Tuesday, July 24, 2007

Jujyfruits & Jujubes

imageI’ve always loved Jujyfruits, but probably for the wrong reasons. I never particularly enjoyed eating them, but they’re stunning to look at.

What’s particularly odd about Jujyfruits is that they’re less fruit flavored and more vegetable-oriented: asparagus (which I always thought was a little corncob), banana (the one that says Heide), grapes, pea pod, pineapple, raspberry and tomato (which I thought was the bottom of a bell pepper or just a flower). The shapes, further, have nothing to do with the flavors and are randomized so that all shapes come in all flavors.

And the flavors? Lemon, Lime, Cherry, Orange and Licorice. (Kind of like Chuckles which are also made by Farley’s & Sathers now.)

At the end of the last millennium, a customer survey revealed that the original spearmint green Jujyfruit was not popular enough and was replaced with lime. I rather miss that ... I liked being able to get a licorice and a spearmint candy in one package. Jujyfruits are rather soft when fresh, though not quite as soft as Dots in my experience. They’re chewy and pretty flavorful, though lacking in any tangy notes, it’s all sweet. They’re sticky and can leave big hunks congealed to the sides of molars. I really like the licorice one, which has very nice anise notes and a very clean flavor.

image

Candy Wrapper Museum has a nice image of an earlier version of the Jujyfruits box, which I much prefer. The current box is rather, I don’t know, primitive looking. (Keep clicking around at the other old Heide products there at the CWM, quite fun to see they had a Good & Plenty knock-off called Hi-D-Ho that were also pink and white.)

A little more history: The Heide company that invented the Juju candies was started by Henry Heidi, a German immigrant in 1869. The company introduced Jujyfruits and Jujubes in 1920. Heide continued as a family run company after Henry Heide died and was then run by his son Andrew and his grandson Philip. But in 1995 they sold out to Hershey’s. Hershey’s then sold Heide (along with their other famous candies Red Hot Dollars and line of gummis) to Farley’s & Sather.

imageWhile the Jujyfruits have remained relatively unchanged over the years, the Jujubes have gone through some substantial changes.

According to the Food Network show Unwrapped, the difference between Jujubes and Jujyfruits is really only that Jujubes use Potato Starch instead of Corn Starch as their primary thickener. Add to that, Jujubes are “cured” longer, so they’re firmer.

When I was a kid, Jujubes were always hard as rocks and only a fool would try to chew them. (We were all fools back then. Of course the cool part was to soften them up enough to chomp down and glue your teeth together ... what fun!)

The Jujube that both the Jujyfruits and Jujubes are named after is a little tropical berry that really has nothing to do with the candy, it was probably just a romantic sounding name and in the early part of the last century many candies tried to adopt such exotic names. Both candies actually used something called Ju-Ju Gum at one time as an ingredient (it’s similar to many of the other vegetable gums like Gum Arabic, Acacia, Agar or Guar).

image

Today Jujubes are a little softer, kind of like stale Jujyfruits. They also have a bit more range in their flavors which are: Lemon (yellow), Violet (purple), Lilac (orange), Lime (green) and Cherry (red). So they’re basically little floral pastilles that are slightly soft. (Think of them like the Grether or Doolittle pastilles.)

I haven’t had them in years and was actually rather pleased with them. I don’t think I really need a box of 6.5 ounces, a little tin filled with an ounce or two might do me for a week. All of the flavors, even the fruity ones, are rather delicate and floral. I wish they did still make the spearmint ones (but it’s okay if there’s no rose in there, I think two flowers is enough).

They’re just lovely to look at and because of their durable and inert nature, I feel fine leaving them sitting out on my desk without worrying about anyone eating them or them getting any staler. If you do find them inedible, a fun craft project is to stick an ordinary sewing pin through them and use them as push pins!

Overall, neither are candy I’m likely to buy or consume, but it was fun to revisit them and I’m glad they’re still around and have their ardent admirers.

Related Candies

  1. Dots
  2. Black Ace Licorice
  3. Pastiglie Leone
  4. Grapefruit & Blackcurrant Pastilles
Name: Jujyfruits & Jujubes
    RATING:
  • 10 SUPERB
  • 9 YUMMY
  • 8 TASTY
  • 7 WORTH IT
  • 6 TEMPTING
  • 5 PLEASANT
  • 4 BENIGN
  • 3 UNAPPEALING
  • 2 APPALLING
  • 1 INEDIBLE
Brand: Heide (Farley's & Sather)
Place Purchased: Dollar Tree (Harbor City)
Price: $1.00
Size: 7.8 ounces & 6.5 ounces
Calories per ounce: 85 & 78
Categories: Jelly, United States, Farley's & Sathers, Kosher

POSTED BY Cybele AT 7:10 am Tracker Pixel for Entry    

Comments
  1. Jujyfruits are another one of my favorite candies- my grandmother always had them in a drawer, along with red and black twizzlers, whenever I’d go to her house. She’d never tell us about them, she’d just let my brother and I “happen” upon ‘em. Ahhhh, Jujyfruits, so hard to chew, yet so irresistible.

    Jujubes, on the other hand… Although my only experience with them came from a vending machine, so perhaps mine were overly stale? I didn’t even finish the box (which is rare for me), they were so difficult to consume! But I get to have my Dots and Jujyfruits; someone else can have their Jujubes.

    Comment by Tristyn on 7/24/07 at 9:08 am #
  2. dots > juju’s of any kind

    any chance of a review of salt water taffy? it’s definitely one of my favorite summer chewy treats! although i know most places are only local that sell it…

    Comment by Erica on 7/24/07 at 9:25 am #
  3. I really, really miss spearmint Jujyfruits.

    Jujubes are one of my favorite frustration candies.  Pissed off at someone? Worry your way through a mouthful of these sticky bastards…

    Comment by Michaela on 7/24/07 at 9:38 am #
  4. Oops, sorry for the language…I’m actually ticked off at someone right now.  Which means I could use some jujubes.

    Comment by Michaela on 7/24/07 at 9:39 am #
  5. I recently came across a box of Jujyfruits and decided to try them again. Still can’t stand the licorice ones but all the other flavors were just like I remembered. I sucked them until they were soft and melty and they still stuck to my teeth. I thought about all you candy bloggers while I was enjoying a childhood candy.

    Comment by Suzanne on 7/24/07 at 4:16 pm #
  6. I think its Welch’s that has a fruit snack like the JUJYFRUITS

    Comment by Alyssa on 7/25/07 at 6:47 am #
  7. So are you supposed to suck on the Jujubes to soften them up before attempting to chew on them?  Because I bought some once and tried eating them like any other candy and thought I was going to pull all my teeth out.  I’m surprised that two of the the flavors are floral.  I guess I was so focused on my poor teeth that I didn’t even notice how they tasted.  I haven’t tried them since.

    Jujyfruits, on the other hand, are probably my favorite candy ever!

    Comment by Ann on 7/25/07 at 11:59 am #
  8. Cybele, you are such a bad influence! I always want to try what you’ve just posted - the pics and descriptions are so gorgeous.

    And I never knew that Jujubes were violet flavored. I love that one! I’m going to pick those out and give the rest away. Maybe lilac, too. I kinda wish rose was still a flavor, just because it is rare in mainstream candies.

    Comment by Kate on 7/26/07 at 10:30 am #
  9. Haaaaaaaaate Jujubes. So flavorless and difficult to eat. The most unrewarding candy ever.

