?

Retail prices vary in different counties, but they currently range from USD 2.50 to USD 4.00 per 100g.

13.   When did former President Ronald Reagan first become a customer of the Jelly Belly Candy Company?

In 1967, when he became governor of California, President Reagan began eating traditional “pectin” jelly beans made by Jelly Belly Candy Company (formerly Herman Goelitz Candy Co.) in order to help him kick the pipe-smoking habit.  In 1976, he was one of the first to switch to Jelly Belly beans.

14.   How many Jelly Belly beans went to the Presidential Inaugural ceremonies in January 1981?

Over three thousand kilos of Jelly Belly beans were shipped to Washington for the Inaugural festivities.  Blueberry, one of the most popular current flavours, was invented especially in honour of the American flag and President Reagan’s inauguration so he could have red, white and blue beans.                       

15.   Where do I find Jelly Belly?

Visit us at JellyBelly.com and check out our store locator to find the nearest Jelly Belly retailer in your area. You can also contact your local Jelly Belly distributor directly for assistance and more information via their websites.

16. What is Jelly Belly Art?

Large scale mosaics are made from Jelly Belly beans into celebrity portraits and classic works of art.  The art was originally the brainstorm of San Francisco artist Peter Rocha, who was entranced by the brilliant colours of the beans.  The Jelly Belly Art calling has since been taken up by other artists. The Jelly Belly Collection of 100 pieces of Jelly Belly art is exhibited around the United States and selected countries.  The collection includes portraits of Abraham Lincoln, the Statue of Liberty, Amelia Earhardt, Queen Elizabeth II, Marilyn Monroe, Martin Luther King, George Washington, Elvis Presley, and classic works of art like the Mona Lisa, Girl with a Pearl Earring, and The Starry Night.  Many of them may be seen on the factory tour at our California headquarters or online at JellyBelly.com

 Jelly Belly Jelly Beans Made with Natural Flavours and Colours

FAIRFIELD, CALIF. — Consumer demand for food products free of preservatives and artificial flavours and colours, prompted the development of an expanding line of twenty flavours in the new Beanaturals jelly beans from Jelly Belly Candy Company and new packaging.  The delicious collection of flavours uses all natural flavours derived from fruit purees, juice concentrates and extracts.

New is the elegant 20-Flavour Beanaturals Gift Box with each flavour presented in its own little compartment. It joins the  90g pouch bag and 45g box.

Beanaturals jelly beans are beautifully coloured in tones derived from natural sources of colour such as red cabbage juice and beetroot.

The flavour profiles are just as you would expect from a Jelly Belly bean; fresh, clean and true-to-life.  The new gift box assortment is cherry, tangerine, lemon, fruit punch, mango, wild berry, plum, pineapple, orange, piña colada, coconut, lime, raspberry, juicy pear, strawberry daiquiri, papaya, peach, barbeque banana, strawberry jam, and passion fruit.

Additional information is available from Jelly Belly International Division, by logging on to www.JellyBelly.com, emailing international.sales@jellybelly.com.

FAIRFIELD, CALIF. —The candy makers known for innovative jelly bean flavours have made history once again with the introduction of the Superfruit Mix, the newest flavours of Jelly Belly^® Beanaturals^® line of jelly beans.

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The assortment includes Acai Berry, Barbados Cherry, Cranberry, Blueberry and Pomegranate made with real fruit juices, no artificial colours and no artificial flavours.

The new Jelly Belly Acai Berry flavour of jelly beans has the dark, rich colour of the berry native to the Amazon.  Its complex flavour tastes of exotic berries with delicious notes of chocolate, typical of real acai berries. It is made with real acai berry juice. Acai (pronounced ahh-sigh-ee) Berry was suggested by a majority of consumers who responded to an invitation by Jelly Belly Candy Company for suggestions for new flavours.

Barbados Cherry is an emerging superfruit making appearances in food and beauty products.  The new Barbados Cherry Jelly Belly bean is a natural take on

the tropical tart cherry and is made with the real fruit juice. Barbados cherries, also known as acerola cherry, grow in the West Indies, Brazil, Jamaica and the northern areas of South America.

Other flavours in the Jelly Belly Superfruit collection are Blueberry, Cranberry and Pomegranate, all made with real juices and purees. All five flavours are made with colours derived from natural sources such as purple carrot juice, black currants, grape skins and hibiscus.

