The Photos Of The New “No Shell Skittles” Line Are Straight Up Unnerving

Calling all sweet-tooths, candy lovers, and Skittles fanatics: a new era is upon us. The UK Mars Confectionary has unveiled their latest tasty creation: Skittles Chewies, or "No Shell" Skittles, the colorful treat we all know and love — but without the crunchy shell. Noted by the company as something of a "texture innovation," the all-new Skittles are a chewier, gummier treat than their original namesake and come in a slightly different variety of flavors than we're used to in the U.S. Food blogger Markie Devo took to Instagram to report on the Skittles Chewies flavors, which he initially found on @newfoodsuk: orange, lime, lemon, black currant, and strawberry. "I am freaking out!! My love for skittles is unreal!!" he says in the caption — us too, Markie, us too.

Trendhunter explained that Skittles Chewies will be backed by a broad $1.5 million media campaign in the UK to promote the new (highly anticipated) candy product, as the company works to stand out among rival brands in its competitive market. We've seen some variations in Skittles--like the purple-packaged Wild Berry flavors, the Tropical and Orchards renditions, and, of course, the Sour-flavored candies. According to BetterRetailing, however, Skittles Chewies are Mars Wrigley's biggest innovation to the line in about two decades. They describe that the new treat differs from its original counterpart with a "lighter texture and less intense flavour," which creators hope will draw more customers to the brand.

Skittles Chewies launched across the UK in classic single bags as well as larger sharing pouches (the more Skittles, the merrier) and can currently be found at ASDA supermarkets. “Having undertaken extensive research, we found that retailers and consumers alike were looking for something with an alternative texture that still retained the fruity flavours of our much-loved brands. As such, the launch represents a huge sales opportunity for retailers to keep up-to-date with the latest trends in the fruit confectionery category," commented Dan Newell, Mars portfolio director. After all, who doesn't like to switch it up a little bit sometimes?

On the same wave of candy innovation, Mars Wrigley has also dropped all-new Starburst Minis. The bite-size treats are a smaller version of classic Starbursts, and come unwrapped for quicker consumption. They're available in singles, bags, and family packs, and you can find these in stores around the U.S.

Markie Devo told followers that he's working on locating Skittles Chewies for fans outside of the UK who are dying for a taste, and hopes to come across them on eBay or Amazon — in the meantime, let's cross our fingers that they hit stores in other countries soon.

It seems like Mars Confectionary is giving chewy candy a turn in the spotlight, offering fans a delicious alternative to the classic crunchy sweets we usually see on shelves. I'm all here for the new ideas, especially twists on products that have remained unchanged for a long, long time. While you're waiting for the newest launch or for Skittles Chewies to arrive on the shelves in your country, snack on your favorite childhood candy and enjoy a little blast from the past.