Youtuber and candy connoisseur Ryan Trahan breaks world record with help from fans

Youtuber and social-media celebrity Ryan Trahan (US) loves candy. 

But whenever he was in the mood for a sweet treat, he was overwhelmed by the options: aisles at the store were filled with brightly-coloured concoctions chocked full of unnecessary additives and artificial ingredients. The former D1 athlete wanted something that tasted like his favourite junk food, but without the junk – and he knew he wasn’t the only one craving a healthier alternative.

So in 2022, JOYRIDE Sweets was born – a plant-based, naturally-flavoured, low-sugar line of delicious snacks created by Ryan and his business-partner Tyler Merrick. Containing at least 70% less sugar than their competitors, JOYRIDE offers everything from sour straws and gummy worms to watermelon wedges and cherry ropes. 

And now, the candy connoisseur has claimed a Guinness World Records title for his fantastic fan-marketing: by inviting his followers to post a picture of their favourite JOYRIDE product, Ryan received 1,733 tags in just 60 minutes, securing a record for most photos of people holding candy uploaded to Instagram in one hour.

“I’ve always been inspired by the idea that you should create something that you wish existed,” Ryan told Guinness World Records. “When I walked through the candy aisles, there was no candy that tasted amazing without the fake junk ingredients. That’s why we made JOYRIDE!”

The entrepreneur has gone viral many times, including for his penny series, and has over 20 million subscribers on YouTube. But he says “only in my wildest dreams” did he ever expect his candy to turn into a record-breaking experience. 

“At first, I was just so happy to see that people loved our candy. Now that we’ve set a world record, I know the sky’s the limit!”

To help Ryan achieve his goal, he asked his followers to take a picture of a bag of JOYRIDE at a Target store. They then had to post it on Instagram with the caption #joyridehour within a 60-minute window on 14 June – otherwise known as JOYRIDE Day, when the brand debuted at Target. 

Over 1,700 fans were happy to help, and they got JOYRIDE a brand-new record on that very day!

“This record is so much more gratifying knowing that I didn’t do it on my own,” said Ryan. “This is the JOYRIDE community’s world record. I couldn’t have done it without them!”

Did you help Ryan Trahan break candy history by posting a picture of JOYRIDE Sweets on your Instagram? Claim a sweet memento by going to the Guinness World Records store to get a Record Participant Certificate!

The Youtuber plans to keep making healthy and delicious candy for years to come, saying: “The future of JOYRIDE is simple – change the way the world eats candy. Our vision is to create the best candy in every category so that no matter what your favourite format is, there’s a JOYRIDE version that is the best of every world!”

Congratulations for your record, Ryan! We’re sure it tasted all the sweeter knowing you got it with a little help from your fans.

Header image: Alamy