Adults and Kids Disagree About Favorite Flavors

FAIRFIELD, CALIF., Apr. 7, 2014 -- Because jelly bean flavor preferences change with age, it stands to reason that not all Easter baskets are created equal. How do you navigate the taste bud temperament of loved ones so the Easter Bunny can deliver treats everyone will love? With more than 100 flavors of Jelly Belly® jelly beans under their belts, Jelly Belly Candy Company has an idea of what types of flavors will be more popular with both kids and grownups.

“When we talked to kids, we learned that the more complex or exotic the flavor, the less likely they were to enjoy it,” said Lisa Brasher, executive vice chairman and a fifth generation candy maker for Jelly Belly Candy Company.

Flavor innovation keeps a company like Jelly Belly on its toes. As we age, our taste buds mature and we find ourselves more open to those complex flavor profiles children shy away from. Coconut is a great example.

“For example our panel of kids gave Coconut low scores, when you look at adults who purchase Jelly Belly beans, Coconut is a very popular one,” explains Brasher.

Jelly Belly took feedback from children of all ages into consideration before assembling its youthful Kids Mix, a collection of 20 flavors kids love. The mix makes it easier for Mom, Dad and the Easter Bunny to pick winning flavors like Cotton Candy, Berry Blue and Watermelon for Easter treats. More adult-friendly flavors like Licorice, Cinnamon and Buttered Popcorn are purposefully absent from Kids Mix.

One surprise among the company’s findings: “We were shocked when Caramel Corn didn’t crack the top twenty flavors with the kids,” said Brasher.

Despite their palate differences, kids and adults can agree on one thing: Very Cherry is their top pick. It’s the most popular Jelly Belly bean flavor in America, placing among the top two since its debut almost 40 years ago. For a brief period, it was upset by Buttered Popcorn and fell to the number two position, but it’s been consistently the winning flavor since.

Easter is the largest jelly bean eating season of the year followed by Christmas. The company expects five billion Jelly Belly jelly beans will be eaten this spring worldwide.

Tags: Jelly Belly jelly beans, Jelly Belly News, National Jelly Bean Day, Jelly Belly Kids Mix, Easter Baskets, Jelly Belly Favorites, Easter, Spring