Yellow mustard is a classic topping for savory foods like hot dogs and hamburgers. But does it belong in candy? French's seems to think so.
The condiment brand is releasing limited edition mustard-flavored Skittles in honor of National Mustard Day on Aug. 5. If the flavor pairing of tangy mustard and sweet candy seems bizarre to you, you're not alone. Consumers were extremely taken aback by the unexpected collaboration—and they weren't shy about sharing their feelings about the product on social media.
"Literally NOBODY was asking for these," one user posted on X (Twitter's new name after a recent rebrand).
"I love mustard, but why is this a thing?" another wrote.
French's has collaborated with several different companies and food businesses for the last couple of years to release attention-grabbing mustard treats for National Mustard Day. Last year, the McCormick-owned brand partnered with the Brooklyn-based Dough Doughnuts to craft limited-edition mustard-flavored doughnuts. French's also released mustard-flavored beer in partnership with Oskar Blues Brewery in 2020 and partnered with Coolhaus in 2019 for a mustard-flavored ice cream.
Valda Coryat, North America vice president of marketing for McCormick & Company, said the company wanted to "outdo ourselves" for National Mustard Day in 2023.
"We are thrilled to collaborate with Skittles to deliver our beloved Classic Yellow Mustard tang in a new, fun way to French's and Skittles fans alike," Coryat said in a statement.
These strange Skittles won't be available for purchase in regular grocery stores. However, French's is giving away packs of mustard Skittles at a few pop-up events next week as a bright yellow "Mustard Mobile" bus tours the country. Here are the dates, times, and locations for each of the events:
- July 31: Atlanta, Ga. – Ponce City Market from 11 a.m.-3 p.m.
- August 2: Washington D.C. – City Center from 11 a.m.-3 p.m.
- August 5: New York City – Hudson River Park from 11 a.m.–3 p.m.
If you're not close enough to make it to one of these pop-up events, there's one other way you can potentially get your hands on the limited-production mustardy candy. Customers can also win fun-size packs by entering online sweepstakes on the French's website. Submissions will only be accepted through Aug. 5, so adventurous eaters shouldn't wait too long before entering.