When it comes to eating delicious candy have you ever thought about vegan gummy bears?

Probably not.

But in fact, there are a lot of ingredients to look out for if you’re vegan. Although you might be thinking how can candy contain animal ingredients? You’d be surprised.

Ingredients such as gelatin are obtained from various animal body parts including animal skin, tendons, ligaments and even bones. Often used in pharmaceutical drugs, vitamin capsules and cosmetic products, gelatin can also be found in candy.

But that’s not all. Many red candies contain a dye made from insect bodies and scales. Often listed as carmine, shellac or Red 4, this ingredient can be found in a lot of candies from several popular manufacturers.Made from insects such as the female lac bug or the porphyrophora species, this dye is not natural as it harms millions of insects every year. Yet it can often be found in many candies but disguised under several different names.

To help you get some sweetness back into your lifestyle, we’re looking at the top candies available including those delicious gummy bears! We’ve checked all the ingredients and researched all the manufacturers for you, so you don’t have to. Here is our list of the top organic candy you can buy today.

Vegan Gummy Bears You Won’t Stop Eating

4. Surf Sweets Organic Vegan Fruity Bears

Features

Price: $

Best vegan gummy bears

Made with organic fruit juice

Non-GMO verified

Donates 1% of sales to environmental charities

If you’re looking for the best natural gummy candy, then you’ll love these organic fruity bears! Made by the cool guys over at Sweet Surf in California, these fruity bears contain nothing but fresh organic fruit juice to give them natural flavor. Made from miniature gummy bear molds, these gummy cubs have nothing but good stuff in them.

If that wasn’t enough to convince you to try these fruity treats, then we should also mention they are completely non-GMO verified. In addition to this, 1% of the sales from these yummy treats get donated to environmental charities to help protect the world. How awesome is that?

Available in packs of 12, these fruit bears will make you wonder why you didn’t make the change to natural candy in the first place. With over 30 reviews on Amazon, customers have praised these bears for their great texture and taste. After trying them ourselves, we can confidently say that you get that soft gummy bear experience and flavor.

3. Annie’s Organic Gummy Bunny Fruit Snacks

Features

Price: $

Best organic gummy rabbits

Certified Organic

100% vegan and no artificial flavors

Natural strawberry, cherry & raspberry flavors

Next up on our list are these organic gummy bunny fruit snacks that will leave you hopping mad! They might not be bears, but they still give you the same gummy bear experience. Made with nothing but goodness and real fruit, these bunnies are full of flavor without any of the nasties. 100% vegan and USDA organic, these treats also contain your daily dose of vitamin C, whoever said candy was bad for you?

Created by Annie Withey in 1989, Annie’s have been producing quality home-grown organic products for decades. Her vision was to show that it’s possible to run a successful business that is socially responsible. We think she’s proved her point!

Available from Amazon in a box of 18 pouches, these fruity organic gummy bunnies will be gone a lot sooner than you think! Perfect for lunchboxes or just little snacks, you can nibble away knowing no animals were harmed in the making of these delicious bunnies.

2. Goody Good Stuff Bears Fruit Pack

Features

Price: $$

Best chewy gummy bear candy

Natural colors and flavors

Free from fat, gelatin & dairy

Triple pack with 3 different flavors

Goody Good Stuff is a brand new natural gummy candy range that is made entirely from plant derived ingredients. This eliminates the need for common animal based ingredients such as gelatin which most traditional gummy sweets use. Although these aren’t exactly gummy bears, they are still ethical! Over the past 15 years, the guys at Goody Good stuff have worked hard to produce the finest tasting ethical gummy bears available. Including flavors such as black currant, strawberry and apple, you’ll be spoilt for choice when choosing which to eat.

With no artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives, Goody Good stuff have used only natural fruit and vegetable extracts. This means all of the other harmful nasties have been removed leaving this candy fat free, meat free, dairy free, artificial colors free and gelatin free.

Conveniently available from Amazon in a pack of 3, you’ll be able to try all the different flavors this amazing range has to offer.

1. Trader Joe’s Scandinavian Swimmers Candy

Features

Price: $$

Best organic gummy candy

Vegan and kosher

Includes natural fruity flavors and colors

If you’re not a fan of sweet candy, then maybe these Scandinavian swimmers can change your mind. Inspired by sea life creatures such as lobsters, dolphins, seahorse and fish, these gummies aren’t your typical gummy bears. Apart from the fact that they don’t contain any gelatin or gluten, these gummies also aren’t shaped like bears!

Sold in store at Trader Joe’s and available online, these strangely shaped gummies have received nothing but praise from customers. One satisfied customer on Amazon actually said that these were the best gummy candies they have ever tasted. We know it’s a bold claim, but we think we’d have to agree with them!