    Comment by Theresa on 7/29/07 at 7:55 am #
  10. I love Jujubes!  I have a method for eating them and I’ve never since had a problem with them sticking to my teeth.  Just take one at a time in your mouth and roll the candy piece in between your molars.  Suck on it a bit to soften.  Swallow and enjoy!  wink  And believe it or not, I actually prefer the harder, seemingly stale ones.  My friend introduced me to this candy about a year ago and I’ve loved them ever since!  I got the 6.5 OZ box and that lasts a day or two.  Great candy!  (:

    Comment by Alex on 2/05/08 at 1:26 pm #
  11. Just had to comment. I love Jujyfruits. We moved to New Zealand a couple of years ago and I can’t find them here. When I was last in the States I bought a dozen boxes and brought them back with me. How much do I love them? It’s the ONLY candy I bought! (And by the way, I use the SAME technique for eating them… rolling them between your molars!)

    Comment by Elizabeth on 5/16/08 at 8:50 pm #
  12. It’s disturbing that the author seems offended by the products.  No spearmint? How dare they.

    OMG like jujubees are like so stale…like how could anyone eat these.. like i am so sure.

    Remind me to market some lilac flavored crazy glue for you to see if you ‘get it’.

    Comment by chris on 8/07/08 at 1:46 pm #
  13. My boyfriend lovessssss Jujubes and can eat a whole box in a night. How he doesnt get the stuck in his teeth for the rest of his life.. i dont know! But there his favorite and Ive gotten found of them too! Nothing can beat this candy

    Comment by Karissa on 11/13/08 at 10:30 am #
  14. ILOVE JUJYFRUITS,THEY HELP ME STOP SMOKING WHICH WAS GREAT,THE ONLY PROBLEM I HAVE NOTICED MORE AND MORE LICORICE .MOST TIMES I FIND UP TO FORTY BETWEEN TWO 60Z BOXES,CAN U MAKE A JUJYFUITS WITH NO LICORICES.I WOULD ALSO BE HAPPY WITH LESS IN THE BOXES,MAYBE I JUST OPEN EACH BOX AND CHECK HA HA

    Comment by DANIEL P OCONNELL on 11/28/08 at 10:44 am #
  15. WHY DOES EVERYONE SAY THEY ARE FLAVORLESS?? I LOOOOOVE Jujubes!!!! Especially the violet flavoured ones!!! I eat soooo many of boxes of jujubes and i get em for only 88cents a box!!! smile

    Comment by Amber "JuJu" B. on 12/17/08 at 5:07 am #
  16. to mr/mis i want to how to make jujubes
    ingredients
    thank you.

    Comment by jayalath on 12/19/08 at 2:49 am #
  17. HEIDI CANDY COMPANY IN THE 1960’S MADE A LICRICE TYPE CANDY CALLED EITHER PETS OR LAFAYETTE. THEY WERE THE BEST. IS THERE ANY WAY I CAN GET THE CANDY TODAY.
    PLEASE ADVISE.

    Comment by HANK SCHOENWETTER on 4/05/09 at 3:40 pm #
  18. I have been looking for a hard licorice candy call “Black Diamond Licorice Buttons” and I understand it was made by Heidi Candy Company.  Do you know if this is true, and if so is it still available?

    Comment by Gary Sutton on 7/03/09 at 9:38 am #
  19. The only Jujubes are the rock hard ones.  The ones that would shatter into five pieces when you chomped down on them.  10 oz box one sitting….no problem!

    Does anyone have a recipe for Jujubes? 

    Just curious

    Comment by Scott on 7/11/09 at 5:50 pm #
  20. My daughter had a severe allergic reaction after eating Jujube’s I am looking everywhere online for the ingredients.. Can’t find them.  Anyone know how I can get a list so I can pin point what could have done this to her?

    Comment by Davina on 9/24/09 at 9:24 am #
  21. I bought a box of Jujyfruites and to my surprise one of the orange pieces is shark shaped. Does anyone know anything about this odd shape?

    Comment by Silver on 10/17/09 at 12:54 pm #
  22. My technique for eating Jujyufruit is to suck on them to soften them up, then use my teeth to lightly bite down (not enough to pierce) until the candy becomes a thin sheet.  Then I bite off little strips and swallow them.

    Comment by Rita on 1/07/10 at 10:17 am #
  23. I remember jujubes as one of my all time favorite candies to eat at the movies.  I use to love to stick them on the tip of all my fingers and pretend I had long fingernails.  Then I would suck each one off and enjoy the bliss!!!!
    What wonderful memories are brought back from such a simple little candy…........those really were the good ole’ days!!!

    Comment by Karen on 3/23/10 at 9:05 pm #
  24. Love jujubes but when I found jujyfruit at a specialty candy store (Pine & Fancy - Saskatoon, SK, Canada - they have EVERYTHING you thought wasn’t being made anymore) I was disappointed because they were just tiny stale powdery-covered jujubes.
    Maybe it’s just Canada but the jujubes here are usually much fresher and softer. And they come in fruit shapes (like above), rings and little hats.
    Will trade you all my black, orange and yellow ones for all your green ones.

    Comment by Ry Jay on 7/08/10 at 7:46 pm #
  25. How soft are you Canadian Jujubes? I’d love to give them a try, for all I know, I could be eating stale Jujubes! Haha.

    Comment by Alex on 7/08/10 at 8:29 pm #
  26. I love Jujyfruits!  A friend of mine, a dentist, loves them too, but not for the same reasons I do!  He likes them because they pull people’s fillings and crowns off and he has more work to do—-sort of like what happens with Christmas candy breaking teeth.  Me, I just like them because they taste good, although I’ll have to admit, I’ve had to see my friend a time or two because of the Jujyfruits!

    Comment by Mark on 7/27/10 at 7:56 am #
  27. Never liked Jujyfruits—they actually made me throw up as a kid in the 50s, and I haven’t eaten them since. Jujubes, however, are a different story! They were my all-time favorite movie candy. I can still remember the box: long and white, with the Heide symbol prominently displayed. Yes, they were hard as bricks, but that meant the actual eating process took longer and was more enjoyable! I loved the dark red and green ones the best. Today’s Jujubes are way too soft for me and way too bright. Why do things have to change?

    Comment by Rod Labbe on 11/05/10 at 5:57 pm #
  28. I am looking for a pillow or some kind of novelity that has the Jujube insignia on it. I want it for a 3 year old little girl with special needs whose her name is Julia and they call her Jujube. Any ideas.

    Comment by Paula Helmlinger on 11/13/10 at 5:46 pm #
  29. I love Jujubes! The harder the better. I buy about 3 or so boxes a week from Wallgreens. I’m addicted. Just learn to eat them. I chew them into little pieces with my front teeth. I’m hooked!

    Comment by Dean on 1/18/11 at 2:15 am #
  30. I have been searching for Hydit licorice candy for years.  It used to be sold by bulk in 5 & 10 cent stores in my youth. It’s sweet, hard, and
    ridged. Similar to Sen-sen but larger and sweeter.  About 10 years ago a company began selling it again by the bag and I was in heaven…for a while…can’t find it anywhere.  When I mention it to people my age, they haven’t ever heard of it.  I’m not crazy.  Can you help???

