Skittles

What Skittles does

Skittles is a fruit-flavored confectionery brand owned by Mars Wrigley, the confectionery operating subsidiary of privately held Mars, Incorporated (headquartered in McLean, Virginia). Founded in 1974 in the United Kingdom by the Wrigley Company and introduced to the U.S. market in the early 1980s, the brand was acquired by Mars in 1989 through the Wrigley acquisition. Skittles produces a portfolio of chewy fruit-flavored candies marketed under the long-running "Taste the Rainbow" tagline, spanning Original, Wild Berry, Sour, Gummies, Gummies Fuego (sweet-spicy fusion), POP'D (freeze-dried), and Littles variants, manufactured using standard confectionery processes (sugar, corn syrup, hydrogenated palm kernel oil, modified corn starch, natural and artificial flavors), with newer variants such as SKITTLES POP'D leveraging freeze-drying technology to produce a crispy, aerated texture.

Distribution spans mass retail (grocery, convenience, drug stores, mass merchandisers), direct-to-consumer e-commerce through skittles.com, and instant commerce partnerships including a 2026 GoPuff activation tied to Super Bowl marketing. Pricing tiers run from single-serve 2.17 oz packs through party-size 50 oz resealable bags, supporting everyday snacking, sharing, and party-occasion consumption. The go-to-market motion is event-driven and marketing-led, anchored by high-budget Super Bowl advertising, celebrity appearances (e.g., Elijah Wood), FIFA World Cup visibility, Halloween seasonal activations, and a seventh consecutive year of partnership with GLAAD for LGBTQ+ visibility.

Customer segmentation is horizontal and mass-market, primarily targeting general consumers across age, gender, and geography for everyday snacking, sharing, and party occasions, with a sustained secondary focus on the LGBTQ+ community through the GLAAD partnership. Mars also deploys AI-powered digital campaign tools, developed with startup partners, for consumer co-creation and engagement measurement. The brand's economics flow through Mars Wrigley's global retail and wholesale channels, and Mars has committed a $2 billion U.S. manufacturing investment through 2026 to expand the production capacity that supports the Skittles portfolio.

Name

Skittles

Legal name

Mars Wrigley (operating as Skittles® brand)

Website

https://skittles.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1974

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Skittles is an iconic fruit-flavored confectionery brand owned by Mars Wrigley that produces chewy candy, gummies, gummies fuego, and freeze-dried variants distributed globally through mass retail, instant-commerce partnerships, and direct-to-consumer e-commerce.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Chicago

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Candy Product Sales: Skittles generates revenue through the sale of its confectionery products including Original, Sour, Wild Berry, and Gummies variants in various packaging sizes (2.17 oz to 50 oz). Products are sold through retail channels and the official website.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Skittles manufactures and sells fruit-flavored candy products under multiple formats including classic chewy candies (Original, Wild Berry, Sour), gummy candies (Original, Wild Berry, and spicy Gummies Fuego), and freeze-dried variants (Skittles POP'D in Original and Sour). Products are packaged in sizes ranging from single-serve 2.17 oz packs to party-size 50 oz resealable bags and sold to mass-market consumers through grocery, convenience, drug stores, mass merchandisers, the official skittles.com website, and instant commerce partners such as GoPuff.

Product overview

Skittles is a portfolio of fruity candy products owned by Mars Wrigley, featuring three main product lines: (1) Skittles Chewy - the classic original candy in Original, Wild Berry, and Sour variants; (2) Skittles Gummies - soft gummy versions of the original flavors plus the spicy Gummies Fuego sub-brand; and (3) Skittles POP'D - freeze-dried crispy versions of Original and Sour flavors. The products are marketed under the 'Taste the Rainbow' slogan and are available across various retail channels in sizes ranging from single-serve packs to party-size bags.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Skittles Original: Classic fruity candy with strawberry, lime, grape, lemon and orange flavors.
• Skittles Wild Berry
• Skittles Sour
• Skittles Gummies
• Skittles Gummies Fuego
• Skittles POP'd
• Skittles Pride

