Italian candy doesn’t discriminate. Whether you’re a kid craving something syrupy, sweet, and synthetic, a teenager pining for a milky caramella, or an adult looking for something with anise and menthol to cure the sniffles, the confectionary counter has something in store for you.
And while Italy has stacks of sweet treats that have achieved “icon” status, there are some candies from other parts of the world that have become staple parts of Italian culture, too. Scroll down to discover which iconic (mostly Italian) candy matches your personality….
ARIES
In a fitting tribute to the first sign of the zodiac, Aries finds its match in the first candy that most Italian children purchase with a sticky handful of their own pocket money: the GOLEADOR. The chewy 10-cent cola, fruit, and licorice-flavored treat is the ultimate kid’s candy, and quick-tempered, loud, yet colorful Aries is often considered the child of the zodiac. When not being bought by the under-nine crowd, the Goleador is usually an impulse purchase brought on by a well-placed box of the candies right by the checkout till–and impulsive is Aries’ middle name. Goleador has been around for thirty years, and it started with a limited number of flavors before slowly branching out into the vibrant sour shocks and dual berry and lemon flavors we know and love today. Aries is much the same way, stubborn and hard-headed at first (one day, we might assign them Cinque Terre), but will gradually come around to new ways of thinking given a bit of time. And of course, there are few signs more driven and ambitious than Aries. The ram shoots and scores!
TAURUS
ROSSANA: the best-loved candy in Italy was born in 1926, in Perugia (an undiscovered gem of Italy), and its recipe, packaging and invariable popularity have remained virtually unchanged since then. Some might call that stubbornness, but for Taurus, that’s just timelessness. Old souls and luxury lovers, Taureans appreciate the classics and find delight in small, savored moments for themselves, which is exactly what a red-dressed, milky, soft-centered Rossana affords. Known and loved by nonnas all over Italy, the Rossana is usually found at the bottom of a handbag or piled high in a crystal bowl. It gets its namesake from the red-haired heroine of Edmond Rostand’s 1897 romantic tragedy Cyrano de Bergerac. In the play, Rossana is the unwitting object of everyone’s affections, which certainly draws parallels with Taurus and its effortless charm, attractive stability, and emotional intelligence. Finally, the bull of the zodiac isn’t afraid to roll up its sleeves and get the hard work done, and Rossana’s ubiquitous marketing campaigns throughout the 60’s and 70’s (which featured sultry-eyed women gazing lovingly at the crimson candies) are proof that this sweet treat has put in the work to get to the top.
GEMINI
There is no candy with as many personalities as TORRONE. Morbido, duro, filled with almonds, laced with surprising citrus flavors, crumbly as paste, or sticky as caramel; the torrone is diverse and divisive, much like the twins of the zodiac. Quick-witted, adaptable, and curious Geminis are quirky and show different personalities depending on their company, much like the torrone varies between regions. Classic torrone from Cremona, in Lombardy, is the safest and most basic of sugar and egg-white recipes, a fail-safe option that everyone will enjoy sharing during Italian Christmas. In Sardinia, sugar is traded for honey, giving rise to a more intense and less sweet flavor, while in Campania, torrone campano has its own mishmash of ingredients that can include chocolate, lemon, or coffee. Cooking time also varies greatly, with hard torrone sitting in an oven for ten hours and soft torrone only getting a three-hour bake. Anyone who’s ever spent time with a Gemini will know that they can be sweet and soft one moment and brittle and sour the next. But, we digress; 180-year-old Sperlari is the producer of Italy’s most popular torrone and torroncini, and you’re sure to find a match within their offerings for every Gemini mood.
