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Spicy Starburst and Skittles? These candies are about to heat things up

The candy maker announced plans to heat things up with a new line of spicy Sweet Heat confections — find out when!
/ Source: TODAY

If you're going to blame anyone for this, blame sriracha.

America has become so accustomed to sweet and heat that now even candy is following suit. Skittles and Starburst announced that each are introducing Sweet Heat flavors this December.

Would you try 'em?
Would you try 'em?Wrigley Corporate/TODAY

Wrigley, the candy maker, debuted the "treats" at the National Confectioners Sweets & Snacks Expo in Chicago this week.

The Skittles and Starburst candies mix fruit flavors with a "spicy kick." Susan Whiteside, a spokeswoman for the convention told Food Business News the candy was part of a larger "hot" trend in the industry.

"Confectioners and snack manufacturers both are increasingly turning to sweet to balance out hot, spicy or tangy flavors," Whiteside said. "We’ve certainly seen some of that in the candy industry before with Red Hots and Atomic Fireball, but this is taking those flavors to the next level."

The Skittles packs include five intimidating options: Fiery Watermelon, Blazin’ Mango, Flamin’ Orange, Sizzlin’ Strawberry and Lemon Spark, the brand told TODAY. The Starburst flavors sound pretty similar (with a shared hatred for the letter “G”): Fiery Watermelon, Strawberry Mango, Flamin’ Orange and Pipin’ Pineapple.

While we haven’t gotten a chance to sample the goods yet, they sound like a bellyache in the making. According to a press release, prices will start at 99 cents for a single pack of Skittles up through $3.19 for a "laydown bag," which is what we imagine you’ll feel like doing if you eat more than a couple.

Not to be total skeptics — we are looking forward to the Skittles Trick Plays — which will debut in time for hockey season, and have surprise flavors: The outside color won’t indicate what it will taste like inside.

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