The Unfortunate Reason Altoids Sours Were Discontinued

It's a story that's all too common in the world of packaged goods: a beloved product simply can't keep up with national sales expectations. It's the same fate that befell Altoids Sours, those tangy hard candies that had a devoted following for years. Launched in 2004 as a spin-off of Altoids mints, Altoids Sours were a hit with fans of sour candy looking for a refreshing treat with a bit of punch. With fruity flavors and major sourness, they quickly cemented their place in the candy pantheon.

But over time, sales began to slow, despite efforts by the makers of Altoids to rebrand and refresh the product. By 2010, the writing was on the wall, and a Mars customer service representative told Bustle, "They were discontinued due to low national demand ... If a product is not selling particularly well, unfortunately, we sometimes have to discontinue it."

Fans were crushed, with petitions and social media campaigns springing up to try and save the beloved candies. The fruity sour treats were so popular that one Change.org petition calling for the brand to brain back Altoids Tangerine Sours has received over 17,000 signatures. Digging deeper into the story behind their rise and fall prompts the question: What could have been if Altoid Sours had been given another chance to shine?

Made by the same company that invented Altoids mints, Altoids Sours came in several tantalizing sour flavors, including tangerine, raspberry, citrus, apple, and mango. Regardless of the flavor you chose, popping an Altoids Sour into your mouth resulted in an immediate jolt of sourness. These tiny yet powerful sour candies were a hit among sweets enthusiasts for their formidably tangy taste and tongue-tingling sensation, leaving many to wonder why they were the subject of so much obsession.

Despite the tasty fruity flavor and that mouth-puckering sour taste, there's science behind why we love sour candy. Studies suggest that eating sour foods causes our brains to release serotonin. Simply put — eating candy like Altoids Sours can make us feel good. If they were so sensational and beloved, though, then why were sales so low?

Perhaps it was the intense flavor that turned some people off, or maybe it was the lack of innovation as new flavors emerged on the market. Whatever the case may be, there's no denying that Altoid Sours made an impact on the candy market, spurring Reddit threads and online petitions calling for Mars to bring the sour candies back.

Unfortunately, for many fans of Altoids Sours, nothing has quite satisfied that sour candy craving since the day they were pulled off the market. While you might find a TikTok tutorial or two about how to make the candies at home (along with more than a few TikToks urging you to freeze sour candy), they're usually quite complex and difficult to make with just a few ingredients. So, the next best thing is to seek out a similarly sour and tangy alternative.

For those looking for a nearly identical hard sour candy, Florida-based brand Lofty Pursuits produces Tangerine Sours that seem to have quickly become a crowd favorite. Made with pure tangerine oil and based on the original Altoids Sour Tangerine Sours recipe, these hand-crafted candies are said to deliver a tangy punch of citrusy sweetness that many claim is better than the Altoids Sours original. Cheseboro's hard candy drops seem to offer a similar taste and are just as well-rated.

But what if you've tried the alternatives and still crave the real deal? According to the Mars representative who spoke with Bustle, there's still a chance to bring back the iconic candy by reaching out to the company. You can call or email Mars and express your desire to have them returned to shelves. According to an Instagram post, the effort even has the support of Altoids itself. Who knows, with enough demand, the revival of Altoids Sours may come to pass.