    Comment by Don on 2/07/11 at 2:25 pm #
  31. I bought a box of Jujubes yesterday since I hadn’t had them since I was a kid.  I’d forgotten the flavors (and they don’t list them anywhere on the box, at least not that I can see) so I was puzzling over the fact that the orange and purple ones tasted floral, not fruity (I was expecting orange to be, well, orange, and purple to be grape).  They did quickly become my favorite flavors, though.  I couldn’t quite place the orange Jujube flavor, and thought it was rose until I read this entry.  (I was still trying to figure out what flavor purple was before I read this. Still thought it was grape for some reason).  I do kind of wish the rose was still in there, if only because I’ve always wanted to try rose candy.

    Comment by MysticalChicken on 3/10/11 at 7:04 pm #
  32. Best candy ever! No joke!

    Comment by Taylor on 4/18/11 at 8:55 pm #
  33. I use to love Pastilles.  They were black hard licorice.  I can’t find them anywhere.  Can you tell me where I can find them.

    Comment by Carol DeNuzzo on 8/24/11 at 12:01 pm #
  34. I use to love Pastilles.  They were black hard licorice.  I can’t find them anywhere.  Can you tell me where I can find them.

    Comment by Carol DeNuzzo on 8/24/11 at 12:01 pm #
  35. Picked up a box of Jujyfruits yesterday, I’m addicted. I like how they are harder than Dots but not too hard, good texture. Anyway, I found a single weird shape, with a darker than usual red color, the shape looks like a little boy/girl (or someone in a hazmat suit, lol). I’ve never seen that before. Does the company put random shapes occasionally in there? I’ve been eating these for years and never have seen that.

    Comment by bkbirge on 10/07/11 at 9:05 am #
  36. I used to like both Julyfruits and Jujubes a lot. But ever since Farley and Sather’s took over Heide products they changed them. Both used to have a nice clear sheen on them. Farley and Sather’s sheens all chewy products with the same sheen and I think it has an after taste. Also they’ve softened the Jujubes. Plus the last purple ones I had tasted like soap. Sorry to see something I really liked changed just because Heide sold out. Well their other chewy candies out there.

    Comment by Matt McLaughlin on 11/04/11 at 7:51 pm #
  37. Just a follow up to my question about the random shape (2 posts up). I contacted F&S and they were very nice, sent me a couple coupons and told me that the equipment they use gets used for several different lines and probably another candy got in there by mistake. They said they try hard to make sure they do the changeovers completely but sometimes a stray one gets through. I asked which candy it was from and they didn’t want to say except that it sounded like it was a fruit candy from another branded company that they manufacture for.

    Comment by bkbirge on 11/07/11 at 7:46 am #
  38. I loved Jujubes as a child, especially the orange and purple ones. I recently saw them for sale and bought a box. The red ones don’t taste the same, but the other colors do. I quit smoking at the first of the year and these little candies have become a lifesaver, because they take so long to eat.

    Comment by ilona sherratt on 2/15/12 at 10:42 am #
  39. Growing up in Vancouver in the 70s and 80s, we had JuJubes (not JujyFruits etc), often made by Dare. These were soft yet chewy, fruity, and really filling. The black ones were slightly more ‘dry’ than the others. Colours available were, and are: red, orange, yellow, green, black. The shapes are linked to the colours: red strawberries, orange orange segments, yellow pineapples(!), green ‘dots’ and black upside down jelly moulds.

    We would sometimes buy a generic version at a chain of supermarkets called Overwaitea (!) where their product code was ‘604’, just like our area code. We can’t get these over here in England, sadly, but my sister brings a box or two of Dots from Connecticut every now and again. JuJubes were excellent, didn’t get sticky or stale (because they were never around long enough). Looking at the back of the most recent pack of Original DareJubes I notice that they are made in Kitchener, Ontario.

    Comment by dickon on 7/15/12 at 1:53 am #
  40. Ah,Jujyfruits.  Use to get them all the time going to Sat. movies as a kid. Buy them now because I really like them.  What I have found, as someone stated above, too many black and hardly any green. As I sit here counting them, there are two green (lime, did prefer the spearmint which are my favorite)ten red, six orange,15 black, and four yellow.  The box has been open for a week. Where’s the “green”?

    Comment by K.Thornton on 10/29/12 at 12:57 pm #
  41. I am also addicted to jujubees, was when I was younger and discovered I still am.  I wish they were hard like they use to be.  They take forever to eat, which is good.  I eat them while at work, it prevents me from gouging on other food.  Never pulled a filling either.  Love them!

    Comment by lovecandy on 11/03/12 at 4:11 am #
  42. I am sooo upset I bought a box of jujyfruits. And to my surprise there was100% black jujy. I dont mind some black but this was to much.

    Comment by Michelle Bacon on 1/21/13 at 6:12 pm #
  43. is there a way to soften stale jujyfruits. Unfortunately I haven’t been able to figure out how to determine whether the box is fresh or stale

    Comment by Mitch Miller on 1/29/13 at 5:31 pm #
  44. I too hate the stale (super hard to chew) Jujyfruits.  I recently tried putting them in the microwave for about 5 secs.—worked pretty well!

    Comment by Mark Cook on 2/26/13 at 4:48 pm #
  45. Does anyone remember the sister candy to Jujyfruits call “Berries”? Same size candy, but amazing spice flavored assortments - clove and some other flavors. Also made by Heide I believe, perhaps Mason. My favorite of all time. And I am just sick that I can’t find them after all these years unlike the other ones still being made. If anyone has a lead on where to get them please write here!

    Comment by Phil G on 3/12/13 at 7:00 pm #
  46. I recently stopped at Sweetie’s Candy in Ohio. Their unbelievably huge store has every type of candy imaginable, including a wide variety of nostalgic candy. If the candy is still made, they have it!
    I picked up a large box of Jujubes, a favorite of mine growing up. I was disappointed to find that they were not the same as what I distinctly remember. The old Jujubes were clearer and softer in color, smaller, and as hard as a rock. But…I still loved them. The flavors are different as well.
    The original company, Heide, sold it to another company, that currently makes them. However, they were not permitted to duplicate the old recipe. Why????? I am so sad. I miss my old JuJu’s.

    Comment by Candygirl on 8/09/13 at 7:42 pm #
  47. I like Jujubes and appreciate the fact that a serving (as indicated on the box) is 120 calories and includes 46 pieces! You’d haver to work really hard to gain weight on Jujubes.

    Comment by Bart G on 8/20/13 at 1:51 pm #
  48. Does anybody know where I can get an original recipe jujube somewhere in the world?

    I like the hard clear flavorful recipe of the old jujube

    Comment by Lawrence Moderno on 11/02/13 at 3:21 pm #
  49. I grew up next door to the Heide’s in Martinsville, NJ. (Andrew and Elanor) They were a kind, if a bit aloof couple; they kept an apartment in NYC and had a three car garage where they kept their three Mercedes Benz automobiles.  I’m not sure if it was changes in the industry or bad management, but once Andrew retired and Phillip took over the company went downhill and had to be sold.  It’s worth noteing that both Andrew and Elanor died the same year the company was sold (perhaps she died in early 1996, but very soon after Andrew)

    Comment by Andy Gerber on 1/28/14 at 2:03 pm #
  50. I’ve been eating jujubees since I was in diapers im 20 now and everytime I see a box I grab it they don’t las me but 45 minutes if you know how to eat them you would all enjoy then you don’t just open the box you tear a one inch hole in the end and pour a small amount into you mouth then suck on them after a little while you can put them between your molars and roll them around like someone else here said and they actually are very fruitful when you need them groups at a time

    Comment by AusteN on 1/26/15 at 3:40 pm #
  51. I am looking for the original recipe to make jujube candy. I want the Original one, hard and teeth sticking. Does anyone know how to make them?

