Pineapple lumps facts for kids
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| Alternative names | Pineapple chunks |
|---|---|
| Type | Confectionery |
| Place of origin | New Zealand |
| Created by | Charles Diver |
| Main ingredients | Chocolate, sugar, pineapple flavouring |
Pineapple lumps are a super popular sweet treat from New Zealand. They are small, chewy candies with a yummy pineapple flavour, all covered in chocolate. Many people think of them as a special part of New Zealand culture, known as Kiwiana.
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The Sweet Story of Pineapple Lumps
Pineapple lumps first appeared in 1952. They were created by the Regina Confectionery Company in Oamaru, New Zealand.
Who Invented Pineapple Lumps?
A man named Charles Diver was the main candy maker at Regina. His job was to find ways to use up extra ingredients from other sweets. He had a lot of leftover pineapple-flavoured marshmallow from another candy. So, he used it to create these new "pineapple chunks." In the early 1960s, Regina changed the name to "pineapple lumps." This made the name catchier and easier to remember.
There's also another story about how they were invented. Some say that John Percy ('Jack') McNamara, the boss of Regina, came up with the idea. He supposedly worked with Charles McLaughlin, another candy expert, to make the recipe.
Who Makes Them Now?
Over the years, different companies have made pineapple lumps. The company Cadbury eventually took over making them under their Pascall brand.
In 1995, another company called Nestlé NZ bought Regina. Then, in 2001, a new company called Rainbow Confectionery started making "pineapple chunks" again. They even made some based on Charles Diver's original recipe!
The Pascall Pineapple Lumps were made at the Cadbury factory in Dunedin until 2018. Now, all Pascall Pineapple Lumps sold in New Zealand come from Australia.
Other Pineapple Lump Treats
Pineapple lumps are so popular that they've inspired other tasty products!
- In 2013, Fonterra made a special Pineapple Lumps-flavoured milk.
- In 2017, Cadbury released "Jaffas Lumps" for a short time.
- In 2019, they mixed Perky Nana bars with Pineapple Lumps to create "Perky Nana Lumps."
- Cadbury also made a special Dairy Milk chocolate bar with Pascall Pineapple Lumps inside. It was first sold in New Zealand and then in Australia.
- In 2020, "Snifters Lumps" combined Snifters and Pineapple Lumps.
- In 2024, a Pineapple Lump flavoured Squiggles biscuit was released.
Other companies also make similar pineapple-flavoured sweets. For example, Pams sells "Pineapple Flavoured Bites," and Countdown sells "Pineapple Pieces."
