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Candy IndustryCandy ProductsNew Candy ProductsBetter-For-You Confections

Joyride debuts three better-for-you candies

Fruit Chews, Fruity Zips, and Sour Zips include no artificial sweeteners or colors.

By Candy Industry Staff
Joyride debuts three better-for-you candies
Courtesy of Joyride
April 23, 2026

Joyride, the candy brand aiming to reinvent nostalgic favorites, is back with three brand-new products: Joyride Fruit Chews, Fruity Zips, and Sour Zips. The new launches strive to hit that nostalgic sweet spot but with better ingredients and at least 50% less sugar than the leading brands, the company says, and are rolling out nationwide at Target and on Target.com now, with more retailer availability coming soon.

The confections include no artificial sweeteners or colors, and are a good source of prebiotic fiber, the brand adds. The new products include:

  • Fruit Chews: Each piece is individually wrapped, and flavors include Strawberry, Lemon, Cherry Berry, and Fun Drink.
  • Fruity Zips: Each snappy shell cracks open to reveal a chewy center bursting with one of five juicy flavors, the brand says—Fun Drink, Lemon, Cherry Berry, Blue Raspberry, or Lime. 
  • Sour Zips: These bite-sized Zips aim to deliver the same crunch as the Fruity Zips, but with a sour twist. Flavors include Fun Drink, Lemon, Cherry Berry, Blue Raspberry, or Lime—finished with a cheek-puckering sour coating.

“We believe candy should be wildly fun, but without the junk,” says Tyler Merrick, founder and CEO of Joyride. “The Fruity and Sour Zips and Fruit Chews are exactly that. Playful, delicious, and nostalgic—leveled-up with feel-good ingredients.”  

The launch also marks the beginning of Project Squircle, a new creative moment from Joyride co-owner and chief creative officer, YouTube creator Ryan Trahan. Premiering April 25 across Trahan’s YouTube channel and Joyride platforms, the short film invites fans into a new Joyride world and a playful, unexpected debate, the brand says: are you Team Square or Team Circle?

“Candy marketing should be as exciting and interactive as the candy itself,” says Trahan. “Getting to launch these candies through the Project Squircle film and watching fans choose their sides is what makes Joyride so special. It’s unexpected and unconventional, but that’s exactly the kind of brand we’re building.”

Joyride Fruit Chews, Fruity Zips, and Sour Zips will retail for $4.99 and are available at Target stores nationwide and on Target.com now. 


Related: SmartSweets adds Sour Flowers to its seasonal lineup

KEYWORDS: innovation innovative flavors taffy

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