    Comment by Fritz on 2/27/15 at 7:14 pm #
  52. I’ve been eating juju bees for a lifetime now at it was my favorite candy until recently. I’ve noticed it tasting more like stale dots. It’s now gummier than ever and I’m quite disappointed in the new softer texture of it. Could you please bring back the old jujubees? This softer texture of it is purely disgusting.

    Comment by Jada Bell on 3/08/15 at 4:21 pm #
  53. I too, have been eating jujubes forever.  They downsized the boxes and many of them were not glued closed properly.  Now I too have noticed that they are much softer.  I just bought some today.  They were so soft that they all stuck together in one big clump.  They actual came out of the box that way.  I hate to say it, but it might be my last.  Too many changes and not for the good.

    Comment by Denise D on 3/26/15 at 3:24 pm #
  54. the 1960,s flavors were so much better on the Ju Ju be’s than today. Please bring back those flavors and you’ll sell alot more to these old timers Thanks.

    Comment by Bob Burica on 4/01/15 at 6:08 pm #
  55. i was thrilled to find jujubes at my local Walgreens, but so disappointed that the candy is nothing like it used to be. The clear, hard candies are now opaque with a starchy texture. The flavors are also terrible. Looks like another great candy from my childhood is gone forever.

    Comment by Laura on 4/20/15 at 8:36 pm #
  56. Great blog! You answered my question…the green ones used to be Spearmint!! I have not lost my mind. I remember my Dad hiding boxes of these in his bureau. I was not more than 7 at the time. I would sneak in and eat just the black and green ones thinking he would never notice. He died just 2 years later and in sharing memories with my Mom she let me know he always knew it was me not my sisters. His favorite flavors were also the licorice and spearmint! So much for thinking he would notice!!!

    Comment by Bora on 4/24/15 at 12:25 pm #
  57. Not long ago I picked up some Jujubes at Walgreens. They just are not the same candy any more. They are far softer than they used to be and a little bigger. The taste is totally different too. Lost their uniqueness.
    The older Jujubes for some reason reminded me of soap in their taste but I still liked them. And they lasted a long time.
    The new ones you can just chew up, they won’t get stuck in your teeth or hold your jaw together. Don’t taste nearly as good.
    I found that the old Jujubes you could bite gently and get a lot of flavor without getting them stuck in your teeth.
    The new ones I bought at Walgreens went stale since I had no desire to eat them anymore. Guess that’s another thing gone from my childhood.

    Comment by Sean on 4/27/15 at 3:45 pm #
  58. I too have loved Jujubes since I was a child way back in the late 1970’s. For the past few months I have only been able to get the soft jujubes. I thought it might have been some sort of error in production but apparently this is the “new” Jujube. I hate them. I wish the company would bring back the somewhat soapy tasting hard ones. I have no favorite candy any longer and I am quite disappointed. If anyone knows what’s going on here please tell us!!!!!

    Comment by Cathybean on 4/29/15 at 12:54 am #
  59. PLEASE BRING BACK THE HARDER JUJUBE.  I WANT TO KEEP IT IN MY MOUTH FOR A WHILE.  I DON’T WANT TO BE ABLE TO CHEW THEM UP.  NO ONE LIKES THE SOFT JUJUBE ... WE CAN GET THAT ANYWHERE!

    Comment by Suzi Fannon on 7/07/15 at 10:58 pm #
  60. I fell in love with Jujubes over the past year. Not that I hadn’t loved them before, but nowadays there isn’t any other candy that I really like that much so the attachment is stronger and I LOVE Jujubes…or, should I say, USED TO!

    Lately—in the past couple of months or so, I have noticed some inconsistency in the texture, which is my favorite part of the candy. I love to put a bunch of Jujubes in my mouth and just suck on them—like forever. The amount of flavor and the flavor itself is just awesome…all mixed together, yet I can get the different notes of citrus and fruit and flowers—-just wonderful, and hard as a rock.

    But recently—-like I said, in the past several months, I noticed that I’d get a box here or there that was just too mushy. The Jujubes were too soft and they melted too easily—and that’s what I DON’T like about Jujyfruits. I wondered why I would get a box here and there—-was it Walgreens, where I usually got them? Then I tried CVS, but it would sometimes happen there as well. And I really haven’t been able to find them anywhere else at all.

    I wondered if they weren’t “aged” enough before being sent to the stores or if they were changing the recipe. Now, I have another problem. I just got a group of boxes of Jujubes that are not only NOT hard enough (well, at first they seem to be, but then they break down rather quickly) but they also have a WAXINESS to them…when they break down, they don’t melt but sort of break into little chunks in my mouth. It feels like they are coated in wax or something equally yucky.

    Could someone help explain what’s going on with Jujubes as I really, really love the old recipe and it is the ONLY candy I even like anymore. So sad, unless someone can tell me where to order the good ones? I’d be forever grateful!

    Comment by Kat on 7/12/15 at 12:01 am #
  61. OH BOY! LOOK HOW MANY OF US JUJUBE LOVERS WANT THE OLD FAMILIAR CANDY BACK!

    I really hope somebody listens! Please! They were the most unique and best candy out there! Everything else is a gummy, like one of the former posters said, you can get the gummy candies anywhere—why compete when you are UNIQUE??!!

    Comment by Kat on 7/12/15 at 12:06 am #
  62. I have been buying jujubees for a long time and the newest box I got was soooooo disappointing!! They were soft and discusting, I really hope you bring back to old recipie, they were my favorite!

    Comment by Jessica on 7/19/15 at 6:55 pm #
  63. I bought 12 boxes and a bag 2.5 lbs. of JUJUBEES.
    It cost me $50.46.
    The candy is not good. I have been buying this for years. I got it through AMAZON they will not take it back. The candy is not the same did you change it? The candy is soft and the color is not the same.They just don’t taste good.
    This happened once before to me at a store (WINCO)
    So I ordered it on line just like I have done before no problem, but this time the Jujubees are not the same. What can I do this was not cheap.
    THANK YOU

    Comment by Leo Baffrey on 8/10/15 at 11:33 am #
  64. I too was a fan of the old Jujubees.
    I even went so far as to email the company, and they responded saying that they have not changed them at all.  They blamed the store for storing them incorrectly.
    So I would then buy some at any store that sold then, try one, and throw the rest away.  Clearly not the single store. 
    I am glad I am not alone in the dislike of the newer ones.

    Comment by Travis on 8/12/15 at 1:25 pm #
  65. I just bought a box of jujube’s at walgreens. I hate the new formula they are awful, or I have a really stale box. The consistency is soft all right, they are like lumps of paste. I will never but them again unless they use the old formula, yuk!

    Comment by Susan OConnor on 8/17/15 at 11:19 am #
  66. I too have noticed a huge difference in Jujube’s over the past few months.  It was so disappointing that I actually wrote to the Ferrara Candy Company.  Here is their response;

    Thank you for contacting Ferrara Candy Company regarding Heide Jujubes.  Hearing from our consumers better enables us to continue to provide quality products and services.  Consumer feedback is very important to us, and we appreciate the opportunity to respond.

