Better-for-you sour candy company Joyride (formerly Project 7) has undergone quite the transformation since leaning into creator culture with its relaunch in 2024, which saw YouTube star Ryan Trahan join the brand as an investor, part owner and chief creative officer.
The pivot included the discontinuation of all prior products aside from sour strips. Since the relaunch, Joyride has expanded its portfolio to include 11 SKUs of gummy candies like ropes, wedges and gummy busters – all of which are free from artificial colors and contain 80% less sugar than conventional options.
This year, the candy company raised a $30 million round, according to a Form D filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The funds will likely be used to support Joyride’s retail ramp-up; in 2024, the company was primarily focused on direct-to-consumer sales, but has since rolled out its products to thousands of stores nationwide, including major chains like Target, Whole Foods Market and CVS.
By leveraging Trahan’s audience of 21.8 million YouTube followers, the candy maker has successfully cracked the code on maintaining marketplace momentum as a creator-backed brand. As of September, Joyride was the number one candy in the sugar candy category at Target, surpassing legacy brands like Nerds, Sour Patch Kids and Skittles.
