Johannes Peter "Hans" Riegel, also known as Hans Riegel Jr., was a German entrepreneur who owned and operated the confectioner Haribo since 1946.

How did Hans Riegel JR die?

German Gummi Bear billionaire Hans Riegel died Tuesday from heart failure, according to the Haribo candy company that Riegel spent nearly 70 years running.

Why are they called gummy bears?

Gummy bears, of course! ... Riegel's first gummy candies were shaped like bears. He was inspired by the trained bears he had grown up watching at street festivals around Europe. The first base ingredient Riegel used was gum arabic, which led to the name gummy bears.