Walk down any sweet aisle and Haribo takes up an awkwardly large share of the shelf. Bags in every colour, names that sound like heavy metal bands, and a dozen different mixes that all look vaguely the same until you actually eat them. If you’ve ever stood there wondering what the difference is between Starmix and Supermix, you’re not alone.
So here’s a proper walk-through. A bit of history, a tour of the UK favourites, my own totally biased ratings for chewiness and sourness, and some tips on how to get the best out of them.
Where Haribo came from
The story starts in Bonn, Germany, in the early 1920s, when a confectioner called Hans Riegel started making sweets at home. The name Haribo is simply the first two letters of his name, his surname and the city: HAns RIegel BOnn. Not very glamorous, but memorable.
His big break was the gummy bear, originally called the “dancing bear”, which first appeared in the early 1920s. A chewy, fruity little bear was cheaper to make than a lot of traditional sweets, easy for children to eat and instantly lovable. The Goldbears, as they became known, are still the brand’s signature sweet, and the company’s slogan has been sung by generations of kids and parents alike.
From there, Haribo grew into one of Europe’s biggest sweet makers, and today it sells all over the world. The UK has become one of its most devoted markets, with a few ranges that are particularly beloved on this side of the Channel.
The UK favourites, range by range
Here’s the lineup that matters. I’ve given each a rough rating out of five for chewiness (how much jaw work it takes) and sourness (how much face-pulling). These are my own opinions, so feel free to disagree.
Starmix
A fruity assortment of gummies and foam sweets in all sorts of shapes. It’s the one that feels like a proper party bag. Mostly sweet, the odd cola bottle, a few foamy bits for contrast.
Chewiness: 4/5. Sourness: 1/5.
Tangfastics
The sour fan’s choice. A mix of tangy, sugar-coated shapes that deliver a proper zing. The coating hits first, then it softens into a fruity chew. Perfect for people who think normal gummies are a bit boring.
Chewiness: 3/5. Sourness: 4/5.
Supermix
A big bag of assorted favourites with a more varied texture, mixing gummies with foam and sometimes fizzy bits. Many people reach for it because it’s often mentioned as one of the vegetarian-friendly mixes, but recipes and labels can change, so check the pack.
Chewiness: 3/5. Sourness: 2/5.
Giant Strawbs
Big, bold strawberry-shaped sweets. They’re soft, sweet and designed for people who like a bigger bite. A solid one for strawberry lovers.
Chewiness: 3/5. Sourness: 2/5.
Happy Cola
The cola bottle sweets everyone knows. Happy Cola is a classic for a reason. The flavour is nostalgic, the shape is fun, and they’re easy to share. A staple of any mixed bag.
Chewiness: 4/5. Sourness: 1/5.
Fangtastics
A more theatrical, seasonal-style sweet, popular around Halloween with spooky shapes. Chewy, sweet and pretty entertaining for kids who like their sweets with a bit of drama.
Chewiness: 4/5. Sourness: 2/5.
Maoam
Technically the odd one out. Maoam is a chewy, fruity chew, in bars or stripes, with a very different texture from the gummy. Firmer, slower and more like a toffee in style. Great if you want something to last.
Chewiness: 5/5. Sourness: 2/5.
Jelly Babies: the Haribo question
People often ask whether Haribo does Jelly Babies. The classic British Jelly Baby is a Bassett’s sweet, softer and more powdery than the typical Haribo gummy, and it has its own devoted fan club. Haribo has its own baby-style and character sweets, which tend to be chewier with a more pronounced bounce.
If you’re a Jelly Baby purist, stick with the originals. If you like a bit more chew, the Haribo versions are worth a go. I’d always buy both and let the family vote. It’s one of those debates that will never be settled, and that’s half the fun.
What’s actually in them?
A typical Haribo gummy is built from a handful of basics: sugar, glucose syrup, starch, flavourings, colours and a gelling agent. The chewy bounce usually comes from gelatine in the classic gummies, while the foam sweets get their texture from air whipped into the mix. The dusty or glossy finish on the outside often comes from a coating, such as a sugar dusting or a food-safe wax.
Different ranges use different recipes, and the UK versions can differ from those sold in other countries. That’s why you should always trust the pack in your hand over something you read online, including this article. Lining up the different Haribo sweets side by side is a handy way to spot how the shapes, coatings and textures vary from one mix to the next.
