Traditionally, pickled cucumber options have been fairly limited. Sweet or dill; spears or slices. But in recent years, Van Holten’s Pickle-In-A-Pouch introduced some wild takes on the crunchy green fruit that most of us mistakenly think is a vegetable. (It's true! Pickles are fruit since they are made from cucumbers, which are classified as fruits because they contain seeds and grow from the flower of the plant.)

Initially, quality pickles were the sole reason for the business's success, but over the years, collaborations with big-name companies expanded Van Holten's pickles to a world-wide market. 

“We create special packaging and flavors for our product mashups with these brands, and they have been incredibly popular," says Van Holten's President, Steve Bynes.

Van Holten’s Pickle-In-A-Pouch collaborated with iconic brands like Tapatio Hot Sauce, Warheads Sour Candy, Pickle Rick from the Rick and Morty Show, Mega Chamoy Sauce and, coming this fall, a Pringles pickle.

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The most popular collaboration to date has been with Warheads. Van Holten's #sourpicklechallenge went viral and caught the attention of millions on TikTok. 

"Since then, we’ve seen fans pairing our pickles with all sorts of sweet and sour candies to create their own colorful combinations as the extreme snacking trend continues to grow," says Brianne Covington, Van Holten's marketing director.

For some communities, combining pickles with candy is not a surprising combination. Putting a candy cane stick in a pickle, often referred to as a "peppermint pickle," is a common holiday treat for many, primarily Black families.

Van Holten’s started in 1898 on Milwaukee’s East Side as a vinegar distributor and added sauerkraut and pickles to its product line a few years later. Byrnes’ father, Jim, purchased the company from the fourth generation of Van Holtens in 1992. Today, it is located in Waterloo, Wis.

Van Holten’s Pickle-In-A-Pouch is available nationwide at most major retailers including Five Below, KwikTrip, Circle K, Publix, Kroger and Amazon. The pickles are also sold in Canada, Mexico, Europe, United Kingdom, Australia, the Middle East and South Africa. To find Van Holten’s pickles, visit vanholtenpickles.com/pickle-locator.

“Our international business has blown up beyond anything I could have even imagined,” says Byrnes. “I never thought we’d be receiving fan mail from Latvia, but here we are!"

The timing of pop-culture-meets-pickles is perfect. For the past decade, pickles have become more popular as food items because of their potential health benefits. This, along with Van Holten’s long-running sense of humor, with products like the Big Papa and the Hot Mama, has attracted hordes of new customers who want both a snack and a smile.

Also, major brands like Popeyes and Jimmy John's have jumped on the pickle wagon. Popeyes offered a limited-time pickle menu and Jimmy John's presented the “picklewich."

“Pickles are fun, especially a Pickle-In-A-Pouch! Everyone likes fun, so we are in a great position to bring a little joy to someone’s day,” says Byrnes.

Wanna get a free Van Holten's Pickle-In-A-Pouch this weekend? Here's more.