Nostalgia in a Wrapper: A 90s Kid's Candy Chronicles

Sweet and tangy memories cling to my fingers—the days when Alpenliebe, Kacha Mango Bite, and a shelf of wrappers formed our edible encyclopedia. Long before Kacha Mango Bite wore that green wrapper, Mango Bite came draped in yellow, curling only at the top. Do you remember?

First Taste of Candies and Gums

My earliest candy memories are a vibrant collage of Mango Bite — its iconic yellow wrapper curled only at the top, a distinct difference from the twisted ends of other sweets. Then there was the zesty Orange Candy, the intriguing wooden stick 'Imli' swaddled in shimmering golden plastic, and the savory Hajmola Candy.

But the first chewing gum I ever encountered was 'Bubble Gum.' I recall my dad sharing a pack with a friend, remarking, "This is good. Kids chew toffees and always want more. But these gums, no matter how much you chew, they just don't finish!" I can still vividly picture the spot where this conversation unfolded. As the initial sweetness waned, a pressing question emerged in my young mind: "Can I swallow this?" The whispers of older boys, warning of dire consequences if one attempted such a feat — "It might stick somewhere inside!" — only fueled my curiosity.

I decided one day, "I'll keep this chewing gum in my mouth and see how long it takes to completely disappear." My grand experiment ended abruptly when I swallowed it in my sleep! The next day, I tried keeping one in my mouth during the daytime. But lunch and greens got tangled in it, and eventually I had to spit it out. Even food interfered with my candy adventures!

Lured by Temptations Before Taste

When we started school, Big Babol was the buzz — a single rupee could buy you a big bubble. Mastering the art of blowing a colossal bubble with Big Babol was a badge of honor; you'd instantly become the hero of the playground.

My best friend introduced me to Boomer, with its Boomer Man stickers adorning pencil boxes, bags, and textbook covers. Boomer was bigger, but harder, than Big Babol. Those stickers were everything — we'd trade them like precious currency.

Stickers were the defining feature of what we chose to chew or bubble. From Boomer Man stickers in the '90s to WWF (now WWE) stickers, and later cards, these little collectibles lured us to one brand over another. Loco Poco became popular for a brief, dramatic moment — ‘The crazy bubble gum.’

Birthday Traditions and Wrapper Wars

Birthdays at school came with a jar or packet of toffees or candies. We would sing "Happy Birthday to You" and share the sweets, obsessing over Maha Lacto for its chance to win a holiday trip or small prizes through wrapper collections. Remember the thrill of collecting wrappers to spell 'MAHA LACTO'? Each wrapper was a potential ticket to adventure, carefully saved and traded among friends.

I preferred the milky taste of Lacto King over Maha Lacto. For those who liked something less sweet, there were Coffee Bite and Coffee Toffee; Kopiko stood out as another favorite among the coffee-flavored crowd. Sweet lovers also cherished Kismi and Candyman. Alpenliebe — loved by adults, too — brought a coconut flavor that many of us adored. In high school, I clung to Milk-n-Nut, one of those coconut-flavored toffees that felt like a grown-up indulgence.

Sports-Centered Gum Culture

Center Fruit joined the scene, and with it, Center Shock — its sour liquid center could shock a face into delightfully contorted expressions. The predecessor, Center Fresh, seemed to have always been there since the days we learned to play cricket. Was it sacred to chew it while playing? We believed even international cricketers chewed it during matches. Or do they? What do you think?

Well, I can ask this question without hesitation. But I wouldn't dare ask, "Hum Chloromint kyu khate hain?" Otherwise I'd get my face dunked in a bucket meant for soaking pans! Chloromint had a certain edgy reputation — pockets full of it could get you labeled as a wannabe smoker, an odd social marker that somehow made the mint feel even cooler.

Polo and Doublemint Peppermint were favorites too, but Pulse rose to become the largest-selling candy in India at one point. Oh! And there was Happydent White — whose brilliant white-teeth ads worked wonders to make it the cool choice.

The Oldest and the Finest

Today's kids have far more choices, but we old-timers still remember these as the classics. Locally made candies and toffees are back in fashion, and Alpenliebe remains a beloved survivor from our era.

Among the oldest surviving Indian candy brands, Parle Poppins (since the 1940s), Ravalgan Pan Pasand (1950s), and Kismi (1960s) still show up in neighborhood kirana stores today. Chiclets, I believe, might be the oldest chewing gum survivor in India, hanging around since the 70s. And Phantom Sweet Cigarettes of the 70s/80s were the iconic "cool kid" candy that made us feel rebellious. After about 13 years of absence, Rola Cola made a triumphant nostalgia comeback following a passionate netizen movement with the hashtag #BringBackRolaCola.

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Do you see your favorite candy missing from my story? If so, tell me about it in the comments below. I'd love to weave your memory into future posts. For more nostalgic tales, keep visiting — Nostalgic Tales

Want to read more nostalgic adventures? Dive into the tales of our stationery-laden childhood at Rulers and Rubbers: Our Stationery Story. See you soon, with more such nostalgic stories!