The vegetarian question
This is the one I get asked about most. Many of the best-known UK Haribo lines are made with gelatine, which means they’re not suitable for vegetarians. Some mixes and individual products are made without it, and Supermix is often cited as one of those, but I wouldn’t take anyone’s word for it, mine included. Recipes get reformulated, and different pack sizes or variants can contain different things.
The sensible rule is simple: read the ingredients every time, look for a clear vegetarian or vegan mark on the pack, and if you can’t tell, don’t guess. If you’re shopping for a mixed group, a quick label check beats a lot of awkwardness later. Browsing a wider spread of jelly and gummy sweets can help too, since different brands label their veggie options in different ways and you can compare them without much effort.
Mini bags, bulk bags and pouches
Haribo comes in several formats, and the right one depends on what you’re doing.
- Mini bags: ideal for lunch boxes, party bags, Halloween trick-or-treaters and “I just want a small treat” moments. Portion control built in.
- Standard bags: the classic sharing size. Perfect for a film night or a car journey.
- Bulk bags and tubs: the best value per gram if you’re feeding a crowd or you simply know you’ll get through it.
- Pick n mix pouches: when you want to blend Haribo with other sweets, you can build your own pouch and mix and match. This is where it gets really fun.
For anyone building a bag from scratch, browsing a full range of Haribo sweets is a good shortcut, since you can compare the different mixes side by side and see which shapes and flavours you actually fancy, rather than relying on the front of the bag.
Pairing Haribo in a pick n mix
Because Haribo sweets are so sweet and chewy, they pair brilliantly with things that have a different texture or flavour. A few combos I swear by:
- Tangfastics with something creamy. A few marshmallows or a bit of fudge soften the sour edge.
- Starmix with sherbet. The fruity gummies and the fizz are a lovely contrast.
- Happy Cola with sour belts. Sweet and tangy on repeat.
- Maoam with a crunchy boiled sweet. The chew and the snap work well together.
- Supermix with a chocolate-coated sweet. Balances out the fruitiness.
The trick to a great pouch is variety. If every sweet is chewy, your jaw will be tired by the halfway point. If every sweet is sour, you’ll run out of enthusiasm. Mix soft with firm, fizzy with sweet, and light with dark, and the bag will empty gradually and happily.
If you want to explore beyond just Haribo, a wider selection of jelly and gummy sweets covers other brands and styles, from classic fruit gums to sour-coated worms, which is a handy way to see how Haribo stacks up against the competition. You might find a new favourite, or confirm that you’ve been right about the Goldbears all along.
Quick ratings at a glance
For a cheat sheet, here’s how I’d rank them across two categories.
Chewiest to softest: Maoam, Starmix, Happy Cola, Fangtastics, Tangfastics, Giant Strawbs, Supermix.
Least sour to most sour: Starmix, Happy Cola, Supermix, Giant Strawbs, Fangtastics, Tangfastics.
Again, these are my own rough opinions, based on far too many bags eaten over the years. Your mileage may vary, and part of the joy of sweets is arguing about it.
A few extra tips from years of bag-opening
- Keep them airtight. Gummies dry out and go hard if left open. A clip or a jar keeps them soft for far longer.
- Don’t leave them near heat. A warm windowsill or car dashboard turns a bag of bears into one big sticky lump.
- Tip the bag out first. Spreading a bag onto a plate lets you spot the favourites and share fairly, which avoids arguments when the last cola bottle is in play.
- Freeze with care. Some people swear that chilling gummies makes them firmer and chewier. It’s a bit of a quirk, but worth trying once for the texture change.
- Mix old with new. A bag of classic Goldbears alongside something unfamiliar is the easiest way to discover a new favourite.
Haribo fans also tend to be loyal in a very specific way. Everyone has a favourite shape they pick out first, a colour they think tastes best and a rule about which ones to save for last. It’s a harmless little ritual, and it’s part of what makes these sweets feel so personal.
Which bag should you grab?
If you only buy one, Starmix is the safe, crowd-pleasing choice. If you like a punch, go for Tangfastics. If you want something that’ll last a while, Maoam does the job. And if you’re after a bit of everything, build your own mix and let your favourites decide. Haribo isn’t complicated once you know what’s in the bag. It’s just a lot of little bears and bottles that make a lot of people happy.