CANCER
There is something inherently comforting and nurturing about a brightly-colored cardboard box of Swiss-made, Italian-loved RICOLA. It’s usually pressed into your sweaty palm during long winding road trips when you feel a little queasy or when you start to notice the early twinges of a cough or cold (or perhaps a colpo d’aria), and that knack for perfect timing, preparedness, and common sense is Cancer to its core. For these water signs, the intrinsic ability to understand other people’s emotions and provide therapeutic advice is aligned with Ricola’s “soothingly good” tagline. Cancerians know exactly what to say and when to say it, without coming across as overbearing or pushy, just like the understated nature of the Ricola. The herbal recipes and medicinal flavor profile are perfect for these hypochondriacs, but remember; the crab can be clingy and high-maintenance as well, and the 12 specially-selected and expertly-blended Swiss herbs that go into the Ricola recipe are fitting evidence of that.
LEO
Like the attention-loving, sun-ruled Leo, the PASTIGLIE LEONE hogs the limelight at the counter of every (upmarket) chemist, bar, or tabaccheria in Italy. With its exquisitely detailed packaging, iconic display stands, and huge spectrum of flavors, this is a candy that is extra with a capital E. The flavor selection is one of the most unique elements of these chewy, fruity, dud-shaped candies and a shared love for a specific flavor has the power to cement friendships for life. The lion is a natural-born leader and that pioneering spirit can be seen in Leone’s roots dating back to 1857, when it began producing bite-sized pastilles for Italians to enjoy as a non-alcoholic digestif at the end of a meal. A new lion took over the business when it was purchased by Giselda Balla Monero, affectionately known as la leonessa in 1934, and production was transferred from Alba to Turin. Now, Pastiglie Leone has been purchased by a private company that remains unnamed and has branched out into Instagram-worthy gifts that scream self-absorbed, but in the most lovable, Leo way.
VIRGO
Reliable and dependable Virgo draws parallels to the best-loved classic ALPENLIEBE. These caramelly candies are produced by Italian company Perfetti Van Melle, but the company has a Dutch side as well and those Germanic influences evoke the problem-solving, practical nature of the Virgo. The candy comes in two main flavors–classic, fudgy caramel or fruity, fresh strawberries-and-cream–and for the humble sixth sign, this selection is both simple and fuss-free, while absolutely nailing two of the most popular candy flavors (since of course, it’s exactly like Virgo to be perfect at everything). These Mercury-ruled signs are critical thinkers who have masses of patience, don’t like to rush things, and thrive under pressure; similarly, it takes a lot of sucking to get the hard-boiled Alpenliebe to crack. This earth sign feels most at home in nature, and Alpenliebe translates to “love of mountains” in German, so it’s a match made in heaven.
LIBRA
Equable, fair, and prone to staying neutral, the Libra is a Zodiac who likes to be liked. So too is the FRUITELLA, the inoffensive, easily-flavored waxy candy that has carved out a reputation as something of an icon in its 93-year tenure. After all, it was Fruitella that spoofed popular songs “Let’s Talk About Sex” and “I’m Too Sexy” for their UK commercials, and it was described in British cult film Anuvahood as “badman” candy. What’s a badman candy, exactly? It’s the candy of choice for the coolest kid on the block. Librans are affable all-rounders who appreciate aesthetics and are extroverted in social scenarios. They can be insecure below the surface though, worried they have only superficial connections with the people around them and that they’re nobody’s first choice. Fruitella, with its limited flavors, is a solid choice of candy, but it may not be the first pick for everyone.
SCORPIO
Deeply secretive, slightly obsessive, and highly unpredictable, water-ruled Scorpios can be a rollercoaster of moods and emotions. SELZ SODA are the same way, starting off hard and sweet, and breaking down into a tart, tongue-prickling powder that keeps your mouth constantly trying to understand the taste. These hard candies have a sting, exactly like the poignant barbs of the scorpion’s tail and perfectly reminiscent of Italy’s sourest citruses. And exactly like Scorpios, the hard outer shell is merely a facade for a complex, yet intense, center that is fizzing with excitement. These water signs like to keep their business to themselves and remain under the radar; the producer of Selz Soda, Ligurian company Elah Dufour, is the same way. Selz Soda isn’t something you buy, it’s something you acquire–but if you develop a taste for them, you can become a little obsessed with the zingy, citrusy explosions. They’re refreshing candies too, much like those who are fond of Scorpios will find them to be bracing, invigorating personalities. Enjoy them in small quantities though, or else that sour edge will leave a bad taste in your mouth.
