Razzles are candies which turn into gum when they are chewed in the mouth. This candy is sometimes thought of as an old-fashioned candy, especially among people who grew up when Razzles were popular, but it continues to be produced and enjoyed today. Many candy stores and markets carry Razzles, and in areas where they are hard to find, they can be ordered through Internet retailers which specialize in candy sales.
The first Razzles were introduced in 1966, and they came in only one flavor: raspberry. The candy was named for a planned Razzleberry flavor, which never took off, and over time, other flavors were introduced, including a mixed tropical pack. In all cases, Razzles are disc-shaped pellets of candy, and they are textured to vaguely resemble raspberries.
In 1986, the Razzles branding was acquired by Concord Confections, a newly incorporated candy company, and Concord Confections itself was added to the Tootsie Roll empire in 2004. Tootsie Roll produces two forms of Razzles, a package of traditional flavors and the tropical assortment pack. An attempt has also been made to produce Sour Razzles, although these did not do terribly well when they were first marketed.
When Razzles were introduced, so was the slogan “First it’s candy…then it’s GUM!” This slogan endures to this day on the packaging. Many first-timers find the transition from candy to gum very intriguing and a bit disconcerting, as it feels a bit odd to put a solid candy into your mouth and have it turn into a gum.
Because Razzles are designed to be used as a gum, they can be a good choice of candy for people who are trying to cut down on their candy intake. Like other candies, Razzles are not exactly healthy, and they are high in sugar, but because it takes a long time to eat a single Razzle and people can choose to spit the candy out after chewing it, people can get their candy fix without ingesting quite as much sugar.