Austin, Texas-headquartered GoodPop, a category leader in better-for-you frozen treats, is partnering with SmartSweets, the a low-sugar candy innovator, to launch a limited-edition mini sour pop collaboration. The new Sourmelon Pop Bites are a playful take on GoodPop’s watermelon pops and SmartSweets’ fan-favorite flavor – refreshing, tangy, and perfectly poppable – made without artificial sweeteners, flavors or dyes. The frozen sour juice-based pop bites will be available for a limited time online.
The product features a sour watermelon flavored popsicle base shaped into watermelon wedges, which are enrobed on one side with a sour candy coating. Each resealable bag contains ten wedges, five green and five pink, which may be shared with friends or savored solo. Serving servings contains 7 grams of total sugar, compared to 18 grams in the leading sour popsicle sold in the United States. As a special summertime treat, every bag of Sourmelon Pop Bites includes a whimsical watermelon-inspired sticker sheet.
“As a longtime sour candy aficionado, I’m thrilled to introduce Sourmelon Pop Bites,” said Daniel Goetz. GoodPop Founder and chief executive officer. “Our goal is always to create cleaned-up versions of classic treats that make it easier for consumers to choose healthier options. This product, our first sour launch, delivers an innovative format and experience with real ingredients and nothing artificial.”
“At SmartSweets, we’re always looking for fun ways to surprise our community – and frozen snacks are definitely having a moment. Teaming up with GoodPop felt like a natural fit, with both our brands sharing a passion for bold fruity flavor and better-for-you ingredients. Sourmelon Pop Bites are our first frozen collab, and they deliver that sweet-and-sour candy kick in a cool, nostalgic summer snack,” said Beth Ritchie, the Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada-headquartered company’s senior marketing director.
Sour is the “new sweet,” with the sour candy market projected to grow at a 7.5% CAGR from 2024-33, outpacing chocolate. Interest searches for sour candy are up 7% YoY (81,100 monthly search volume). Social media challenges like the sour candy challenge are up 81% YoY.
GoodPop has earned a reputation for merging product innovation with playful campaigns. It kicked off summer with the “Summer of Yes” campaign in partnership with Gopuff, giving away frozen pops to families nationwide.
Earlier in the year, GoodPop partnered with Disney and LucasFilm on a Mickey Mouse Fudge n’ Vanilla Bar and an Organic Green Apple Lightsaber, and last year the brand went viral for its Fudge n’ Vanilla French Fry Pop created in partnership with Ore-Ida.
GoodPop products are available at over 10,000 retail stores throughout the United States, including Whole Foods Market, Target, Costco, Publix, Walmart. SmartSweets are sold in over 55,000 stores across the USA and Canada including Target, Whole Foods, Walmart, Costco, Kroger, Albertsons and CVS.
