Among the many bite-sized delicacies of the 1990s were the highly-popular Butterfinger BBs. They were crunchy, easy to pop, and coated with a layer of butter that would just melt in your mouth.
The candies, undoubtedly, were popular in the market. But in 2006, Nestle discontinued Butterfinger BBs, seeminglay out of nowhere.
So, why did they stop making Butterfinger BBs after 14 successful years of operation? There are many theories as to what caused the untimely demise of the legendary candy.
However, there was no official notice from the parent company.
That leaves us with the best pastime that humankind knows – guesswork and deduction. After all, we have the two best elements that make an exceptionally good thriller story – chocolate and mystery.
So, without further ado, let’s dive straight into the labyrinth of mysteries surrounding Butterfinger BB, the pride of the 90s.
Are Butterfinger BBs Still Made?
For those who tend to skip paragraphs, let’s answer the most important question.
Unfortunately, the company stopped making Butterfinger BBs in 2006, around 14 years after its inception. There wasn’t an official notice regarding the closure of these candies.
That is why millions of nostalgic people are still trying to find their favorite BBs on the internet.
Is There an Alternate Name for Butterfinger BBs in 2022?
The popular Butterfinger BBs made a brief reappearance in 2009. There were some visible differences in the composition and appearance of the candy.
However, the most notable difference was the name change – in 2009, the company started calling the candies Butterfinger Mini Bites.
In all honesty, Mini Bites were good for snacking too. However, they were only a weak imitation of one of the company’s most successful products.
When it first launched into the market, people were happy with the Bites.
However, when the company started marketing them as the popular Butterfinger BBs, the interest dropped. The Mini Bites were delicious and snack-worthy, indeed.
But they couldn’t replace the feeling of eating the smaller, pop-able candies that had stuck around for a decade.
The Mini Bites continued for a little longer after establishing its fan base. It’s still in circulation, even in 2022, and customers can buy them from reputable e-commerce platforms like Amazon, Walmart, and Kroger.
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Is Butterfinger Still Around?
We know that Butterfinger, the company, stopped making delicious BB candies in 2006.
But what happened to the company; is it still around and making more loveable candies in 2002? Let’s find out.
The brief answer is; yes, Butterfinger is still around and competing with top competitors in the candy industry.
In fact, this year (2022) marked a century since the company’s popular inception back in 1922.
Even after 100 years of nonstop operations, Butterfinger still continues to produce some of the tastiest, quirkiest, and most popular candies in the market.
But if the company is still around, at large and well, then why did it have to discontinue its most revered product?
The question is a highly anticipated one, especially considering how Butterfinger made no official remarks on why they stopped the circulation of BBs.
Why Were Butterfinger BBs Discontinued?
It’s time to start asking the big questions – why did they stop making Butterfinger BBs? If we go by the official picture, everything was well for the company, Butterfinger.
However, after 14 years of producing the people’s favorite candy, they stopped the production abruptly.
While there was no statement from the company regarding this, people have come up with some pretty convincing assumptions.
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Culprit Number 1: Candy’s Low Melting Point
The most notable of this guesswork theorizes that the company stopped producing Butterfinger BBs because of their low melting point.
The candy, it seemed, was too quick to melt and dribble down the customer’s fingers.
Of course, they were so delicious that hardly anyone minded. But it’s a fact that the low melting point of the chocolate did not escape everyone’s attention.
It became a widely-discussed topic at that time.
We can assume that a topic is trending if it has a Reddit thread dedicated to it.
And that’s what happened Arson-Welles, a Reddit user opined that customers should pour the BBs straight from the packet and into their mouths to avoid getting chocolate smudges on their fingers.
Indeed, it was common to put your hands into the Butterfinger BB’s pouch and find the chocolates slightly melted and gooey.
That couldn’t have been a pleasant experience for everyone, and undoubtedly would affect the candy’s sales.
But even still, people were visibly willing to make compromises to get a taste of their favorite candy.
So, why didn’t the company take this into account while shutting down its production completely?
Culprit Number 2: Changing Market Trends
Perhaps, the low melting point of the chocolate wasn’t the culprit, after all.
Maybe, Butterfinger BB’s was just a part of the many chocolates and candies that were discontinued in the 1990s to make way for newer products that could fit in with the millennial mindset.
Many candies that were similar to Butterfinger BB’s in terms of popularity disappeared in the 90s, including Cookies-N-Crème Twix Bars, Doritos 3D, Hershey’s Bar None, Jell-O 1-2-3, and Planters PB Crisps.
Truth is, we can only make assumptions without having the authority to determine their accuracy.
A more productive point of discussion, therefore, would be to explore more about Butterfinger, and how it became a legendary brand after 100 complete years of operation.
Butterfinger Through the Ages
For a company as eccentric, it’s only fair that Butterfinger has an equally quirky story.
From extravagant promotional campaigns to an unlikely beginning, the tale has everything that you would want for a nice, pleasant read.
If you’re a fan of crunchy, peanut-buttery candies, then you’re most likely a fan of Butterfinger. Or you must have at least heard about the chocolate brand.
