Warheads were invented in Taiwan in 1975. It wasn't until 1993 that they were first imported to the United States by The Foreign Candy Company. They quickly became a sensation, with kids daring each other to see who could withstand the sourness the longest. By 1999, Warheads was reportedly a $40 million brand. In 2004, the brand was acquired by Impact Confections, who currently manufacture and distribute them in the United States.
The name "Warheads" comes from the idea that the sour taste is like a warhead going off in your mouth. The mascot, Wally Warhead, is often depicted with puckered lips and a small mushroom cloud above his head.