The best gummy bears we tried was easily the Albanese World’s Best 12 Flavor Gummi Bears. They come in a five-pound bag that features 12 different and delicious flavors and an ingredient list that is natural, more or less, including sugar sourced from beets and fruit-based pectin. We also love that these gummies are free from known allergens, including nuts, dairy, MSG and gluten, among others. If you’re adding these gummy bears to a gift package, take a look at these gifts for geeks too.
To help you find the best gummy bears, and assorted gummy candy, we have taste-tested a wide variety of top products, ensuring that they are made using high-quality ingredients, such as real fruit juice and sugar derived from natural sources, such as beets. We also loved gummy treats that came in a wide variety of colors and flavors and those that were designed to suit a number of dietary restrictions. Keep reading to learn more about the Albanese World’s Best 12 Flavor Gummi Bears and the other picks on this list.
Top 7 Best Gummy Bears
#1 Albanese World’s Best 12 Flavor Gummi Bears
Award: TOP PICK
WHY WE LIKE IT: Delicious candy available in 12 flavors, shipping in a 5 lb bag, with natural ingredients, such as beets, and a recipe that is free from most known allergens.
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- Free from most allergens
- Bag contains multiple pounds of gummies
- Ingredients derived from natural sources
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- Gelatin derived from pork, so not vegetarian
- Not organic
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These Albanese World’s Best 12 Flavor Gummi Bears is the best gummy candy we tried, shipping in a large five pound bag and containing twelve different flavors, including pineapple, mango, strawberry and more. We also loved that this product contains natural ingredients, within reason, including sugar sourced from beets and fruit pectin, making this one of the best gummy bear recipes that we found.
Though the ingredient list is impressive for a sugary candy, the gelatin used in the creation of these gummy bears is derived from pork, so it won’t suit vegetarians. Additionally, this is not an organic product. If peanut butter is more your speed, take a look at the best peanut brittle on the market.
#2 Haribo Goldbears Gummi Bears
Award: HONORABLE MENTION
WHY WE LIKE IT: Iconic design that features a classic taste and texture and shipping in a 5 lb bag, having been produced in a nut free facility, making it perfect for kids who may have peanut allergies.
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- Classic taste and great mouth feel
- Large 5 lb bag
- Produced in a nut free factory
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- 5 flavors, whereas top pick has 12 flavors
- Not organic
- Made from beef gelatin, so not vegetarian
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These Haribo Goldbears Gummi Bears are iconic, having originally been manufactured over 90 years ago, and are both delicious and texturally pleasing. This product ships in a large five pound bag, which is similar to our top pick, and each of these candies are produced in a nut free facility, making them perfect for children with nut allergies.
Though the five pound bag is certainly adequate for large families, it does only come with five flavors, whereas our top pick features 12 flavors. Also, this is not an organic product, nor or is it vegetarian, as it has ingredients sourced from beef. If you’re looking for the perfect gift for the space lover in your home, take a look at one of these star wars gifts instead.
#3 Black Forest Gummy Bears
Award: GREAT FAMILY SIZE
WHY WE LIKE IT: Arrives in a huge 6 lb bag, the largest to be found on this list, with colors derived from natural ingredients, such as fruit and vegetables, and featuring a recipe that is both fat and gluten free.
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- Extremely juicy and delicious
- Colors sourced from fruits and vegetables
- Fat and gluten free
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- 6 flavors, whereas top pick has 12 flavors
- Not organic
- Could contain trace amounts of nuts
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These Black Forest Gummy Bears come in a large six pound bag, with availability up to 16 pounds, which is filled with delicious and extremely juicy gummies, with a recipe that adds color via real fruit and vegetables, such as sweet potatoes. We also loved that these gummy bears are both gluten free and fat free, suiting a wide variety of consumers.
It must be noted, however, that these candies are produced in a facility that also processes wheat and pine nuts, so trace amounts of both ingredients could remain. Additionally, this is not an organic formulation. This may not be among the perfect gifts for gamers, but nobody is going to turn down a six pound bag of gummy bears.
#4 SmartSweets Gummy Bears
Award: BEST FOR CONTROLLING GLYCEMIC LEVELS
WHY WE LIKE IT: Relatively healthy low sugar and low calorie formulation, with ingredients such as tapioca and vegetable juice, and featuring a recipe that is completely free of GMO products.
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- Great for those who prefer natural ingredients
- Non-GMO ingredients
- 90 calories per bag
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- Around 1.5 lb of total product
- Just 4 flavors
- Not Keto friendly
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These SmartSweets Gummy Bears come in a multipack featuring 12-individually sized bags, each containing 90 calories, with a low sugar recipe that is made from natural ingredients, such as tapioca, vegetable juice and chicory root, among others. They still taste delicious and all of the ingredients used in this product are certified to be completely GMO-free.
Though these gummy bears are certainly delicious, this pack only contains four separate flavors, whereas our top pick comes with 12 flavors to choose from. Also, the 12 bags that come with this multipack are 1.8 ounces each, adding up to just around 1.5 pounds of total product, which is on the lower end.