Products and services

• Skittles Original (Chewy) Classic Skittles chewy fruity candy in strawberry, orange, grape, lemon, and lime flavors, available in multiple pack sizes from single-serve 2.17 oz packs to sharing/party-size bags up to 27.5 oz stand-up pouches. Targeted at mass-market consumers for everyday snacking, sharing, and on-the-go consumption.
• Skittles Wild Berry (Chewy) Berry-flavored variant of classic Skittles chewy candy featuring berry punch, strawberry, melon berry, wild cherry, and raspberry, available in single packs, share sizes, and party-sized resealable bags up to 50 oz. Targeted at mass-market consumers seeking berry-flavored alternatives to the Original flavor.
• Skittles Sour Tangy, sour version of classic Skittles featuring sour strawberry, sour green apple, sour lemon, sour orange, and sour grape flavors in chewy candy format. Targeted at consumers who prefer tart candy experiences over the classic Original taste.
• Skittles Gummies Soft gummy versions of Skittles candy in Original (strawberry, orange, grape, lemon, green apple) and Wild Berry (berry punch, strawberry, melon berry, wild cherry, raspberry) varieties, sold in stand-up pouches and bags ranging from 5.8 oz to 12 oz. Targeted at consumers preferring a gummy texture over chewy candy.
• Skittles Gummies Fuego Sweet and spicy gummy variant with five bold gummy shapes — Mango, Watermelon, Strawberry, Lemon, and Raspberry — covered in a spicy chili coating. Targeted at adult and adventurous consumers seeking a fusion of sweet and spicy flavors.
• Skittles POP'D (Freeze-Dried) Freeze-dried versions of Original and Sour Skittles flavors offering an airy, crispy texture with a crunchy bite. Part of the freeze-dried candy trend. Targeted at consumers seeking novel texture experiences in familiar Skittles flavors.
• Skittles Littles Miniature versions of Skittles chewy candy referenced under the 'Crunch In My Skittles' campaign page, offering a smaller-format option of the classic chewy candy. Targeted at consumers seeking smaller, bite-sized versions of the classic product.

Quantifiable outcome

• Significant sales increases and new user acquisition reported from Super Bowl activation with GoPuff

Named customers1 record

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered flagship.

• GLAADflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 May 2026Skittles has maintained a partnership with GLAAD for seven consecutive years, contributing $200,000 annually to support LGBTQ+ visibility initiatives including the GLAAD Entertainment Media Program. The partnership also involves collaborations with Mars Associates to provide additional sponsorships to LGBTQ+ community organizations nationwide, supporting grassroots programs that create year-round impact.
• GoPuffflagshipGTM or Marketing Partner · 13 January 2026Skittles partnered with instant commerce company GoPuff for its Super Bowl 2026 activation. The partnership enabled a unique campaign where one lucky fan received a live commercial starring Elijah Wood at their front door. The GoPuff partnership also allowed pre-ordering of exclusive SKITTLES Big Game Bundles and facilitated rapid delivery of products to consumers.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Starburst: Mars Wrigley sister brand and direct competitor in fruit-flavored chewy candy with overlapping flavors, formats, and target occasions. Closest head-to-head competitor to Skittles Original and Wild Berry.
• Sour Patch Kids: Ferrara Candy Company's sour fruit-flavored chewy candy; directly competes with Skittles Sour on flavor profile, packaging formats, and target consumer (kids/teens/young adults).
• Hi-Chew: Morinaga's fruit-chew candy competes directly with Skittles Original/Wild Berry in the chewy fruit-flavored segment, with growing U.S. distribution and similar impulse and sharing occasions.
• Haribo: Global gummy candy leader competes directly with Skittles Gummies and Gummies Fuego on gummy texture, flavor variety, and family/party sharing occasions across the same retail channels.
• Swedish Fish: Mondelez's chewy fruit-flavored candy competes directly with Skittles Original/Wild Berry on shelf placement in the chewy fruit candy set at grocery, c-store, and theater channels.
• Trolli: Ferrara's sour gummy/worm brand competes directly with Skittles Sour and Gummies on sour texture, novelty shapes, and youth-skewed marketing.
• Airheads: Ferrara's taffy-style and fruit-flavored chewy candy competes directly with Skittles across the fruit-candy set with strong c-store and theater distribution overlap.
• Jolly Rancher: Hershey's fruit-flavored hard and chewy candy competes directly with Skittles on flavor variety, single-serve and sharing sizes, and impulse purchase occasions.
• Mike and Ike: Just Born's fruit-flavored chewy candy competes directly with Skittles Original on flavor variety packs, theater and c-store distribution, and value-size packaging.

Broad incumbents

• The Hershey Company: Largest U.S. confectionery incumbent with broad portfolio (Hershey's, Reese's, Jolly Rancher, Twizzlers) competing with Skittles for the same shelf space, marketing moments, and consumer occasions.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/skittles
• YouTubeyoutube.com/c/skittles
• Facebookfacebook.com/skittles
• Instagraminstagram.com/skittles
• TikToktiktok.com/@skittles?lang=en

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Skittles