SAGITTARIUS
Fun and lively characters that are full of energy, the Sagittarius finds an alliance in Dufour’s sugary, colorful BIG FRUIT. These vibrant jelly candies are best shared (perfect for this sociable fire sign) and you know exactly what you’re getting and where you stand with them, which is exactly how blunt, sharp-tongued Sagitarrius operates. Regardless, Sagittarius is one of the zodiac’s most positive signs, with an upbeat nature that’s practically infectious; their smiles are as bright as the flavor and color of these candies. Big Fruit is the ideal candy for those impulsive archers who can’t quite commit, since each bag has a good selection of exotic flavors (like Mediterranean peach and tropical pineapple) to keep you on your toes. Sagittarians have bags of confidence and big mouths that usually get them into trouble, but at their hearts they’re big old softies, just like these gummies.
CAPRICORN
The humble TIC TAC is one of the most overlooked and underappreciated of sugary pick-me-ups; constantly underestimated and written off as a breath-freshener and nothing more. Down-to-earth and hard-working earth sign Capricorn can often feel like a TicTac. They do all the work with little reward, and feel like they’re overshadowed by the more zesty and “cool” candies of the world. But what they’re forgetting is that the TicTac is the workhorse of the confectionery counter, packing a strong minty punch in a fingernail-sized lozenge and finely-tuned to have one of the most well-engineered and practical of packagings. After all, how many other candies do you know that pop out of their containers in a perfect portion as cleanly and smoothly as the TicTac? Efficiency, perfectionism, and organization are the mottos that Capricorn lives by, but they do have a fun and creative side as well. Produced by Ferrero, TicTacs used to be called Refreshing Mints but they changed their name to TicTac to emanate the iconic noise that they make inside their container. They used to come in one flavor–the mint that grows and thrives in the Piedmont region–and they now come in almost 80 flavors. And that’s excluding limited editions. Finally, did you know that one TicTac takes about 24 hours to produce? That level of diligence and attention to detail is shared only by Capricorn.
AQUARIUS
Aquarians are contrarians who don’t appreciate anything mainstream, want the underdog to win, and like to be the voice of the people. When GOLIA was born in 1913, it was founded by a young Milanese man named Davide Caremoli, who defied the odds by producing a totally new type of candy that would be very small and flavored with aniseed and balsamic. He sold it at a fixed price of one lira, and because of its tiny size and his name, he decided to name it Golia (Goliath). Its affordable price tag and new format made it wildly popular as both a sweet treat and a medicinal product, earning it the tagline “for the voice and for the throat of Goliath there is only one”. For unconventional, original Aquarius, these simple, chewy licorice candies are perhaps a little too mainstream for them these days–but the fact is, Aquarians are usually popular and well-liked, even without trying particularly hard.
PISCES
The old-school GALATINE is the match for Pisces, another sign which is somehow wise beyond its years and childishly naïve at the same time. Head-in-the-clouds Pisces is the same as Galatine, which seems to exist in its own little world, barely changing its flavor or packaging since its inception in 1956. Perhaps this is why Galatine, with its iconic porcelain white, sky blue, and bold red packaging was given historic “Made in Italy” status in 2021. Chalky, milky, and sold as 100% Italian milk-based candies, the round Galatine started life as an oblong candy that was sold exclusively in pharmacies. It wasn’t until the 90s that they were introduced into supermarkets and bars (and it was 1996 that the shape was changed) but even now, many people still believe Galatine is a healthy, calcium-rich low-fat treat. That dash of optimism suits creative, dreamy Pisces to a tee.
