Watermelon is one of the more distinctive flavours in the sweet aisle — instantly recognisable, and by most people's own admission, nothing like the actual fruit. We stock it across six different products and five brands, which makes it worth a proper look at both why the flavour tastes the way it does and what we've actually got.
Why watermelon candy tastes like watermelon candy, not watermelon
Real watermelon's flavour is genuinely difficult to recreate artificially. Much of its distinctive aroma comes from a compound called (Z,Z)-3,6-nonadienal, alongside others like (Z)-3-hexenol, but that key compound breaks down too readily to use reliably in a commercial flavouring. Rather than chase an unstable, hard-to-manufacture match, flavour chemists generally build "watermelon" flavouring around an ester called ethyl butyrate instead — which produces the bright, sweet, unmistakably candy-aisle taste most people now associate with watermelon flavour, even though it doesn't closely resemble the fruit itself. Watermelon-flavoured candy is thought to date back to around the mid-20th century, and despite tasting like its own thing rather than real watermelon, it's remained one of the more popular fruit flavours in sweets ever since.
Vidal Watermelon Sandwich
Vidal Watermelon Sandwich 1.5kg is a layered, sugar-coated sweet with a soft fondant centre — the watermelon flavour here is the bright, candy-shop kind rather than anything trying to taste realistic, and that's very much the point.
Kingsway Fizzy Watermelon Slices and Veggie Watermelon Bon Bons
We stock two Kingsway watermelon lines: Kingsway Fizzy Watermelon Slices 3kg, a fizzy-coated jelly slice shaped like a wedge of the fruit, and Kingsway Veggie Watermelon Bon Bons 3kg, a vegetarian-suitable bon bon in the same flavour. Both come as 3kg bulk bags.
Sour Punch Watermelon Straws and Sour Patch Kids Watermelon
For a sourer take, Sour Punch Watermelon Straws 57g are sour candy straws in watermelon flavour, and Sour Patch Kids Watermelon Candy Bag 105g applies the brand's signature sour-then-sweet formula to the same flavour — a sharp, tangy coating that mellows into sweetness as you eat it.
Rowntree's Lollies Sour Watermelon
Rounding out the range, Rowntree's Lollies Sour Watermelon Flavour Sweets Sharing Bag 130g is a sour watermelon jelly sweet from Rowntree's own Lollies range, in a 130g sharing bag format.
Frequently asked questions
Why doesn't watermelon candy taste like real watermelon?
Real watermelon's key aroma compound is too unstable for commercial flavouring, so candy makers use ethyl butyrate instead — giving a distinct, recognisable "watermelon candy" taste rather than a true match to the fruit.
Which watermelon sweets do you stock?
Vidal Watermelon Sandwich, Kingsway Fizzy Watermelon Slices, Kingsway Veggie Watermelon Bon Bons, Sour Punch Watermelon Straws, Sour Patch Kids Watermelon, and Rowntree's Lollies Sour Watermelon.
Are any of your watermelon sweets vegetarian or vegan?
Kingsway Veggie Watermelon Bon Bons are labelled vegetarian-suitable. Check individual packs for the rest, as recipes can change.
What's the difference between the sour and non-sour watermelon sweets you sell?
Sour Punch, Sour Patch Kids and Rowntree's Lollies all use a sour-then-sweet profile. Vidal Watermelon Sandwich and the Kingsway lines are straightforwardly sweet.