These Indian Candies Will Make Every 80s And 90s Kid Super-Nostalgic

From the caffeine-rich Coffee Bite to fake-cigarette candy sticks from Harnik, we have rounded up a list of eight of India’s most popular candies from bygone decades to take you on a nostalgia trip. These candies may not be regular features at grocery stores today, but India’s 80s and 90s kids will never forget them.

Coffee Bite

Perhaps this delicious candy set the roots for our ever-deepening addiction to coffee today, but we doubt if anyone is complaining. Chewy, rich with the flavor of coffee and sweetened just about right, these delicious bite-sized candies had the adults hooked as much as it did the kids. Affordable and often-times perfect bought in bulk for birthday celebrations and other festivities, Coffee Bite is the ultimate 90’s candy.

Parle Rola Cola

Also known as ‘the solid cola,’ this super popular candy from Parle had 90s kids so hooked that they’ve formed a Facebook group to petition for its return even though it has been discontinued for years. Light and flavorful, these candies were just right for a summertime pick-me-up.

Harnik Phantom Sweet Cigarettes

Shaped like cigarettes, these white candy sticks were a 90s kid’s essential cool accessory. Even though they’ve disappeared from candy stores across the country, these sugary and chewy ‘cigarettes’ have seen a revival in popularity lately thanks to Harnik’s e-store.

Poppins

These fruity and colorful candies have had the country’s kids hooked since 1950, and that’s testament to how addictive they can be. Each candy in a Poppins pack has a tasty fruit flavor including lychee, strawberry, kaccha aam (raw mango), guava and orange.

Parle Kismi

Flavored with elaichi and caramel, this delicious toffee has a uniquely Indian taste. Available as bars and bite sized toffees, Kismi is now available in more notably Indian flavors including Kulfi, Rajbhog and Rosemilk. Clearly this is one candy we’re not quite ready to let go of yet.

Koka Naka

With a distinct coconut taste, this delicious candy was the trusted choice of anyone seeking a break from chocolate, caramel and other typical treats. Crunchy, creamy and sweet, Koka Nakas were all India’s 90s kids needed to be happy.

Mango Bite

This mango-flavored bite-sized candy from Parle may be among India’s most popular sugary treats. Richly flavored and wrapped in iconic yellow and green papers, these delicious candies let 90s kids savor the taste of mangoes all year long.

Swad

Though it was technically a digestive aid, this Ayurveda-based candy was nothing but delicious candy to kids across the country. With a distinct khatta-meetha (sour and sweet) taste, Swad comes with the goodness of a range of spices and herbs (which may make your past binges seem less destructive than they could have been.)