Business Notes CONFECTIONS

If you thought Garbage Can Kids were disgusting, get ready to gag again. One of the hottest new novelty candies is Boogers, a gummy-type, fruit-flavored candy shaped like -- you guessed it -- the blobs that obstruct nasal passages. Since its introduction last year, the gross-out confection has grossed $2 million in sales (cost: 40 cents a pack). "It's the most successful introduction we've ever had," says John Sullivan of Confex, in Shrewsbury, N.J., which distributes Boogers. "It's quite a good candy," he unapologetically insists.

The sick idea came to inventor Tom Berquist three years ago during a discussion of why kids enjoy revolting things. Says he: "I think they get more control over their environment. The more the parents scream, the more the kids want the candy." Parents are not too keen on the promotional campaign either. Appearing at radio stations around the country to hand out free samples to fans is the Boogerman: an actor costumed as a 6-ft.-tall, green, slimy . . . Oh, yech!