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Nabisco
This is the wild, wonderful, and ultimately heartbreaking history of Bonkers candy.
Let’s go back to 1985. The candy aisle is dominated by the usual suspects, Snickers, Butterfinger, and Milky Way. Then Nabisco drops something different into the mix—rectangular chews with tangy centers that they boldly call “fruit candy with a real fruit juice center.”
But Bonkers wasn’t your normal candy. It was a juicy experience waiting to happen.
Chewy outer shell, explosive fruity center, flavors that included grape, orange, strawberry, watermelon, and even chocolate. Each piece was individually wrapped and packaged in sleeves. A little joy in every package.
What made Bonkers special wasn’t just the taste. It was what happened next.
Here’s where the story gets legendary.
Someone at Nabisco’s marketing department had a brilliant, bonkers idea. What if eating candy could literally knock you out? Not in a dangerous way—in a hilariously, ridiculously joyful way.
The Concept:
But the real star? An older Southern woman with perfect deadpan delivery:
“Some folks think Bonkers is gum.”
THUMP! Giant fruit falls.
“They know it’s candy now.”
These weren’t your normal commercials. Bonkers used comedy sketches that happened to sell candy. The absurdity was the point. When brands like Coca-Cola tried to be serious, Bonkers chose chaos. And America loved it.
For about six glorious years, Bonkers owned a special place in American culture.
In 1989, in a stroke of marketing genius, Bonkers teamed up with the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Special promotional packs included collectible stickers—not tiny afterthoughts, but surprisingly large, high-quality pieces of art.
Bonkers filled a cultural moment.
Also, kids everywhere discovered Bonkers wasn’t quite like anything else. Similar to Starburst but chewier. More complex than typical fruit candy. Each piece had “a soft outer shell and a deeper, sweeter middle—sort of like a bone and its marrow, but better because everything tasted like artificial watermelon.”
Success in the candy business is hard in the long run.
As the 1990s progressed, something shifted. The commercials stopped running as frequently. Competition intensified. Health consciousness began creeping into American snack culture.
Without the constant reinforcement of those ridiculous commercials, Bonkers began to fade away. The product that once “bonked you out” was quietly slipping away.
By the late 1990s, Nabisco made the decision that would break millions of hearts: Bonkers was discontinued.
For over a decade, Bonkers existed only in memory.
Occasionally, you’d find dusty packages in novelty candy stores, like archaeological artifacts from a sweeter time. Online forums buzzed with nostalgic discussions. “Does anyone remember...?”
Yes. Everyone remembered.
In 2012, a modern-day candy crusader emerged.
Ellia Kassoff wasn’t just any entrepreneur. As “THE top high-tech headhunter in the country for 2009,” he had connections, resources, and most importantly, passion for reviving dead brands.
Kassoff was on a mission. Bring back the brands he loved as a kid.
Kassoff had already successfully revived other nostalgic favorites through his company Leaf Brands. Bonkers became his white whale—the most challenging resurrection project he’d ever attempted.
In February 2012, Leaf Brands acquired the Bonkers trademark with the goal of resurrecting Bonkers by 2015.
But bringing back the ’80s candy had its challenges:
“Bonkers! proved to be our most challenging product to bring back due to the complexities of the machinery and working through many old formulas from 35 years ago,” Leaf Brands explained.
2015: High hopes and grand announcements 2016: The last public update: “We made more samples... Getting closer but no date yet...” 2019: Behind-the-scenes confirmation: still working on it 2020: Bonkers remains on the active development list 2025: Still waiting...
As of 2025, Leaf Brands continues its quest. The machinery challenges persist. The formulas remain elusive. The dream lives on.
But we are all still waiting to get bonked again...
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