Jolly Ranchers: The hard candy gets a softer option with these beans that the judges said surprisingly retains the flavors of the the candy. For those who liked it, they liked the juicy, vibrant flavors offered by Starbursts. Starbursts: Perhaps the most popular candy-inspired jelly bean, this fruity confection was a big hit with almost every person on the panel but one judge called them too sugary. It was deemed the classic jelly bean by one judge. Just a small bag offers 20 flavors and some of the judges said it was really unbeatable because of the variety.

Jelly Belly: The stalwart jelly bean brand is unparalleled in the flavors it offers, and our panel of judges took note. With so many options for the taking, a few members of the StarNews team assembled to conduct a taste test of five popular brands to see which one reigns supreme. Jelly Belly, the most popular brand of the flavored beans, said that enough of its product was eaten in the last year to circle the planet more than five times.

Not only did jelly beans have a big fan in President Ronald Reagan, who always had some on hand and even sent them into space, they are still among the most consumed candies in the world. The jelly bean industry is a fascinating corner of the candy world. The colorful candy is synonymous with the Easter Bunny’s big day and fills shelves every year with traditional flavors, new attempts and some questionable flavors daring true connoisseurs to give them a taste. WILMINGTON - Every holiday has their signature sweets, but few have as many brand options as Easter’s feast of jelly beans.

Sweet tart jelly beans