When: July 15
National Gummi Worm Day on July 15th celebrates one of the most popular candy formats in the world — a chewy, gelatin-based candy that has spawned an entire category of confectionery. The gummi worm is a descendant of Hans Riegel's original gummi bear, invented in Bonn in 1920, and represents the later, more irreverent side of the gummi candy tradition.
Gummi candy was invented by a German candy maker in 1920 who was inspired by the trained bears he watched perform at local markets — the original shape was a bear, not a worm.
Hans Riegel of Bonn was in his twenties when he founded a candy company in his kitchen in 1920 with a bag of sugar and a marble slab. He named it HARIBO — an acronym from HAns RIegel BOnn — and began making hard candy. Two years later, he invented the gummi bear: a small, fruit-flavored, chewy candy inspired by the trained dancing bears he'd watched at local markets and festivals. The bear shape, the fruit flavors, the specific chewiness — these were designed for children who would recognize the animal and want to eat it. It worked. The key ingredient is gelatin, derived from animal bones and connective tissue boiled until the collagen dissolves. Gelatin dissolved in hot liquid sets into a semi-solid gel when cooled; the concentration and drying time determine the final texture. Gummi bears use a high concentration and are dried for 4–5 days, producing the specific chewiness that makes them different from, say, Jell-O. Pectin (from fruit) and starch produce different textures in...