Skittles are small, round fruit chews that come in hard, sugar shells with the letter "s" printed on them, representing the sweet's name. They are similar in outward appearance to the plain variety of the chocolate M&M's, which, like Skittles, are produced by Masterfoods, a division of Mars, Incorporated.
Skittles Bite Size sweets, originally made by a company in England, were first introduced in the United States in 1974. Around 1981-1982, the production of Skittles began in the United States. Skittles sold in the United Kingdom are made in the Czech Republic, where Mars Incorporated makes them for export to many European Union markets. The company also produces the product in Victoria, Australia, for distribution in the New Zealand market.
Skittles are a non-kosher food and not vegetarian in the USA. However in Europe they are kosher and vegetarian because they do not contain any gelatin.