Remember Dweebs? If you were a kid growing up in the 1990s, chances are very good that you do.
Large, soft, and chewy, this Nerds companion only stayed on shelves for a handful of years before being discontinued.
However, in the same vein as Butterfinger BB’s, PB Max, and Cookies-n-Creme Twix, the sensationally sweet Dweebs have gone on to become a favorite among the retro foodie crowd.
In addition to being one of those classic candies, folks seem to miss most from a decade that spawned everything from Furby to Fresh Prince.
Let’s take a look back at the short, sweet history of Dweebs…
The Candy Man Can!
Dweebs were introduced by the Willy Wonka Candy Company in the early 1990s.
Owned and licensed by Swiss corporation Nestlé, the famed confectionery brand marketed this new candy as a cousin to Nerds – which the Willy Wonka Candy Company had been producing in bulk since 1983.
Thus, contrary to popular belief, Dweebs were not some sort of weird candy knockoff. Rather, they were an extension of the Nerds line.
What Makes A Dweeb?
While regular Nerds were small, hard, and crunchy, Dweebs were instead plump, soft, and sweet.
Near indistinguishable from Nerds, Dweebs came packaged in special boxes that contained three compartments instead of just two. This arrangement thus allowed for a trio of different flavors to be packaged in each box. Packing a third flavor garnered the candy some extra attention from consumers for a time.
Dweebs came in a total of four different flavors. These included Punch. Strawberry, Orange, and Cherry.
Before Nestlé pulled the plug on Dweebs candy, they also released a variation known as Super Sour Dweebs. However, these didn’t stay around the candy store for too long either.
Can You Still Buy Dweebs Candy?
Sadly, you can no longer buy Dweebs candy, as they have been discontinued. After Dweebs’ initial launch in the early 90s, they were only on store shelves for a few years.
If you do manage to find a pack online or in the back of your closet, it is probably best to hold onto it for nostalgia’s sake, Eating 30-year-old food is never a good idea even if it is probably 100% sugar.
Everyone Loves A Dweeb
While they may not have survived the 90s, Dweebs have once again found themselves in the spotlight here in the age of the Internet.
While they’re no longer available at your regular retailer, who’s to say that Dweebs won’t be back in some form before too long?
It happened to Bazooka Joe, it happened to Butterfinger.
In our nostalgia-fuelled world, what goes around tends to come back around eventually. And, even candy isn’t safe from this unstoppable force.
Who knows what the candy-coated future holds for confectionery fans?
