Shaquille O’Neal’s newest oversized gummy candy is called Shaq-A-Licious SLAMS. Announced by The Hershey Company on January 7, 2026, it pairs three crunchy-coated gummy balls with a chewy, sour mango ring designed for dunking. The nationwide retail rollout was scheduled to begin that month, according to Hershey’s announcement.
What are Shaq’s new gummies?
Shaq-A-Licious SLAMS is a basketball-inspired format in the Shaq-A-Licious line, which Hershey makes in partnership with Shaquille O’Neal. Each piece combines three crunchy-coated gummy balls—in watermelon, strawberry and orange—with one chewy, sour mango gummy ring. Hershey’s concept is to dunk the balls into the ring, making the combination of shapes and textures central to the product. These are product descriptions, not independent taste-test findings. Hershey announced the format on January 7, 2026.
How SLAMS fit into the Shaq-A-Licious lineup
SLAMS are a later addition, not the original launch. Hershey introduced Shaq-A-Licious XL Gummies in 2024 with Original and Sour varieties, then added sneaker-shaped gummies in 2025. The official Hersheyland brand page describes these varieties:
| Variety | Shape or format | Flavors |
|---|---|---|
| SLAMS | Crunchy-coated gummy balls paired with a chewy, sour ring | Watermelon, strawberry and orange balls; sour mango ring |
| Sneaker-shaped gummies | Sneakers | Strawberry, mango and lime |
| Original XL Gummies | XL gummies | Peach, orange and berry punch |
| Sour XL Gummies | XL gummies shaped around Shaq nicknames | Pineapple, mixed berry and green watermelon |
Hersheyland lists the Original Flavors product in a 6.2 oz bag; that package detail is specific to that product, not a stated size for every variety. See the official Original Flavors product page.
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When did Shaq-A-Licious launch?
The line began in 2024 with Original and Sour XL Gummies. Hershey’s September 10, 2024 blog post compared category growth over the preceding five years, reporting that gummies grew 11.8% while chocolate grew 6.3%; those are the company’s figures and period, not independently verified market-wide measurements. Hershey’s 2024 post also provides the launch context.
In a September 10, 2025 release announcing the sneaker-shaped gummies, Hershey said the original XL launch was its number-one sweets launch of 2024 and had sold more than 11 million units. Those are company-reported sales figures; the release does not establish an independent audit. Read Hershey’s 2025 announcement.
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Where can you buy Shaq-A-Licious gummies?
Hershey described SLAMS as available at retailers nationwide, with rollout beginning in January 2026. That announcement establishes the intended distribution, not whether a particular shop has the product in stock today. Hersheyland lists the varieties and product details, but current store inventory and prices are not established here; check a retailer directly for availability and the package that matches the variety you want.
Hershey also promoted SLAMS around Final Four weekend in a March 31, 2026 announcement, calling Shaq-A-Licious the official gummy partner of the NCAA tournament for a second consecutive year. That describes the promotion at that time; it does not establish a partnership continuing in future years. See Hershey’s dated announcement.
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