    Jujubes production processes require a very consistent temperature.  Factors affecting Jujubes during production, such as humidity and temperature, greatly determine the outcome of the final product texture.  High humidity may cause the sugars to separate and form a crust or crunchy layer on the exterior of the Jujubes, while low, even humidity may result in a softer, smoother product.

    Ferrara Candy Company strive to maintain consistency in each batch of Jujubes produced.  However, environmental factors may cause slight variations in the jujubes texture from time to time. 

    With this said, we are in the midst of adjusting our process to reach a consistent desired texture; a texture that is neither too hard nor too soft.  We have maintained the same formulation and quality standards for the product.  However you, may be experiencing a slight variance due to a processing adjustment.

    We apologize for any inconvenience that this incident may have caused but would like to thank you for your comments and concerns regarding this product.  We monitor consumer responses on a weekly basis, and the information you provided will be considered as we review and evaluate our product offerings.

    Sincerely,

    MB

    Comment by Marg Drouin on 8/25/15 at 5:37 pm #
  67. This new juju bees are horrible. Why did you have to mess with success? Bring back the old juju bees. I’m not buying them again till you return to the HARD, CLEAR formulas from the original.

    Comment by Art Rossi on 8/26/15 at 7:31 pm #
  68. Something happened to the Jujubes, they just don’t taste the same. I have been eating jujubes for years since I was a little girl, I’m 65 yrs now.
    I just can’t believe the change in taste I can’t even eat them now. I even broke a couple of teeth over the years but that didn’t matter because I loved my jujubes.
    If you have any old boxes laying around and want to get rid of them I will buy them.
    Thank-You

    Comment by Ann on 8/29/15 at 2:32 pm #
  69. I am so glad to find that there are people experiencing the same disappointment about their favorite candy!!  I have loved Jujubes for many years and the texture is the main reason, until recently.  They are COMPLETELY different in texture and I can’t imagine that’s due to factory conditions.  My most recent box actually tasted and chewed like wax lips - yikes!  The gummy, sticky, firm quality is gone and now they oddly fall apart and are chunky and as someone else said, pastey.  Yuk!  Please, please don’t tell me this is how they will all be from now on - I’ve loved them too long!!

    Comment by jennifer on 9/04/15 at 12:19 pm #
  70. I just threw out three boxes of Jujubes.  They aren’t edible.  Please bring back the old formula.  Until then where can I find old Jujubes?

    Comment by Rita on 9/20/15 at 4:20 pm #
  71. I’ve always enjoyed the Heide JuJuBees.  It was one of my favorite candies as a child. We would collect a few pop bottles, and trade them in at a Delicatessen, just a short bike ride from my house.

    Fast forward 40 years. Some companies really know how to mess up a good thing. The shape is all that remains from the original. I remember them being somewhat translucent, had good flavor, and were nearly as hard as a BB Bat. Now they are a pathetic gummy drop with milky coloring.  Heide made the best JuJuBees.

    Recently purchased some bulk JuJuBees from a company called By the Cup.  They were horrible, and had to be returned.  I just bought 4 boxes from the local store. The boxes are different, two say Ferrara Candy Company, the other say Farley’s and Sathers. I believe they are the same company. Nevertheless, they are second rate to the original Ju Ju Bees. They are edibles, but need major improvement to match the original candies.  Henry Heide would not be happy!

    Comment by J Jones on 9/27/15 at 1:05 pm #
  72. Just received a box.  I haven’t had one years.  They have changed the formula.  They are soft, chewy and have a funny taste.  Never again they—ruined my favorite candy.

    Comment by O Shook on 10/03/15 at 10:43 am #
  73. Heide’s candies reformulated all their candies in 1974. I was an avid Heide candy consumer before 1974. With the changes in the packages came a loss of flavor and texture. I had wrote to them right after the change. His son and grandson were happy with the changes. Well they sold their company to Hershey in 1995. I was surprised they held onto the company that long after ruining what Henry had built.

    Comment by D kehrer on 10/04/15 at 6:12 pm #
  74. The Jujubes that I have loved since I was a kid have been ruined. I turned my children onto Jujubes and they also do not like the change. We have stopped eating our beloved Jujubes!

    Comment by M Bernal on 10/07/15 at 12:48 pm #
  75. The JuJuBees that I have enjoyed since the mid 50’s are no longer the candy that I couldn’t stop eating.  They have changed the formula and Ruined my favorite candy.  I just purchased 2 boxes and will returned the one I didn’t open yet.  I won’t ever but another box again.  They are terrible tasting.  The good news I’ll save myself a few calories but the bad news I will really miss my JuJuBees.  I really mean it too.  Please bring back the original Heide’s JuJuBee.

    Comment by Judy on 10/08/15 at 1:47 pm #
  76. I could eat a box of Jujubes on the way home from buying them. But the “new” formula has helped me kick the habit! I actually couldn’t eat the other two boxes I bought. 
    Bring back the OLD JUJUBES!!

    Comment by J on 10/12/15 at 8:45 pm #
  77. Well I took that unopened box of Jujubes back to Walgreens.  Oh how I wish you would bring back the OLD JUJUBES.  I know I was able to get ( the old original ones)  back in February and March of 2015.  That’s 60 years of a good tasting candy.  So they stuck to my teeth but loved them.  By the way I still have all my teeth.  Have you ever heard of the saying   (IF IT IS NOT BROKE DO NOT FIX).

    Comment by Judy on 10/13/15 at 4:50 am #
  78. Manufacturing moved from a company in Minnesota to Oakbrook IL. The box from the MN company had a red & yellow bee; the new box has red and black. Agree, they are awful now. I wonder if Jujyfruits are going through the same transition.

    Comment by Frank on 10/16/15 at 5:37 pm #
  79. I grew up on jujubes, love them.  But whatever Farley’s & Sather is making now is not my beloved jujubes. They are soft and mushy and have no flavor.  I want my teeth to stick together on a shiny smooth bead with the unusual taste of rose hips.

    Comment by glenrose on 10/17/15 at 4:00 pm #
  80. I wrote to them & got same letter Marg did in Aug post.  Hate the new, chewy texture.  Loved the harder type from my childhood.  Years ago I would eat at least a box a week.  Not so much any more.  Hope they reconsider the formula, cooking temp, whatever!

    Comment by Debb on 10/18/15 at 6:37 pm #
  81. Yup the texture has changed and are chewier and there’s a slight dough / flour like coating that lingers on your tongue, I don’t remember that.

    I’m all for change, but this was not a good idea. I will still buy them just not nearly as frequently as I once did. That’s probably a good thing for my waistline!

     

    Comment by Gary on 10/21/15 at 5:05 am #
  82. They’re back!!!!  I just purchased a new box of Jujubes and they are almost normal.  The color is still opaque but I’m pleased to announce that the taste and texture are very close to the old Jujubes. 

    The lot code of the new box is 5E21AA146 with a “best by” date 01/19/2017.  Let me know if you agree. 

    Marg

    Comment by Marg D on 10/21/15 at 6:48 pm #
  83.   thirty66
    please bring back the original hard candy!!!
    i was so disappointed after looking and looking
    I found them and the soft ones are just ok but sorry
    the hard candy jujubes are way better.
    The hard candy are seriously addicting and should be the ideal motivation to bring back the original recipe.
    Hard yes , eat at your own peril yes you cannot resist the original recipe had one flavor that,
    the aroma was unresistable the perfume of the box
    took you breath away. I was 9 or 10 years old
    working setting pins in a bowling alley. The memories of Jujubes at the Sunday 2 pm matinae.
    This is vivid I can hear the muted Juke box playing
    rock and roll. I am over 60yrs and these are powerful baby boomer memories that executives should listen to. Bring back the hard candy original jujubes. Print Jujubes t-shirts!!!!