The bright, golden wrapper with blue lettering has become synonymous with good taste and reasonable portions.
Butterfinger has the distinctive taste of roasted peanuts coated with several layers of sugar candy’s excellent delicacies.
There’s a reason why Butterfinger has had several parent companies in the past, all of them successful.
But seeing as how the company is still active in 2022, do you know in what year did Butterfinger come out? Let’s find out.
Butterfinger Starts as a Campaign
In 2022, Butterfinger completed its hundred years of existence, a feat that not many companies have been able to achieve.
And even after being in the market for so long, Butterfinger is not showing any signs of stopping.
Releases of new candies, new recipes, and new marketing strategies are common discussion points in the boardroom of Butterfinger.
And it all started 100 years ago in 1922 when Butterfinger first came into existence. The nature of the company’s birth is even more interesting.
So, who originally made Butterfinger? It was a chocolate wizard by the name of Otto Schnering, also the developer of Baby Ruth. He owned another Chicago-based company called Curtiss Candy.
When Otto developed what later became Butterfinger’s signature candy, he launched a campaign through Curtiss Candy, wherein regular customers can participate with suggestions for the name of the new candy bar.
At that time, there was a popular term called “butterfingers” circulating in the sports industry to describe players who struggled to hold on to football.
A Chicago-based man who was participating in Curtiss Candy’s campaign used the same term as a suggestion for Otto’s new candy bar.
He became the winner and Otto adopted “Butterfinger” as the name of his new candy, and by extension, his new company.
The Early Years
Butterfinger’s early years were quite as popular as its subsequent ones. Otto was a veteran in the candy industry, having experience as both – a developer and seller of chocolates and candies during his previous ventures.
With him at the helm, the company recorded enormous success during the inaugural years. The candy bar was a huge success with the fans too.
Thousands of customers flocked over from different parts of the States to try the chocolate.
Otto, therefore, decided to take the company nationwide. Earlier, he only ran a Chicago-based chocolate company. So the new upgrade was a promotion for him.
He ran the company well for several years, unofficially claiming his place in the Candy Hall of Fame.
Otto passed away on January 10, 1953, nearly thirty-one years after starting the company. His sons took over the business after his demise.
Fortunately for them, the company was already a successful venture. So they didn’t have to work a lot to keep the transition smooth.
Butterfinger Changes Its Owners and Recipe
Let us tell you about a marvelous Butterfinger fact – the company did not change its original recipe up until 1981. And even then, the change was more of a necessity rather than a choice.
See, in 1981, Butterfinger became a part of Nabisco after some hectic weeks of negotiations, haggling, and finally completing the purchase.
During that process, the original recipe that worked for Butterfinger and Baby Ruth was lost during the proceedings.
Fortunately, the engineers and developers from Nabisco were able to replicate the original taste and crunchy flavor of vintage Butterfingers.
Even at that time in 1981, the change in recipe was more of a necessity than a choice.
The original recipe that worked for Butterfinger and Baby Ruth was lost during the hectic sale of the company to Nabisco.
Before that happened, Standard Brands Inc. was the holder and owner of the Curtiss Candy Company, after a successful acquisition in 1964.
However, Standard Brands didn’t change anything about the candy – from its flavor to texture, everything remained original.
The takeover, therefore, was smooth and didn’t invite any challenges from the public.
The biggest deal of Butterfinger happened in 1990, nine years after Nabisco took over the company. The brand became a part of the legendary Nestle family.
They were the original producers, developers, and manufacturers of the popular Butterfinger BBs.
Butterfinger’s Sale to Ferrero
In March 2018, Nestle announced that all 20 confectionary brands associated with the company will be sold to Ferrero SpA, the popular Italian Chocolatier brand.
Since then, Ferrero announced that they shall be changing the company’s formula.
The move gained mixed reception from the audience, with even Corey Ryan Forrester, chiming in to express his displeasure at the changed formula.
Butterfinger’s Promotional Skits
Butterfinger’s marketing strategy was unique. They are known for implementing quirky and eccentric advertising campaigns.
There’s a reason why the company was able to sustain high profits and brand visibility for so long.
During the company’s initial years, Butterfinger decided to drop its candy bars from airplanes all over the United States.
This publicity stunt was fairly successful and gave Butterfinger a popular image.
The brand also connected with several TV figures and popular shows for promotion, including Shirley Temple in 1934 during her film release.
There were several Butterfinger BB commercials starring The Simpsons, a TV show that Butterfinger used multiple times for their promotion.
The most unique promotional strategy came in 2012 when the company jumped in on the Mayan Calendar’s prediction that the world will end in the same year.
The BARmageddon campaign involved an intriguing QR code that the company stitched in the middle of a field in Manhattan, Kansan.
There were circulating stories of solar flares and tales of how Butterfingers were disappearing from the shelves of the supermarkets – the company labeled these as the signs of the world’s end.
Bottom Line
Butterfinger has been on the top of their game since 1922. From the taste of their candies to the nature of their promotional strategies, they have been exquisite on all fronts.
