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The Hershey Company has expanded its celebrity collaboration portfolio with the nationwide launch of Shaq-A-Licious SLAMS, a new gummy candy developed in partnership with basketball legend Shaquille O'Neal.

The product introduces a novel "balls-and-hoop" format to the confectionery aisle, engineered to offer a multi-textural and interactive consumption experience that gamifies the act of snacking.

Product Architecture and Flavour Profile

Departing from standard uniform gummy shapes, SLAMS are designed to mimic a basketball play. The candy consists of two distinct components with contrasting textures:

• The "Balls": Three sweet, crunchy gummy spheres available in Watermelon, Strawberry, and Orange flavours.

• The "Hoop": A chewy, sour Mango ring.

The format encourages consumers to physically interact with the product—lining up the balls or "dunking" them into the ring—before consumption, creating a unique sweet-and-sour flavour combination.

Innovation Strategy: The 'Play' Factor

The launch leans heavily into the "kidult" trend and the demand for multisensory snacking experiences. By explicitly encouraging consumers to "play with their food," Hershey aims to differentiate the product in a crowded gummy market often defined by static shapes.

Vivek Mehrotra, Senior Brand Manager for Shaq-A-Licious at The Hershey Company, highlighted the R&D focus: "SLAMS is a game-changer for the Shaq-A-Licious brand and showcases our approach to candy innovation. Stacking crunchy gummy balls inside a sour mango ring creates a multi-textural bite unlike anything else in the gummy aisle. The balls-and-hoop format transforms candy into a hands-on experience—inviting fans to build, play, and personalise every piece."

Shaquille O'Neal commented on the playful nature of the product, aligning it with his personal brand identity:

Commercial Availability

Shaq-A-Licious SLAMS are available immediately at retailers nationwide across the United States.