    Comment by adrian on 10/28/15 at 9:55 am #
  84. I just brought two boxes with 04/2017 best by dates based on Marg’s 10/21 post. I can say they were soft and chewy. Not good and again I am very disappointed. I really hate the waxy out coating. I has a bad taste and stays on your hands. I had also complained to the manufacturer. They claimed the recipe had not changed and the product’s production suffered due to lack of drying time. Plain and simple if your goal is to produce Jujubees as they were before your QA process sucks! You shouldn’t ship a product that isn’t right.

    Comment by Matt Mclaughlin on 10/28/15 at 10:55 am #
  85. I loved jujubies as a kid and loved them now until you changed them! They no longer have those clear colors, and the firmness is gone. Now they look old, and taste old. They kinda crumble. The look of them alone says you really should have thought twice before going with that decision. They are awful. Did you taste them before you went with the change?

    I hope someday you’ll go back to the original recipe. I purchased all the old boxes that were near me.

    I also would buy a few boxes of the jujyfruit but didn’t like it as well when you changed the green mint to lime. But I would only pick up a couple of those to my 9 or more boxes.

    Comment by Pam koopmann on 10/29/15 at 1:25 am #
  86. I contacted Ferrara, who now owns JuJubes and Jujyfruit. They replied to my inquiring and have no plans to go back to the old formulas. They will continue with the formulas that were being used at the time they took over their production. 

    RIP Henry Heide Candies.

    Comment by Don K on 10/30/15 at 1:53 am #
  87. Thanks for asking Ferrara.  I guess I’ll have to except that my favorite candy Jujubes are gone forever.  I sure enjoyed eating them.  Always purchased 3 boxes at a time.  Hope I can find some old stock because I bought some in February, March and April 2015 and they were just like the originals.  The ones I just got a couple of weeks ago. UGH. I didn’t eat them.

     

    Comment by Judy on 10/30/15 at 6:52 pm #
  88.   Jujubes are my favorite candy.
    I meant they were my favorite.
      The new ones suck. No Favor. Too Chalky.
    Jujubes are clear and hard. With flavor.
    Another good candy lost due to someone’s stupid idea!!
    “Change the Name”  “They’re not Jujubes”

    Comment by Frank on 11/02/15 at 6:57 pm #
  89. I have always been a jujubes fan, even when they were hard as rocks.  The challenge of softening them enough to get them stuck on your teeth and your teeth “glued” shut kept me chewing and buying.  At some point I realized the fresher boxes were a bit softer and quicker to produce the glue effect.  When I discovered they were changed I was a bit perplexed at first wondering why but am now addicted to the new chew.  There is a bit more flavor and they are the perfect texture.  Since they’re easier to chew I eat a whole lot more and find myself craving them!  Not all stores sell them, so a bit of a road trip.  I once hit pay dirt when I found them by the case at A DOLLAR TREE store.  I hard they were I gave the boxes a squeeze to see how hard they were and bought two cases of them.  Store in zip bags, I had enough to last a couple of months. I was so happy for the find!  For those disappointed with the new texture, I found that as they get exposed to the air they too harden.  Leave them in an open bowl for a day or two and you’ll be close to the way the way they were.  New or old, a fan foever!

    Comment by Lisa on 11/06/15 at 5:10 am #
  90. I have been eating JuJubes for 50 years. You have changed the recipe. I have purchased boxes from several production dates and they are all the same crappy texture and flavor. They not worth eating.
    Change back or lose your faithful followers.

    Comment by Bob on 11/09/15 at 4:45 pm #
  91. Jujubes are gone forever.  I tried the ones at the Dollar Store that someone suggested and they were terrible.  It’s a candy that I have enjoyed for years.  I keep hoping that they will go back to making the original ones but no luck.  When ever I see them I check them out.  You can tell that they are the ugh ones because the box looks a little different.

    Comment by Judy on 11/09/15 at 8:34 pm #
  92. I thought I was the only one to notice that something was wrong with my last two purchases of Jujubes. As others have previously mentioned, I’ve always enjoyed taking a few of the old, hard and sticky Jujubes and sucking on them until they softened slightly, and them chewing them until they melted from my molars. The new recipe is chewy and waxy with little flavor. I was hoping I received defective candy, but alas, to my disappointment, the recipe had indeed changed, and for the worse in my opinion. Please bring back the old recipe!

    Comment by Bill on 11/13/15 at 11:42 am #
  93. If the company insists that they did not change the recipe for Jujubes, but that humidity and such can affect the texture, perhaps that’s their way of (not) saying that they have moved their manufacturing to a location with higher humidity (such as India or China). The last two boxes I purchased were disgusting, soft, chalky, misshapen. I thought the first poor quality box was inadvertently mixed up with the Jujyfruit manufacturing line. Now I know that something in the manufacturing process has changed, and I will not be purchasing these again. Too bad…jujubes used to be my guilty pleasure. I’m over it.

    Comment by Len on 11/14/15 at 8:01 pm #
  94. I AM A BIG FAN OF JUJUBES..THEY ARE MY FAVORITE.. BUT, THE LAST 2 BOXES I BOUGHT IN NOVEMBER HAVE BEEN TOO SOFT.. I LOVE THEM BECAUSE THEY ARE HARD… PLEASE DON’T CHANGE THE RECIPE.. I DON’T LIKE THEM NOW.. I MISS MY HARD JUJUBEES…PLEASE BRING THEM BACK…..THANK YOU.

    Comment by cindy stephenson on 11/16/15 at 9:36 pm #
  95. I, too, am a bit disgusted with the change made to JUJUBEES. They now have a dried out texture. Not hard and chewy at all. They even have a white-ish tint like a chocolate candy bar looks when its old. Please go back to the older style. My dog and I eat these in the evening watching TV and he even can tell that they are not the same.

    Comment by Ron Ritter on 11/23/15 at 7:44 am #
  96. Add me to the list that does not like the new Jujubes. I have been buying them since the 1960’s. Not any more!

    Comment by Roland Lataille on 12/01/15 at 2:10 pm #
  97. Letter received from company after sending them a link to this thread. 


    Thank you for contacting Ferrara Candy Company regarding Heide® Jujubes®. Hearing from our consumers better enables us to continue to provide quality products and services.  Consumer feedback is very important to us, and we appreciate the opportunity to respond.

    We have been working on the issues with Jujubes and have been told that the issue is resolved.  The issue was not a result of any recipe change but actually as a result of the shipping situation after production.  The demand suddenly increased so inventory was shipped out quickly rather than sitting in a warehouse where they would essentially cure for some time before shipping.  Since they were shipping quickly, they became very susceptible to the shipping conditions such as heat and humidity.

    While we have actually received a large number of emails from people who liked getting them softer, we have received and responded to the emails that came in complaining as well.  Our QA department has now made adjustments to the recipe so that it is the same as they have been traditionally, but without the long holding time. They have assured us that the product is now exactly the same as previously.  I would expect that it should start making its way into the stores within the next few months.

    Thank you for taking the time to contact us with your comments!  Please visit our website at http://www.ferrarausa.com for additional information about our products and services.

