Nerds are a form of candy

Candy

Candy, specifically sugar candy, is a confection made from a concentrated solution of sugar in water, to which flavorings and colorants are added...

 currently sold by Nestlé

Nestlé

Nestlé S.A. is the world's largest food and nutrition company. Founded and headquartered in Vevey, Switzerland, Nestlé originated in a 1905 merger of the Anglo-Swiss Milk Company, established in 1867 by brothers George Page and Charles Page, and Farine Lactée Henri Nestlé, founded in 1866 by Henri...

 under their Willy Wonka Candy Company

The Willy Wonka Candy Company

The Willy Wonka Candy Company is a brand of candy owned by the Nestle company using licensed materials from Roald Dahl's Charlie & the Chocolate Factory and its two film adaptations for their packaging and marketing. The brand started in 1971, coinciding with the release of the first film adaptation...

 brand.

Nerds were first created and then launched in 1983 by Kevin Ruby Deering, who was Brand Manager, eventually becoming Vice President of Marketing and Technical Services until he left in 1992. Robert Boutin led his team with the product development and commercialization of Nerds. Nerds became the "Candy of the Year" in 1985 by NCWA.

Nerds are small irregularly-shaped sweets that come in a variety of flavors and are usually sold in a box that has two separate flavors, each with a separate opening mechanism.