Warheads (candy)
Warheads (trademarked as WARHEADS) is a brand of sour or tart candy manufactured by Impact Confections. They are marketed as an 'extreme' candy with an intense sour flavor. They have proven to be very popular, especially with children; in 1999, Warheads were referred to as a "$40 million brand" (USD).
The candy was invented in Taiwan in 1975 and was first imported to the United States in 1993 by The Foreign Candy Company of Hull, Iowa. Impact Confections acquired the brand in 2004. They are currently manufactured and distributed in the United States by Impact Confections and in Australia by Funtastic Limited.
In culture
The name "Warheads" comes from the notion that the sour taste of the candies is akin to a real warhead going off in one's mouth, and the brand's mascot, Wally Warheads, is depicted as a boy with puckered lips and a small mushroom cloud emanating from the top of his head. Their 'extreme' sour flavor can produce visibly strong reactions from people experiencing them for the first time.