    Sincerely,

    MB
    Consumer Relations

    Comment by Travis R on 12/01/15 at 4:39 pm #
  98. Since the company now acknowledges there was a problem.  I would appreciate 4 boxes being shipped to my home, to replace the horrible product I purchased, that I had to throw in the trash.

    Comment by James Jones on 12/01/15 at 4:44 pm #
  99. I got the same ‘canned’ message from the company too. I hope it’s not just a brush off from them. I hope that they correct their recipe or whatever is needed soon.

    Comment by Ron Ritter on 12/02/15 at 4:23 am #
  100. Regarding Jujubes, whether by recipe, technique, or quality control, this is a completely different product.  Very disappointing.  They had a completely unique, classic product and dumbed it down, apparently thinking no one would notice.  The shape is not the same either.  They used to be flat on the top, and slightly concave on the bottom, which facilitated sticking them on the end of your tongue.  Jujubes seemed hard to find for a long time.  They may be putting them out as a “nostalgia” candy, but those of us who have a lifelong affection for this product have spoken.  This defective version will not be acceptable to us, and will not win a new generation of loyalists.  I hope they are sincere in their intention to address this issue.  They should take a lesson from NECCO Wafers, unchanged since the Civil War, and still going strong.  I hope to see a new box labeled “Original Jujubes”.

    Comment by H. Davis on 12/10/15 at 9:31 am #
  101. Happy to report that the old Jujubes are back! Bought a few boxes yesterday, expecting the soft, chewy version, but was pleasantly surprised (although almost breaking my jaw, LOL!) after biting into it. Now maybe the box will last longer than an hour now that they are back in the original form. Thanks Ferrara!  BTW, my box is marked use by 5/31/17.

    Comment by Bill on 12/20/15 at 10:09 am #
  102. Thanks for the news of them changing back to the old Jujubes that I enjoyed many years ago.  I will go out today and see if I can find any dated 5/31/17.

    Comment by Judy on 12/21/15 at 5:33 am #
  103. Great news! I’ll check the next box I buy.

    Comment by Roland Lataille on 12/21/15 at 2:54 pm #
  104. Just purchased a box with a best by 07/17 date and was very pleasantly surprised to find that they were the originals! They are indeed back! Thank you. I know what’s going in our Christmas stockings this year.

    Comment by Len on 12/21/15 at 9:24 pm #
  105. May I ask where you guys purchased them?
    I want to get some too!

    Comment by Travis on 12/22/15 at 8:35 am #
  106. If you’re near Jacksonville, FL, you’re in luck! Dollar type store charges on $1.00 a box!  Along with my other favorite, Jujy Fruit!

    Comment by Bill on 12/22/15 at 9:55 am #
  107. My pre-Christmas wish has been answered!!! I am soooo happy that the old style Jujubes are back!!! I share them with my dog. He will be happy too!!

    Comment by Ron Ritter on 12/22/15 at 10:11 am #
  108. Just bought a box of Jujubes and they are awful.  I want the hard ones back! The new recipe is a grainy texture and not enjoyable to chew.  Hopefully this is an old box of the new recipe and next time I buy a box it will be the ORIGINAL OLD recipe - otherwise I’m not buying them again.

    Comment by Babs on 12/27/15 at 10:37 am #
  109. As an update, I recently purchased 3 boxes that were dated 04/2017.  The flavor is now there, but the texture and appearance is not quite there yet. They are still a bit softer than before, and they still have the somewhat milky appearance. Rather than being translucent.

    Before, biting into them made the piece flatten into a chewy disc. Now they sort of fall apart into two or more pieces.  Hopefully, we’ll get some later dated boxes in my area. Then I can tell if they are indeed “back”.

    Comment by James J on 12/27/15 at 11:30 am #
  110. They are back. The JuJuBe’s I bought today with an good till date of Aug,03,2017 are the originals.
    Now the company can stop lying about why they SUCK.

    The original “Clear” “Hard” candy is back with the Original good flavors and tastes.

    The crap they were trying to sell the consumer belonged in the garbage.

    Comment by Ken on 1/04/16 at 1:02 pm #
  111. I too have been eating JuJubes for more than 40 some years and was very disappointed when I put them in my Christmas stocking as a treat for me only to find I had “another” soft, stale, crappy tasting box! Please hurry up with the original recipe!!

    Comment by Jean H on 1/05/16 at 7:30 pm #
  112. Okay, since so many of you said the old Jujubes were back I tried them again—YIPPEE! Yes, they are definitely 100 times better now—harder and the taste is better—not so darn fruity. I still think they used to be harder and had a slightly different flavor, but I can definitely live with these—so happy they are back!
    Kat

    Comment by Kat on 1/12/16 at 11:04 pm #
  113. I recently wrote the company about the “new” Jujube recipe, which to me is anything but.  All the wacky, weird attributes of the old jujube are pretty much gone.

    A total failure for these 30+ year jujube fan.  If you want to make a $%^& mini-Jujyfruit, then do that, and market it as jujyfruit minis.  But leave the jujube recipe the %^&@ alone.

    I’ve tried acclimating to the new formula.  Not ygonna happen.  Never was a jujyfruit fan, and a slightly harder, mini version isn’t enticing at all.

    If you never enjoyed the rock-hard, soapy, bland flavored mini-cylinders that they were, you won’t understand.  And that’s ok - would be like asking an American to acquire the taste for Vegemite.  Slim chance.

    Bring the Jube back!

    Comment by Russell Jubube Lover on 1/29/16 at 7:55 pm #
  114. Russell Jubube Lover, check the expiration dates, the boxes dated “Best Before April-May 2016” are the soft undesirable formula.  I purchased a few boxes the other day, dated best before 12/6/16. They are indeed closer to the old original formula.

    Comment by James J on 1/29/16 at 8:12 pm #
  115. I just bought a box of Best by 4/17/17 which is new formula still. I’m waiting to find boxes of later-made Jujus in store—hope it’s soon. I’ve missed the old recipe and can’t wait to pop them in my mouth. And please put more orange ones in the box!
    Thanks

    Comment by VirginiaCA on 1/31/16 at 11:47 am #
  116. Well I see we’re not the only ones that noticed the new Jujubes suck.  Miss the hard little suckers, would take to the movies and last the whole show.  I too miss the old soapy flowery flavors.  Finally got a decent box today and they’re better just not quite like the old ones…but they’ll do. The last few boxes we got were fruiter and actually tasted more like a jelly bean without the outer shell….YUCK! Like I’ve heard say “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”  Quit trying to fix it….cause it ain’t broke.  Thanks for reverting to something closer to the original but the originals would be nicer. Whew, you almost lost a couple of customers there.

    Comment by Wayne Bradshaw on 2/13/16 at 3:01 pm #
  117. I got some of the more hard JuJu Bees with the 2017 expiration date.  I don’t know what they put in them now, but they give me the worst heart burn I’ve ever had in my life.  JuJu Bees are gone forever for me. Really, just too much BS to deal with for a candy, that still is not like it used to be. I switched over to my second favorite, Good and Plenty. So far, an executive has not found a way to screw them up just YET.

    Comment by James J on 2/13/16 at 4:02 pm #
  118. just bought a box dated 040817 not good. Do I need to look for a later date to get the original recipe?

    Comment by Roland Lataille on 3/15/16 at 4:08 pm #
  119. Hi Roland.  Yes try June 14 2017 or later.

