The end of an era

Cadbury Schweppes has announced they have stopped making three iconic Kiwi lollies, the Snifter, Sparkles and Tangy Fruit due to flagging sales. By 4pm on the day of the announcement on stuff.co.nz, a New Zealand news website, there were more than 600 comments almost exclusively from New Zealanders expressing sadness and anger at the demise of much loved Kiwi icons:

Luke said-

My first car was a light green mini with a brown interior that i lovingly referred to as the racing snifter. I loved sucking the hard shell off first then enjoying the chocolate before crunching down on that hard stuff (nougat?) I'll certainly miss the humble snifter and i know my wife will miss her movie time tangy fruits. BOO Cadbury, shame on you for condemning a kiwi icon

Cynthia said-

I am angry, "SNIFTERS" are the one sweet that I REALLY do enjoy & have for many years,!!!! don't eat heaps, but they are always there,!! a REAL OLD FAVOURITE. !! And MOST enjoyable. !!!

And Kiwi Anges said-

What on earth are Cadbury's doing? First of all they got rid of the chewy throaties without warning to any overseas kiwis and now snifters, jaffas and tangy fruits!!! Who is doing the market research.
Overseas visitors love all of these products and I have to bring large quantities of these products back to the US each time I return from the land of the long white cloud.
Cadbury's need to do better market research!
Very angry kiwi



Some were expats, horrified that they would no longer be able to get their fix on trips home:

From Caroline in Australia-

What! the end of Sparkles and Tangi Fruits?? As an ex-pat kiwi what I am going to feed my kids when I come home? I'd like to be able to say "this is what real lollies are like - not that rubbish you get in Australia" What's next? the death of the Fruju, or even worse the Grainwave? Can I sign a petition to save NZ specific junk food?

From Sara also in Australia-

This is really sad. I travel to New Zealand quite often and buy up big on snifters to bring back to Sydney. OMG if pinkys go I will be devastated.



The saddest part is that the Snifter and the Tangy Fruit were an essential part of the Kiwi cinema going experience and were therefore part of the happy memories of many a New Zealanders childhood. The movie candy bar was one of the only places Tangy Fruit could be bought.

The Snifter- An egg shaped lolly with a hard minty coating over thin chocolate with a mint nougat centre. Not really my thing but loved by many.

The Sparkle- A fruit flavoured, square shaped boiled lolly with a dimple in each side for suctioning onto the tongue so that conversation was still possible without losing the sweet either down ones throat or onto the floor. (Well thats what i thought it was for anyway!)

The Tangy Fruit-Chewy inside with a thin hard fruity coating. Conveniently packaged in a lidded cup so fellow movie goers weren't disturbed by the contant rustle of reaching for another lollie. They rolled like ballbearings down the wooden floors of our old movie theatres leaving behind a trail of muffled giggles.

RIP the Tangy Fruit, Sparkles and Snifters!!