Jelly Belly beans are gluten-free, dairy-free, gelatine-free and certified OU Kosher.

Additional information is available from Jelly Belly International Division, by logging on to JellyBelly.com, emailing international.sales@jellybelly.com.

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FAIRFIELD, CALIF., — New from Jelly Belly Candy Company, the maker of The Original Gourmet Jelly Bean® since 1976, comes a bold new flavour targeted to regional tastes. The new Jelly Belly^® bean flavour of Mooncake is being unveiled at ISM for global distribution.

This sweet treat is inspired by the ceremonial pastry enjoyed during celebrations of Mid-Autumn Festival across Asian cultures. 

The new Jelly Belly bean is dairy-free, gelatine-free, gluten-free and certified OU Kosher by the Orthodox Union. The flavour will be available in a 25g tin and in bulk.  

Jelly Belly Candy Company is celebrating 112 years of candy making this year.  The family-operated business is known worldwide for fine confections and innovative product development. Jelly Belly jelly beans took the world by storm with their dramatic tasting jelly beans in 1976 when they became the favourite of President Ronald Reagan and were the first jelly beans in outer space.

Additional information is available from Jelly Belly International Division, by logging on to www.JellyBelly.com, emailing international.sales@jellybelly.com, or by visiting the Jelly Belly booth at ISM, located in the USA Pavilion, Hall 10.2, Booth F-71.

Click for downloadable, full resolution image.

Click for downloadable, full resolution image.

Click for a downloadable, full resolution image.

FAIRFIELD, CALIF., — The new Jelly Belly^® Travel Retail line is being unveiled at ISM for global distribution. Featuring 125g 10-flavour gift boxes with customized destination sleeves, a 400g Assorted Flavours Bag, a 270g Bean Tin and a Jelly Belly Colouring Set, the Travel Retail line offers a variety of gifts for duty free channels.

The 400g Assorted Flavours Bag is a grab and go pouch that features easy-to-carry handle and fun individual pyramid bags of gourmet Jelly Belly Beans.

Specially packaged Jelly Belly Crayons and a Jelly Belly colouring book complete the Jelly Belly Colouring Set that is both fun and delicious. The 28g Jelly Belly Crayons have tips that actually draw in 5 different colours that match the colours of the beans inside the crayon.

Jelly Belly beans are gluten-free, dairy-free, gelatine-free, 4 calories a bean and certified OU Kosher.

Additional information is available from Jelly Belly International Division, by logging on to www.JellyBelly.com, emailing international.sales@jellybelly.com, or by visiting the Jelly Belly booth at ISM, located in the USA Pavilion, Hall 10.2, Booth F-71.

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FAIRFIELD, Calif. —  Jelly Belly tips its hat to the classic cocktail with the introduction of Jelly Belly^® Classic Cocktails^™ flavours.  Jelly Belly bean mixologists blended the finest ingredients in the perfect balance to transport you to the golden age of the cocktail. They left out the distilled spirits so these “mocktails” have all the flavours and none of the hangover.

Mojito – The traditional Cuban drink with mint, rum and lime.

Pomegranate Cosmo – This bean is a pink bombshell made with real pomegranate juice.

 Peach Bellini – Invented in 1943 at Harry’s Bar in   Venice, Italy, this classic combo of peaches and             champagne is a must for brunch.

 These three new flavours join three classics that have been in the Jelly Belly line of flavours for two decades:

Margarita—Made with agave (the stuff that gives tequila its flavour), lime and a hint of salt.

 Piña Colada—Real coconut flakes and pineapple juice concentrate add up to a quintessential umbrella drink.

Strawberry Daiquiri—Frosty with a base of lime and fresh strawberry notes.

Jelly Belly Cocktail Classics are packaged in elegant black and white and are available in single and mixed flavours in 4/1Kg bulk cases, 125g Cocktail Classics Gift Box, and 100g bags. 

These and all Jelly Belly beans are gluten-free, dairy-free, gelatine-free, are OU Kosher, and contain no alcohol. Additional information is available from Jelly Belly International Division, by logging on to www.JellyBelly.com, emailing international.sales@jellybelly.com, or by visiting the Jelly Belly booth at ISM, located in the USA Pavilion, Hall 10.2, Booth F-71.