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Mars, Inc.
Discontinued: Early 1980s
When Starburst launched in America as "M&M's Fruit Chewies," it retained the original Opal Fruits (UK) lime flavor alongside strawberry, lemon, and orange. Mars Inc. replaced lime with cherry in the early 1980s, responding to American taste preferences who preferred cherry over the tartness of lime.
But Mars brought back lime in 2007 as a nostalgic "retro" flavor in special Baja California packages, acknowledging consumer nostalgia for the original flavor. It was only a limited test run and was gone forever again soon after.
Discontinued: 2000s
Once upon a time, Mars produced hard candy versions of Starburst in cherry, strawberry, orange, and apple flavors. Starburst Hard competed with other candy brands like Jolly Ranchers but failed to gain market traction and disappeared from shelves sometime in the 2000s.
Discontinued: Unknown
Mars Australia launched Starburst Squirt with liquid-filled centers, creating a "squirt" effect when bitten. This candy was an early experiment with liquid-core candy technology, a precursor to similar concepts like Gushers, which became mainstream later.
Discontinued: Unknown
Juicy Bursts were released as a limited edition of the Starburst brand. Juicy Bursts featured an intensified liquid center, just like the former Starburst Squirt. The candy was designed to amplify the "burst of flavor" concept central to Starburst's brand identity. The candy was discontinued without fanfare, likely due to limited consumer appeal.
Discontinued: 2021
Berries & Creme was launched in 2007 with four flavors: Mixed Berry and Creme, Strawberry and Creme, Blueberry and Creme, and Raspberry and Creme. The flavor went viral via the "Little Lad Dance" commercial, which experienced a second wave of popularity on TikTok in 2021, though the flavor had long been discontinued.
Discontinued: 2008
UK supermarket chain Asda partnered with Mars in 2008 to temporarily revive the original "Opal Fruits" branding for Starburst, featuring its original flavors, such as lime, for exactly 12 weeks. The revival capitalized on British nostalgia and sold out within weeks.
Discontinued: 2022
Mars discontinued both Duos and Tropical flavors in November 2022. Duos combined two flavors in single pieces, while Tropical featured exotic fruit flavors. Both flavors represented Mars's strategy to diversify beyond core flavors but failed to sustain profitable sales volumes.
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