    Comment by Marg D on 3/15/16 at 6:04 pm #
  120. A number of posts refer to a lack of “hard” texture as a defect.  Jujubes were always soft and springy if you managed to get get a box that was fresh.  That was rarely the case, and in the cardboard box without a barrier film liner they would harden fairly rapidly on the shelf.  Before dating was required, you would have to shake them down and squeeze to see if they would yield.  These are really good,  still lightly flavored and not overly sweet.  Long lasting, they are the perfect Movie candy.  I’m enjoying a cheek full, as I write this, from a box dated for 8/7/17.  The only thing still missing is the concave bottom so you could stick them on the end of your tongue.  Nice work Heide.  We should each send them a thank you note.  (My original post is #100.)

    Comment by H. Davis on 3/16/16 at 2:37 pm #
  121. To H. Davis There is no Heide Candy Co.  These candies are made by Ferrara Candy Co.  It is still not the original formula or texture as that was changed by the children of Henry Hyde in mid 1970s. Quality control has always been an issue. Cook time and cure time not consistent. You’ll get boxes of nasty dull finished that have a chalky skin and gooey center. When they get it right, they are a little softer then the original formula. When Ferrara produces a good batch, there are a decent reminder of what JuJuBes use to be. It seems no matter how the batch turns out, they will put it in box and send it to consumers. They have gotten close to the original.

    Comment by D.Kehrer on 3/16/16 at 3:04 pm #
  122. Yeah, and Ferrara used to be called Ferrara Pan, but it still says Heide on the box.  Things change and perfection is an illusive mistress, but the current product is good enough for me. 

    Comment by H. Davis on 3/17/16 at 10:13 am #
  123. Jus got a box after idk how long but long, wanted to go back to a happy place and I totally forgot about jujubes. So excited but it tasted like crap!

    So mad I frekin googled it cause I didn’t believe it and hoped I got a bad batch

    I’m never going to ever taste the goodness again I want my hard jujube! I used to suck on it for hours they were so hard and lasted so long! The box I purchased today tasted like flavored candles and trust me I ate candles before!

    So sad were all never going to enjoy the goodness again

    Comment by Wtf jujube gross on 3/26/16 at 10:37 pm #
  124. Update - Yahoo! Just bought a box and it’s almost just like the old recipe!  They must have listened to the many comments posted. My box is “BEST BY 9/23/17

    Comment by Babs on 4/02/16 at 9:16 am #
  125. The real JUJUBES are back. I think they listen to the old timers.  I have been eating JUJUBES for 50 years.  I listen to what others have said and purchased a box dated 8/3/17 and they are the real thing.  Any boxes I purchased dated 2016 I returned they were so BAD .  The ones I just bought have the same great flavor and stick in your teeth like the original JUJUBES.  Give it a try.

    Comment by Judy on 4/22/16 at 2:07 pm #
  126. I used to buy a candy at the Admiral gas stations and it was almost like a jujubs and they had bumps on them, they weren’t different shapes like the jujyfruits though. If you have any idea what I’m talking about I would love to have the name of them!!!

    Comment by Emily :) on 4/30/16 at 9:54 pm #
  127. After some months of finding Jujubes back to their preferred hardness (at least close), I am sad to report the box I just purchased with a “Best Buy” date of 2/10/18 are back to being soft.

    Bring back the hard ones!

    Comment by John kush on 7/30/16 at 7:47 pm #
  128. Just bought Jujubes most def not the same formulation I bet it has something to do with corn syrup rather than sugar and artificial flavoring so.. The are not close to the original… Very disappointing.

    Comment by Iris Mendell on 9/08/16 at 7:37 pm #
  129. I think they are manufacturing them at different factories..  i agree you can find originals and then the next batch is soft.  It could be the formulation.  Terrible especially when you know what the originals tasted like…...I agree very disappointing .

    Comment by Judy on 9/08/16 at 8:10 pm #
  130. I bought 8 boxes dated 02/10/18 and they all taste like the old ones I use to buy at movie theatres in the 1960’s. I guess I’m just lucky.

    Comment by Roland Lataille on 9/09/16 at 6:35 am #
  131. As a long time lover of jujubes, I have endured the changes over the past months. Too mushy, too hard, no flavor,etc. recently they are better but what does produced by genetic engineering mean?  I would appreciate a truthful explanation. Thank you.

    Comment by M ellis on 9/10/16 at 6:51 pm #
  132. My husband has been a lifelong supporter of Jujubes. We are unable to find any stores that carry this candy in our area. We live in King of Prussia Pennsylvania. We used to buy them at Walgreens, but they are not carried there anymore. We need to find some! His birthday is on November 14th and I really want to get him a bunch! Please help.

    Comment by Becca on 11/14/16 at 9:51 am #
  133. Walgreens just stopped carrying Jujubes in our area of Central Illinois—so sad. I believe that CVS still carries Jujubes. I mainly buy them at Walmart since I shop there for food anyway. Hope you have luck finding them!

    Comment by Kat on 11/15/16 at 5:32 pm #
  134. No more at RiteAid any longer - the stop on the shelf is gone.  So strange, as they were almost always sold out, and not just from me.  I would go there just for those, and sometimes they would be out. Try CVS, but they’ve been out the last few times i’ve gone in there, too.  Tried a walgreens to no avail.

    Comment by Pedro on 12/15/16 at 2:53 pm #
  135. I agree. The formulation definitely changed in 2015 or 2016 to a softer, overly sweet abomination. Not long thereafter Walgreens stopped carrying them and I understand why - they were cheap and horrible.
    I liked these much better when they were less sweet and a little tougher to chew (that probably sounds backwards) - it was a great and tasty way to chew on something a little sweet and not rock hard to replace sunflower seeds and such.
    I found that the Italian Putini candies are a nice alternative, but they are much pricier and individually wrapped.

    Comment by Mark on 2/21/17 at 1:38 pm #
  136. Bought a box for the first time at CVS. Put a handful in my mouth and thought what a mess to eat. Hard at first then sticky on the teeth as I chewed. Found this site with good hints on how to eat. I don’t taste soapy though and I don’t really taste the flavors listed on the box either: Violet, Lilac, Lime, Wild Cherry, and Lemon. They are a little sweet, but to much and you can make them last a long time if your patient… I’m not so I keep winding up with goo in my molars.

    Comment by Eric K on 4/26/17 at 3:07 pm #
Commenting is not available in this channel entry.

Next entry: Sour Gummi Bears

Previous entry: Dots




 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ABOUT

FEEDS

CONTACT

  • .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
  • Here are some frequently asked questions emailed to me you might want to read first.

EMAIL DIGEST

    For a daily update of Candy Blog reviews, enter your email address:

    Delivered by FeedBurner

CANDY RATINGS

TYPE

BRAND

COUNTRY

ARCHIVES

Meticulously photographed and documented reviews of candy from around the world. And the occasional other sweet adventures. Open your mouth, expand your mind.

 

 

 

 

Facebook IconTwitter IconTumblr IconRSS Feed IconEmail Icon

COUNTDOWN.

Candy Season Ends

-2537 days

Read previous coverage

 

 

Which seasonal candy selection do you prefer?

Choose one or more:

  •   Halloween
  •   Christmas
  •   Valentine's Day
  •   Easter

 

image

ON DECK

These candies will be reviewed shortly:

 

 

image