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What happened to Tooty Frooties – and will they return to store shelves? We asked Nestlé…
Following the revival of Cadbury’s popular Top Deck chocolate bar earlier this year, we asked you which discontinued treat you’d like to see make a comeback – and we got so many responses that we decided to do a weekly feature about it called Bring it back.
Every Tuesday, we’ll pick one from our comment box and see why it was so loved and, most importantly, find out whether the companies in question would consider reintroducing them.
This week we’re taking a look at Tooty Frooties.
First launched in 1963 by Mackintosh (which became Rowntree Mackintosh a few years later), the purple bags of sweets quickly became a hit with children and adults alike.
Soft, fruit-flavored and with crunchy, multicolored shells, the product can be considered a precursor to Skittles.
Such was their popularity that spin-off products, including the short-lived mint-flavored version called Tooty Minties and even a Tooty Frooties Easter egg were introduced to the market.
However, as sweet trends shifted toward gelatin and foam textures, sales of the original product declined—and it was ultimately discontinued in 2019.
Kelly Francis was among those who continue to mourn the loss of the bakery.
“I’ll never understand why they got rid of Tooty Frooties,” she lamented.
“They were levels above any other candy you can buy.
“There was something really special about the soft, fruity flavor with the crispy outer skin. Hardly a week goes by that I don’t think about them.”
But will they ever return to the shelves of your corner store or supermarket?
We asked Nestlé, which acquired Rowntree’s in 1988.
“Rowntree’s Tooty Frooties were launched in 1963 and were delisted in 2019 due to changing consumer preferences,” a spokesperson said.
“Of course, sweet tastes and trends change all the time, and while there are no plans to bring back Tooty Frooties, Rowntree’s has launched a number of exciting new products in recent years and has a few more in the works for 2025 – so keep an eye out.”
So while it may not be exactly the news that lovers of the classic sweet treat were hoping for, there is at least some hope that at least one of the products being developed by confectioners will help fill the fruity, chewy, crunchy void left in their lives by its absence.
Which currently discontinued chocolate bar, snack, candy — or any other food product — would you like to see brought back, and why? Let us know in the comments box at the top!