Haribo Appoints Jon Hughes as US CEO & Opens First Retail Stores

ROSEMONT, IL, August 7, 2026 — Opening a brick-and-mortar storefront in 2026 feels counterintuitive, especially for a brand whose products are already sitting in literally every grocery store checkout lane in the country. But Haribo of America is doing exactly that. According to the company's official announcement, the German confectionery giant is launching its first-ever physical retail stores…

ROSEMONT, IL, August 7, 2026 — Opening a brick-and-mortar storefront in 2026 feels counterintuitive, especially for a brand whose products are already sitting in literally every grocery store checkout lane in the country.

But Haribo of America is doing exactly that. According to the company’s official announcement, the German confectionery giant is launching its first-ever physical retail stores on U.S. soil.

The strategic move coincides with a major leadership shakeup at the top of the organization. Jon Hughes, who recently served as the Managing Director for Haribo U.K. & Ireland, has stepped in as the new President & CEO of Haribo of America.

His immediate mandate appears to be shifting the brand from a passive supermarket staple into an active, experiential retail destination.

Copying the Flagship Retail Playbook

The brand’s first retail store officially opened its doors today at Woodbury Common Premium Outlets in Central Valley, New York. A second location at Wrentham Village Premium Outlets in Massachusetts is slated to open shortly.

This is an immersive retail concept that Haribo has run successfully across Europe for years, but it marks a completely new experimental avenue for their North American business.

Why open dedicated shops for a product that typically costs less than three dollars a bag? It is about brand real estate and high-margin novelty sales.

Customizable “Pick-and-Mix” walls, exclusive brand merchandise, and limited-time seasonal treats turn a cheap candy purchase into an expensive, nostalgic event.

It is the exact same strategy that has kept Hershey and M&M’s flagship stores incredibly profitable in major tourist hubs.

Inside the New Haribo U.S. Retail Experience

The newly launched outlet locations are designed to be colorful, high-sensory environments that appeal directly to kids and nostalgic adults alike.

Key features of the new spaces include:

• Custom Pick-and-Mix: Shoppers can build their own custom candy blends from a massive wall of classic and hard-to-find international gummies.
• Exclusive Merchandise: Branded apparel, toys, and lifestyle items that you cannot find in a standard grocery store aisle.
• Immersive Brand Moments: Interactive displays and photo-ops featuring the iconic Haribo Goldbear mascot.

Haribo’s roots stretch back to 1920 in Bonn, Germany, when founder Hans Riegel started the company (the name is literally an acronym of HAns RIegel BOnn).

Today, the massive family-owned business employs roughly 8,500 people across 15 production sites globally.

Bringing this legacy to premium outlet malls in the U.S. is Hughes’ first major move to capture a larger slice of the American sweet tooth.

It is easy to dismiss this as just another physical marketing stunt. But as digital customer acquisition costs continue to climb across the board, physical retail spaces that double as giant, interactive billboards are proving to be surprisingly cost-effective.

Let us see if U.S. consumers are willing to drive out to an outlet mall just to build a custom bag of gummy bears.