Some may consider the color white as the absence of color. However, when it comes to Airheads white mystery flavor, there is no absence of flavor at all!
But even after thorough chewing and judging, it is hard to guesstimate what flavor the white mystery is. You could be blindfolded and have the same chance of guessing what flavor one batch of White Mystery is.
So what flavor is Airheads White Mystery?
Leftover Airheads that didn’t make it to final packaging are mixed and used as white mystery flavor.
That means one day they can taste like grapes; on another day, they’ll taste like the cherry flavor! Even though you can’t really tell exactly what flavor it is, it’s always sweet and tasty.
This novelty is the main reason why white mystery is a popular choice.
Is the mystery flavor always the same?
There is no one single flavor that covers every possible mystery flavor. Across different batches, the taste does seem to be slightly different.
Anecdotally, the mystery flavor seems to be the same within the same batch or case. (I can’t completely tell, my taste buds confuse me sometimes).
Why are they white?
No, it is not because they are coconut-flavored. Though this does sound like an interesting Airhead flavor.
Each Airhead starts as a white color before dyes are added later on. The Airheads that didn’t make it to the dying process are combined with other flavored, colorless Airheads.
As one batch ends and another batch starts, the excess Airheads are then mixed without having any food coloring added. This is partly why a cherry-tasting White Mystery tastes a little different from a true cherry Airhead. There might be a hint of watermelon or grape along with it.
The Fruit Punch vs White Mystery Test
Matthew Fenton, the Assistant Brand Manager of Airheads back in 1993, was tasked with developing a new flavor to add to the market.
Two flavors were sampled by elementary students: one flavor was whatever (Fruit Punch for the sake of discussion), and the other was White Mystery.
In terms of taste and texture, both flavors scored similarly. However, what came next was the beginning of something special.
The kids started to debate among themselves what flavor White Mystery was. They were guessing flavors that were not even available yet, such as lemon or coconut. At the time, Matthew just used a popular Airheads flavor and turned it white.
Guess what? 5 percent of the students guessed the right flavor.
“We gotta launch White Mystery Airheads, pronto.”
White Mystery Airheads then swept the market since 1993.
Decades later, White Mystery Airheads are still hitting the shelves of any confectionary aisle, puzzling anybody who takes a bite. Great stuff, Matthew.
Want to have a go guessing what flavor White Mystery is?
