It has been roughly three years since Skittles changed their classic lime flavor to green apple, and I’m still just as angry as I was when the change was made. I feel betrayed by the Skittles company and firmly believe that the green apple Skittle should be changed back to lime.
One of the main issues of this immense tragedy is that the "original" Skittles are no longer original, and there’s something to be said for nostalgia. There is no longer a way for me to enjoy the classic Skittles flavors that I did when I was a child, long before the animated faces constructed by Skittles that tell me to taste (and several other verbs) the rainbow. Skittles has taken away the gift of nostalgia from one of my favorite candies as a child. Now I hardly ever eat Skittles anymore due to the abomination of the green apple Skittle.
Aside from my personal qualms around the preservation of the original flavors, green apple just doesn’t match the flavor palate of the rest of the Skittles in the original packet. Lime matches and blends with the other flavors, and creates unique, yet classic pairings of flavor. The green apple simply sticks out like a sore thumb. I now find myself throwing out the green Skittles, because they do not belong. Lime and cherry; lime and orange; lime and lemon; and lime and grape all blend well together. All of those flavors are satiating, but subtle instead of in your face. Now with the change, there are muted flavors with one strong, in your face flavor. Eating a pack of Skittles has become the green apple show. Green apple doesn’t really pair with any of the flavors, and it’s just weird.
This diabolical change could have merely been alleviated by adding the green apple flavor to a different flavor packet, because Skittles now has several different packages other than original. Green apple could’ve easily just gone into one of the newer packages, rather than changing the original flavors. Lime has now been the one to switch packages, despite being a real original flavor. Lime was one of the flavors that made the original Skittles popular, yet has essentially been evicted to make room for the new kid that is said to be loved by everyone, but actually has no friends.
Skittles should take a hint from Coke, and bring back lime in a grand opening of "Skittles Classic", like Coca Cola did after the flop of New Coke. They could've rebranded. They could've introduced a new packet of just green apple Skittles. They could've stayed loyal to their fans. Unfortunately, Skittles will likely follow in the footsteps of Maroon 5 on the trail of "Things from my childhood that were perfect the way they were and should never have changed, because now they are awful". It's not a catchy name for a trail, which is fitting, because like those who take that trail, they are an utter disappointment.
