Hi-Chew (ハイチュウ) is a brand of chewy candy made by the Japanese confectionary company Morinaga & Company. First introduced in 1975, Hi-Chew is known for its soft, elastic texture that is often described as being between chewing gum and soft taffy, and for its wide range of fruit and dessert-inspired flavors. Each piece typically consists of a flavored interior surrounded by a lighter outer layer.
Hi-Chew is sold across Asia, North America, Europe, and Oceania. It has become one of Morinaga’s flagship international brands, with more than 170 flavors having been released. In the United States, the brand has seen rapid growth since the 2010s, supported by expanded distribution, marketing partnerships, and the opening of a domestic production facility in North Carolina in 2016.
Origin
The origins of Hi-Chew trace back to the early 20th century, when Morinaga & Company founder Taichiro Morinaga conceived of creating an edible alternative to chewing gum that would avoid the Japanese cultural taboo against removing food from one's mouth in public.[1] In 1931, Morinaga & Co. developed a candy called Chewlets by combining chewy caramel with fruit flavorings. Although World War II brought the business to a halt, Morinaga rebuilt it after the war, and Chewlets evolved into the Hi-Chew format that the company introduced in 1975.[2]