MEMORIES:
Made with a squeeze of real juice, Amazin’ Fruit came to (ahem) fruition when Hershey’s launched a plan to take over the ever-popular gummy universe. As is the story with many a great plan, however, Gummy Bears still roam the galaxy and Amazin’ Fruit is a star that has lost some of its luster. And yet, the memories remain for these chewy treats.
After reigning as the Kings of Chocolate for almost a century, Hershey’s took a bold step in 1992 to march into the gummy candy market with Amazin’ Fruit. With a series of ads that rotated heavily within children’s programming, the product was loud and proud – hardly a kid went unaware of Amazin’ Fruit.
The expectation, of course, was that the bear-shaped candies would look as they did on television, almost lifelike (or as lifelike as an animated bear could look in 1992.) Yet, once the package was ripped open, it became clear that they looked far more like the traditional version of a gummy bear. A momentary letdown perhaps, but the similarity ended upon contact with the taste buds. The first bite into one of these luscious bears was an excursion into fruit juice heaven. Yeah, they were that good (amazing, one might say.) The tropical-flavored versions were pretty darn tasty as well, if you were lucky enough to come across them.
Of course, as with all things heavily marketed, the public eventually found Amazin’ Fruit a tad less amazing. Taking note, Hershey’s switched designs and proceeded to introduce a fruit-shaped version of Amazin’ Fruit. They tasted just like the originals; they just looked different, a visual representation of the fruity goodness packed into each bite. For a short while, Hershey’s even cross-promoted their gumminess with the film, Jurassic Park: The Lost World, resulting in the evolution of the gummy dinosaur.
A keen eye can spot a dimmed star - you just have to look a little harder. Such is the case with Amazin’ Fruit. They are still available if you make a little effort to seek them out. One taste of these little morsels and you can’t help but notice a little fruity amazement has squeezed its way into your life.
