American UFO confectionery

American UFO is a brand of nostalgic confectionery known as 'flying saucers.' These treats consist of a light, wafer-like outer shell made from starch, filled with a fizzy sherbet powder. Despite the 'American' branding, the product actually has deep European roots.

The history of this type of candy dates back to the early 1950s in Antwerp, Belgium. A producer of communion wafers named Belgica faced a decline in demand and innovated by using their existing wafer-making equipment to create saucer-shaped candy filled with sherbet. This invention coincided with the global fascination with the 'Space Race' and UFO sightings, making the shape an instant hit.

The manufacturing remains primarily in Belgium, often associated with Astra Sweets, which acquired the original Belgica brand. In Sweden and other Nordic markets, the product is frequently distributed by Green Sales Distributions AB. The branding uses the 'American' name and star-spangled imagery to lean into the retro-futuristic Americana aesthetic of the 1950s space age.