Featured image for Rotten Gummies is a Gory, Nostalgic Kick With Compostable Packaging

Rotten Gummies is a Gory, Nostalgic Kick With Compostable Packaging

by Rudy Sanchez on 09/09/2021 | 2 Minute Read

Eating candy is supposed to be a pleasant experience. Indulgent and often decadent, we munch on those sugary treats because it’s not only delightful, but it scratches that sweet-tooth itch.

Some of the best candy doesn't just please the palette and cause dopamine dumps on the dome; it's also a multi-sensory experience, having visual appeal in addition to taste, texture, and smell. New candy brand Rotten appeals aesthetically to our more sophomoric side while being flavored with real fruit and 70% less sugar (thanks to allulose) than traditional gummy worms.

Editorial photograph

The branding and packaging aim straight for our inner kid, with a grotesque yet cartoonish theme of insects feasting on decaying flesh. Think Adult Swim, skate art, Rat Fink, Garbage Pail Kids, and Toxic Avenger all rolled into one. Rotten brought in talented artist Josh Freydkis, whose work can be seen all over the network Adult Swim, including the popular Rick and Morty show.

Editorial photograph
Editorial photograph

The worms are for snacking by people, but the bag that the Rotten gummies come in is also a snack for the garden, as it's compostable.

“The bags are made of a home-compostable material created from eucalyptus pulp. They look and feel like regular plastic. It is fully zero-waste packaging as the wood pulp is from sustainably managed plantations, and the package itself decomposes back into the earth. It was super important for us to find a home-compostable solution as not all municipalities offer composting. Plus, the rules around industrial composting are different everywhere, which makes it super confusing as a consumer,” explained Michael Fisher, founder of Rotten.

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There’s a strong sense of nostalgia that seems most inspired by the late 80s and 90s horror, but like gummy worms, it has an appeal across multiple generations, though kids might not notice that Rotten gummies have less sugar.

Rotten gummies are available in Regular and Sour flavors at EatRotten.com.