Cola Gummies: Skulls, Sour Pacifiers and the Caffeine Question
We compare the three cola gummy lines we stock, two skulls and a sour pacifier, by texture, sourness and dietary tags, and check what their ingredient lists say about caffeine.
Cola gummies are gummy candies flavored like cola soda. The three cola lines we stock are two skulls and a sour pacifier, each with a sour or sugar-dusted finish. None of their ingredient lists names caffeine, and all three carry a vegan tag, though only one of them is tagged gluten-free.
We import these cola lines and handle the cases in our California warehouse. Below, each is compared on texture, sourness, dietary tags exactly as listed and case size, followed by what their ingredient lists say about caffeine.
What are cola gummies?
Cola gummies put the flavor of a cola soft drink into a chewy gummy candy. If you searched for cola candy, this page covers the cola gummies we import: skulls from BUBS and Matthijs, and Sura sour pacifiers. How sour each one tastes depends on its coating and shape, which is why the comparison below notes both.
How do the cola gummies we stock compare?
Sourness is a matter of taste, so treat those notes as a guide. Why flat, sanded pieces taste sharper is explained in our sour gummy guide.
- BUBS Cola Skulls: the cola skull that BUBS describes as charmigt sur, Swedish for "charmingly sour". Tags as listed: gelatin-free, vegan. Our listing does not give a case weight. More in our BUBS skulls guide.
- Matthijs Cola Skulls: a sugar-dusted skull gummy from Matthijs, a Netherlands-based maker. Tags as listed: gluten-free, halal, vegan, vegetarian. The ingredient list we hold names modified starch from gluten-free wheat, corn and potato. Sold as a 4.41 lb (2 kg) bag, with a case of six bags as an option on the same product page. The full range is in our Matthijs candy guide.
- Sura Colanappar: sura nappar is Swedish for sour pacifiers, and these are soft cola pacifiers under a tart sugar coating. The flat shape carries more coating per gram than a standard gummy, so they taste the sharpest of the three. Tags as listed: halal, vegan. The ingredient list we hold names wheat starch. A 6.61 lb (3 kg) case. The shape's story is in our sura nappar guide.
Cola cases we stock
Do cola gummies have caffeine?
The ingredient lists we hold for our three cola lines do not name caffeine, and they do not name an ingredient such as coffee, tea or chocolate either. That is where US labels must declare added caffeine: according to the FDA, packaged foods must list caffeine in the ingredients when it is added as a stand-alone ingredient, and when caffeine comes naturally from an ingredient such as chocolate, that ingredient appears on the list instead.
For the cola taste, all three lists name flavoring. For color, the BUBS list names the coloring E150a and the Matthijs list names E150c, while the Sura list names no coloring, though it does include caramelized sugar. Other cola candy can differ, and recipes change, so the pack in hand is the final word.
Which cola gummy should you buy?
- For sour fans: Sura Colanappar, the flattest and sharpest of the three.
- For a skull section: BUBS Cola Skulls and Matthijs Cola Skulls side by side give two takes on the same flavor and shape. Our skulls guide explains how each maker builds its skulls.
- For a gluten-free shelf: Matthijs Cola Skulls is the only one of the three tagged gluten-free. The Sura ingredient list names wheat starch.
- For a halal shelf: Matthijs Cola Skulls and Sura Colanappar are tagged halal. BUBS Cola Skulls carries no halal tag, so sign it without one.
- For a vegan shelf: all three carry a vegan tag. BUBS Cola Skulls is also tagged gelatin-free.
- For a warm or humid shop: keep all three sealed until they go into a bin, and empty and refill bins rather than topping them off. A sugar coating pulls moisture from the air and turns sticky, and our shelf life guide covers storage in more depth.
All three cola lines are in our store with their public Tier 1 prices. Shops order by the case, mix and match, with no order minimum, and US orders ship from Santa Fe Springs, California by UPS Ground or UPS Express. To order, apply for a wholesale account.
Frequently asked questions
Do cola gummies have caffeine?+
The ingredient lists we hold for BUBS Cola Skulls, Matthijs Cola Skulls and Sura Colanappar do not name caffeine, or an ingredient such as coffee, tea or chocolate. In the US, caffeine added to a packaged food as a stand-alone ingredient has to appear in the ingredient list. Other brands can differ and recipes change, so read the pack in hand.
Are cola gummies vegan?+
It depends on the recipe, because some gummies are set with gelatin. All three cola lines we stock carry a vegan tag. BUBS Cola Skulls is tagged gelatin-free and vegan. Matthijs Cola Skulls is tagged gluten-free, halal, vegan and vegetarian. Sura Colanappar is tagged halal and vegan. For any other brand, check the label rather than assuming.
Are cola gummies sour?+
Some are. A sour cola gummy often carries a sugar-and-acid sanding, and a flat piece carries more of it per bite. Of our three, the flat Sura Colanappar tastes the sharpest, BUBS describes its cola skull as charmingly sour, and Matthijs Cola Skulls has a sugar-dusted finish. How sour each one feels is a matter of taste.
Are cola gummies gluten-free?+
Only one of our three cola lines is tagged gluten-free: Matthijs Cola Skulls, whose ingredient list names modified starch from gluten-free wheat, corn and potato. The Sura Colanappar ingredient list names wheat starch. BUBS Cola Skulls carries no gluten tag either way, so we make no claim about it. Check the pack if gluten matters to you.
How are cola gummies sold wholesale?+
By the case or bag. Sura Colanappar comes in a 6.61 lb (3 kg) case, and Matthijs Cola Skulls in a 4.41 lb (2 kg) bag with a case of six bags as an option. The BUBS Cola Skulls case weight is not on our listing. Tier 1 prices are public on every product page, and ordering needs a wholesale account, which approves automatically.
Keep reading
Gustav Lindqvist · Candy Master
Gustav grew up in Sweden on a strict Saturday-candy schedule, mixing his lördagsgodis bag at the lösgodis wall before he could spell salmiak. He has spent years tasting his way across Scandinavian candy, and now curates the range at TheSweetsTruck, from BUBS sour skulls to the saltiest licorice most people cannot finish.
Last updated 10/1/2026