Cruelty Free Chocolate

3. Endangered Species Chimp, Natural Dark Chocolate

Features

Price: $$

Best ethical chocolate

Donates 10% of net profits to animal charities

Fairtrade

Certified vegan friendly

If you’re looking for something a bit different than chew candy, then chocolate probably springs to mind. Most chocolate manufacturers will often sell you chocolate without fully telling you where all the ingredients have come from. A lot of the time, many animals habitats have been destroyed farming the ingredients for you to enjoy. Endangered Species, the chocolate brand from Indianapolis is taking a stand against this.

Apart from selling a range of delicious chocolates that are certified vegan and non-GMO. Endangered Species also have very high ethical standards when it comes to producing chocolate.

All ingredients are sourced from the Fairtrade scheme which ensures the workers who collect the ingredients get a good pay and quality living standards. The company also gives back to nature and donates 10% of their annual profits to various animal and wildlife charities around the world. Who said candy didn’t help save the world?

In addition to all of this, did we mention their chocolate was delicious? Be sure to check out the many different flavors they have available on Amazon.

2. Booja Booja Hazelnut Crunch Chocolate Truffles

Features

Price: $

Best

Hand made

Organic & dairy free

Melt in the mouth

When it comes to chocolate, most manufacturers often feel the need to add milk to their products in order to make them tasty. However, the guys over at Booja Booja have proved that milk isn’t necessary to create award-winning chocolate with their delicious hazelnut truffles.

Founded in 1999, Booja Booja is a UK confectionary company that specializes in making award winning dairy free chocolate and ice cream.

These dairy and gluten free truffles with roasted hazelnuts taste great, even without any dairy! Registered as vegan friendly, these truffles have won over 19 different awards. Praised for their melt in the mouth soft texture, these chocolate truffles will prove you don’t need to use animals to make delicious chocolates… and they don’t have to be shaped like bears!

Available online from numerous retailers be sure to check out their other rum, espresso and ginger truffles.

1. Peanut Butter & Co Dark Chocolate Dreams

Features

Price: $

Best chocolate spread

Natural Nutella

Non-GMO certified

No high fructose corn syrup or hydrogenated oil

If you’ve been vegan for as long as you can remember then you’ve probably heard your friends telling you to try Nutella. Obviously, after checking the ingredients, you’d soon see that they contain skimmed milk and milk powder, a big no-no for vegans!

Luckily you can now get the same chocolate experience of Nutella without any of the dairy or gluten. Peanut Butter & Co have created a delicious all natural chocolate spread that even vegans can enjoy.

Currently available in twin packs of 2 from Amazon, these jars will satisfy your late night hunger cravings without any of the nasty ingredients. With no cholesterol, no trans fats, hydrogenated oil or corn syrup, this chocolate spread is as all natural as you get can.

The next time your friends tell you no chocolate, silence them with this delicious spreadable treat.

Other Organic & Natural Sweets

4. YumEarth Naturals Sour Jelly Beans

Features

Price: $

Best natural jelly beans

Certified ethical and cruelty-free

Real fruit extracts

Free from high fructose corn syrup

Jelly Beans are fruity treats that people of all ages love. The only problem is typical Jelly Beans often have gelatin in them which rules them out for vegans, or does it? The guys over at YumEarth Naturals have managed to create these wonderful sour Jelly Beans without any gelatin, gluten or artificial colors.

Sold in small snack packs, these sour beans are Jelly Beans with attitude! If you’ve ever had sour patch candy before, then you should know how tempting sour treats can be. Made with real fruit extracts and free from artificial flavors and colors, you can eat away guilt free.

With a solid 4.4 out of 5 star rating on Amazon and over 400 unique reviews, it’s safe to say these treats live up to the hype. Available in 10 snack packs at 20g each, these Jelly Beans are perfect for little nibbles throughout the day.

3. Dandies Vegan Marshmallows Vanilla Minis

Features

Price: $$

Best vegan marshmallows

Gelatin free & 100% natural

Non-GMO verified

Gluten free

Another type of candy you thought would be off limit for all vegans are marshmallows. A common ingredient in many other marshmallow brands is the dreaded gelatin. Made from animal parts and bones, obviously, this is something vegans want to avoid. But worry no more! Organic and natural marshmallows have finally been created, and they’re even better than regular marshmallows.

Created by Dandies, these natural marshmallows are 100% organic, contain no corn syrup and are entirely gluten-free. Hailed as the first ever non-GMO marshmallows, you’d be hard struck to find any taste differences compared to other marshmallow brands.