#5 Happy Yummies Worlds Best Tasting Gourmet Gummy Bears
Award: MOST FLAVORS OPTIONS
WHY WE LIKE IT: Ships with 14 delicious flavors, the most on this list, including some highly original tasting candies, such as cherry chili pepper, and arrives in a resealable bag to help keep everything fresh.
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- Includes resealable bag to keep candy fresh
- Gluten and fat free
- Unique taste combinations
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- Manufactured in a facility that processes nuts
- Bag is on smaller side, at 14 oz
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These Happy Yummies Worlds Best Tasting Gourmet Gummy Bears arrive with 14 delicious flavors, the most variety to be found on this list, including some variants that are truly unique, such as cherry chili pepper, sugared banana and champagne. The recipe is both gluten and fat free, helping to suit a wide variety of consumers, and these candies ship in a handy resealable bag, helping to keep them fresh for a long time.
The number of flavors included is outstanding, however, the pack itself is on the smaller side, coming in at just 14 ounces. Additionally, this product was manufactured in a facility that processes nuts, so parents should be somewhat cautious.
#6 YumEarth Gummy Bears
Award: BEST ON A BUDGET
WHY WE LIKE IT: Budget-friendly product with a completely organic formulation that is free from GMOs and made without the use of most allergens, including nuts, eggs, dairy or soy.
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- 100% Organic formulation
- High quality ingredients, such as carrot concentrate and saffron
- Non GMO and free from many allergens
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- Small 1.5 oz bag, though can be purchased in multipacks
- 4 flavors in pack, and they vary from pack to pack
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These YumEarth Gummy Bears are an extremely budget-friendly option, while still coming in with many high end features, including a completely organic formulation that uses high quality and natural ingredients, such as carrot concentrate and saffron, for color. These gummies taste fantastic and we also loved that the recipe is free from GMOs and most common allergens, including nuts.
This is a small pack though, weighing just 1.5 ounces, though you can purchase multiple packs at the same time, up to ten. Also, there are only four flavors inside each bag and we found, during our testing, that they varied from bag to bag. If you want some more geek gifts, then you can also consider the best microscope that can be used for demonstrations or even teaching.
#7 Ferrara Candy Company Mini Gummy Bears
Award: Softest Mouth Feel
WHY WE LIKE IT: Cute miniature gummies that are extremely soft to the chew, especially right out of the bag, with a sweet taste that goes well with ice cream and other desserts and arriving in a large 5 lb bag.
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- Cute miniature design
- Great for ice cream and other desserts
- 5 lb bag
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- Not organic or vegetarian
- Could contain trace amounts of nuts
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These Ferrara Candy Company Mini Gummy Bears are about half the size of traditional gummies and feature an extremely soft and pliant texture, especially right out of the bag, which we found a pleasure to chew. We also found that they paired well with ice cream and related desserts, due to both their size and their taste. The five-pound bag these arrived in was also great, and in line with our top picks.
This is not an organic or vegetarian formulation, however, so be sure to take that into consideration before purchasing. Additionally, these candies were processed in a facility that deals with nuts and wheat, so they could contain trace amounts of either ingredient. If you’re looking to make your gift a little more epic take a look at these star trek gifts too.
How We Decided
To help narrow down to the above list, we first ensured that each product we tried tasted delicious and that each was pleasant to chew. In other words, we wanted to make sure that these were fantastic candy options for your friends and family. We also liked packs that came with plenty of flavor choices, as many as 14 in the case of one of our picks.
As far as the ingredients, we were attracted to candies that were derived from natural sources, including fruit and vegetable juices and beet extract, among other relatively nutritious items. We must note, however, that even with healthy ingredients, gummy bears aren’t exactly a health food. Formulas that were non-GMO and free from common allergens were also highly preferred, especially in the wake of modern nut allergies.
We liked large bags, as big as six pounds, and items that offered not only multiple flavors, but unique tastes as well. Some of our chosen products contain flavors such as champagne and cherry chili, in addition to the standard flavors of orange, grape and strawberry, among others.
Best Gummy Bears Buyer’s Guide
The Most Important Features to Consider
- Taste
These are candies and, as such, you are going to want them to taste fantastic. Keep in mind that some of our top picks contain standard flavors, such as cherry and lemon, while others come with flavors that approach the bizarre, like champagne and sugared banana. Just read the fine print and make sure that the product you are about to purchase contains flavors that you are likely to enjoy. - Ingredients
While gummy bears will never quite become a health food, several modern manufacturers have tried to make things as healthy as possible, including a few of our picks. These brands create a product that tastes great, while using relatively healthy ingredients, such as beet extract and vegetable juice, among others. It is worth noting that gummy bears typically include gelatin as a key ingredient and gelatin is almost always made with some kind of animal byproduct. - Allergens and GMOs
Many parents are on the lookout for products that are manufactured in facilities that also process nuts and wheat, among other common allergens. We made sure to note when our picks were safe, and certified to be free of trace elements of nuts and other common allergens. Additionally, many modern candies do not include GMOs as part of their ingredient list.
