Target expands candy lineup with JOYRIDE prebiotic sweets nationwide

Target is widening its candy mix with three new JOYRIDE drops, a move that shows how the chain is using the front end and the candy aisle to sell more than just chocolate and old-line gummies. JOYRIDE Fruit Chews, Fruity Zips and Sour Zips are now listed nationwide at Target stores and on Target.com for $4.99 per 3.5-ounce bag, and Target’s product pages tag each item as “Prebiotic/Probiotic.”

That positioning matters on the sales floor. Fruit Chews come in Strawberry, Lemon, Cherry Berry and Fun Drink. Fruity Zips come in Fun Drink, Lemon, Cherry Berry, Blue Raspberry and Lime. Target’s JOYRIDE brand page already shows 29 results, which makes clear this is not a one-off test but a growing candy presence that can influence checkout traffic, guest questions and basket-building in the food and beverage set.

For team members, the appeal is easy to explain in plain language: JOYRIDE is pitching candy that looks familiar but is sold as a lower-sugar alternative. The brand says its sweets use real ingredients, have at least 50 percent less sugar than leading brands, and contain no artificial sweeteners or colors. JOYRIDE also describes the candy as a good source of prebiotic fiber. In a store where impulse purchases can make a difference, that kind of pitch can pull in guests who want a treat without the usual sugar load.

The launch also shows how Target keeps refreshing center-store and impulse assortments with products built for social buzz. JOYRIDE tied the release to Project Squircle, with a film set to premiere April 25, 2026. The brand says five select Target bags will include winning tickets for a trip tied to Ryan Trahan’s “50 States in 50 Days” series, turning a candy bag into a small piece of a larger creator-driven promotion.

JOYRIDE says founder Tyler Merrick started the company in 2022 to build better-for-you candy, then partnered with Trahan in spring 2022. The company’s FAQ says Trahan became co-owner and chief creative officer in 2023. That creator link helps explain why the brand keeps showing up in Target’s snack set: it blends nostalgia, health positioning and digital promotion in a format that can move fast at retail.

Target’s food and beverage business generated about $24.1 billion in sales in 2025, according to Statista, so even niche candy launches can matter. At the store level, the lesson is simple: when the display is clean, visible and easy to shop, a $4.99 bag of candy can become more than a grab-and-go item. It can become a reason for guests to stop, ask, and add one more thing to the basket.