HI-CHEW® Turns 50 Globally: Celebrate with 5 Limited-Edition Merchandise Items

From plush bags, bucket hats, to collectible pins and more — available now exclusively on TikTok Shop, while supplies last!

IRVINE, Calif., Sept. 18, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- HI-CHEW^®, the immensely fruity, intensely chewy candy, is proudly celebrating its 50^th anniversary globally. To mark this milestone, HI-CHEW^® is releasing a special collection of limited-edition merchandise, available exclusively in the U.S. through TikTok Shop, while supplies last.

Since its founding in Japan in 1975 by Morinaga & Company, HI-CHEW^® has expanded its reach globally, officially entering the U.S. market in 2008 and creating over 300 unique flavors to date. Over the past five decades, the brand has celebrated numerous milestones - including the debut of its playful mascot, Chewbie, and even earning certification for space travel. Today, HI-CHEW^® is the best-selling chewy candy in Japan and continues to thrive in the U.S., with sales rising from $8 million in 2012 to over $100 million in 2022 and growing by more than 30% since then.

To celebrate the 50th anniversary and share the joy of this milestone, HI-CHEW^® is launching five exclusive, limited-edition items in honor of the five decades of the brand's flavorful history. This vibrant collection reflects HI-CHEW's lively personality through a playful mix of colorful accessories, designed to be both feel-good and timeless. Whether you're shopping for the perfect gift for a HI-CHEW^® enthusiast or treating yourself to something special, there is an item for everyone.

• Printed Patch ($8.59): Celebrate 50 years of HI-CHEW^® with this printed patch featuring the anniversary logo and pillow packs of top-selling flavors from HI-CHEW^® Original Mix: Strawberry, Grape, Green Apple, and Mango. A perfect addition to your backpack, jacket, and more. For some lucky members of the Chew Crew, they can add this patch to their exclusive Chew Crew Jacket to level up the brand love.
• Enamel Pins ($14.59): This set features three unique pin designs: the new packaging of HI-CHEW^® Original Mix, the original Strawberry Stick packaging from 1975, and the commemorative 50th anniversary logo in both English and Japanese. These vibrant pins are perfect for adding a pop of color to your favorite jacket, tote bag, or any accessory.
• Enamel Bag Charms ($14.59 each): This bag charm features three designs: the new packaging of HI-CHEW^® Original Mix, the original Strawberry Stick packaging from 1975, and the commemorative 50th anniversary logo in English and Japanese. Add this to your favorite bag or key chain for a fun way to show off your love for HI-CHEW^®! 
• Bucket Hat ($26.90): This trendy reversible hat, inspired by HI-CHEW^®'s signature yellow and blue, is designed with the Chew Crew in mind – HI-CHEW's exclusive members-only fan community. Stylish and versatile, this hat adds a fun pop of color and flair to any outfit!
• Plush HI-CHEW^® Shaped Purse ($34.90): Inspired by the classic HI-CHEW^® pillow pack packaging, this vibrant yellow purse is ideal for carrying your personal HI-CHEW^® stash on the go! Fun, functional, and full of flavor-inspired flair. Join the wait list to be the first to know when it launches.

"We're incredibly grateful to celebrate 50 years of HI-CHEW^® with the fans who've made it all possible," said Teruhiro Kawabe (Terry), Chief Representative for the USA & President, CEO of Morinaga America, Inc. "The love for HI-CHEW^® continues to grow, and it's been amazing to see people of all ages share their passion for the brand. This commemorative collection is a fun and unique way to bring that energy and our appreciation to life. And for the first time ever, we're launching our brand on TikTok Shop, meeting fans where they already love to shop. It's the perfect way to celebrate 50 years of HI-CHEW^® with our fans."

The collection is available now, exclusively on HI-CHEW's TikTok Shop (@HICHEWUSA) while supplies last. HI-CHEW^® is made with concentrated fruit juices, and both natural and artificial flavors, and contains no colors from synthetic sources. HI-CHEW^® is also gluten-free. To learn more about HI-CHEW^®, visit HI-CHEW.com, like us on Facebook, and follow us on Instagram (@HICHEWUSA) and TikTok (@HICHEWUSA).

About Morinaga America, Inc.:
Established in 2008, Morinaga America, Inc. is the official distributor of HI-CHEW^®, HI-SOFT™, and Chargel™ in the United States. Morinaga America, Inc. (marketing and sales) and Morinaga America Foods, Inc. (manufacturing) are wholly-owned subsidiaries of Morinaga & Co., Ltd., which began in 1899 as the first, modern candy maker and producer of chocolates in Japan. In 2015, Morinaga America, Inc. opened its first United States manufacturing facility in North Carolina. With over 300 flavors of HI-CHEW^® having debuted in Japan, Morinaga America, Inc. has introduced the United States market to the best of Japanese confectionery.

About HI-CHEW^®:
Choose Different. Choose Fun. Chew HI-CHEW^®. The history of Morinaga stretches back over a century when company founder Taichiro Morinaga brought his candy-making skills to Japan from America in the 1800s. HI-CHEW^® has long been the best-selling soft candy in Japan and continues to see year-over-year growth throughout other parts of Asia and in the United States. In the United States, HI-CHEW^® is currently offered in sticks, peg bags, and stand-up pouches. The HI-CHEW^® sticks come in a variety of flavors including Strawberry, Green Apple, Mango, Grape, Banana, Kiwi, Açaí, Sweet & Sour Watermelon, and new Blue Raspberry. HI-CHEW^® also offers peg bags in the following flavors: Original Mix, Tropical Mix, Superfruit Mix, Sweet & Sour Mix, Soda Pop Mix, Berry Mix, Plus Fruit, Fantasy Mix, Reduced Sugar, Dessert Mix, and new Getaway Mix. The Stand-Up Pouches are available in Original Mix, Tropical Mix, Sweet and Sour Mix, Fruit Combos, Infrusions Orchard Mix, Dessert Mix, and new Getaway Mix. HI-CHEW^® Bites are unwrapped in bite-size packaging in Mango, Green Apple, and Strawberry flavors. HI-CHEW^® Gummies and HI-CHEW^® Gummies Sour reimagine the brand's iconic chewlets in a new gummy form. HI-CHEW^® is made with concentrated fruit juices and is free of gluten, with no colors from synthetic sources. HI-CHEW^® continues to expand fruity, chewy flavor offerings annually. In 2020, HI-CHEW^® won a Nielsen Design Impact Award for its new Original Mix packaging update that hit shelves in 2019. For more information, visit HI-CHEW.com.

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