With a 4.6 out of 5 star rating on Amazon and over 190 reviews, customers have praised these mini marshmallows for their delicious taste and texture. So what are you waiting for? Get some marshmallows back into your life!

2. Surf Sweets Vegan Sour Worms

Features

Price: $

Best ethical gummy worms

Natural colors and flavors

Free of the top 10 allergens

Non-GMO verified

If you’re looking for the best vegan gummy worms then look no further, we’ve found the best ones just for you. Not only are these gummy worms longer than standard gummy bears but they also pack more flavor! Free from the top 10 allergens, these natural gummy worms are as natural as they get. Made from organic fruit juice with no artificial colors or flavors, these yummy worms taste even better than the leading brands.

Thanks to their ingredients, which are free from all the usual nasties like gelatin, dairy, and gluten, these worms have an incredible texture. Unlike other brands that are considerably oily and firm, these candies are a lot more pleasant and easier to chew.

Sold in 2.75 oz (78g) bags in packs of 12 on Amazon, once you taste the fresh flavor from the organic fruit juice, you’ll simply be blown away.

1. YumEarth Organic Freshest Fruit Drops

Features

Price: $$

Best gelatin free gummies

Gluten free and organic

Real fruit flavoring and extracts

No artificial colors, flavors or high fructose corn syrup

Time for some not so common candies, fruit drops! Made from real fruit flavoring and extracts, these hard boiled fruity drops will definitely go down a treat with anyone.

Perfectly bite sized and full of flavor, there are is no need to worry about gelatin, gluten or high fructose syrup. Free from all of the top allergens, you’ll be able to enjoy these yummy treats without having to worry about what’s in them.

Available from Amazon in generous 3.3 oz (368.5g) bags in packs of 6, these fruity drops have racked up over 460 positive reviews. With a solid 4.6 star out of 5 rating, you can be sure these drops will fulfill your sweet cravings.

Cruelty Free Confectionery Infographic

We know people love infographics due to their amazing presentation and easy to understand layout, so we thought hey let’s make one on vegan candies! Having tried and tasted plenty of gummy bears and other gummy candy over the years, we’ve compiled everything you need to know about what’s in your treats. Learn more about what’s in your food, such as are Haribo gummy bears vegan? And if gummy bears are made from pig skin!

Are Skittles Vegan?

YES

Launched back in 1974 in the UK and 1979 in America, Skittles are loved by many around the world. Their fruity, chewy, shells come in a variety of flavors and colors to everyone’s delight.

Up until 2009, Skittles produced in the US did contain Gelatin but have since been removed with Skittles in other countries following suit. From looking at the ingredients on their official website, it’s clear to see that Gelatin is not listed.

Like anything you consume, if you’re not sure whether it’s vegan or not then be sure to check the packaging carefully for any animal derived ingredients such as shellac, gelatin or carmine.

Are Nerds Organic?

NO

Created by Swiss food giant Nestle and sold under the Willy Wonka Candy Company, Nerds have been around since 1983. Available in a variety of different flavors from strawberry to cola, these little bits of candy are unfortunately not vegan.

From looking at the ingredients list on the back of the packaging, you will notice 2 major things. The first is that Nerds contain carmine color which is also known as Red 4. This ingredient is made from boiling insects such as the cochineal bug in water ammonia or a sodium carbonate to extract the carminic acid. The solution is then treated in order to bring out the red color which is then used on the candy. As you can tell this is totally not natural or ethical.

The second point is just under the ingredients you’ll notice that it clearly states that they “may contain egg.” If you’re a true vegan, then you’ll know that since there is a chance these may include an animal by-product, you’ll have to give them a miss.

Are Starbursts Natural?

YES

Manufactured by The Wrigley Company, a subsidiary of the candy giant Mars Inc, Starbursts are full of fruity flavors. Launched in 1960 these candy treats used to contain animal by-products in them such as gelatin (what kind of gelatin is in starbursts) during up until the late noughties.

As of today, Starburst are available gelatin free which makes life a little bit more enjoyable! From analyzing the ingredients on the official manufacturer’s website, you can clearly see there is no gelatin, red 4 or any other nasties.

Don’t take our word for it, check the ingredients yourself on Amazon.

Or read more here: Are Starburst vegan?

More Natural Candy Manufacturers

We hope we’ve cleared up some of the mysterious ingredients that go into candy and what you should be looking out for in yours. As you can see, not all candies are made the same and some do contain gelatin as well as other nasties such as color dyes (carmine).

More and more manufacturers are starting to move away from these ingredients and are switching to more natural ones instead. However, some old school manufacturers refuse to change their ingredients due to price and excuses that it will “ruin the flavor.” Be sure to check all of the ingredients before you buy any candy, something might look vegan, but often they won’t be.