Pineapple lumps facts for kids
 |
|
| 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 popular sweet treat from New Zealand. They are small, chewy candies with a yummy pineapple flavor inside. Each lump is covered in delicious chocolate. Many people think of them as a special part of New Zealand's culture, often called Kiwiana.
Contents
The Sweet Story of Pineapple Lumps
Pineapple Lumps first appeared in 1952. They were created by the Regina Confectionery Company in a town called Oamaru, New Zealand.
Who Invented Pineapple Lumps?
A man named Charles Diver was the main candy maker at Regina. He was in charge of making sweets. Charles had a clever idea to use up leftover ingredients from other candies. He used extra pineapple-flavored marshmallow from another sweet to create the first Pineapple Chunks. The company later changed the name to "Pineapple Lumps" in the early 1960s. They thought it sounded catchier!
There is another story about how Pineapple Lumps were invented. Some say that John Percy ('Jack') McNamara, who was the boss at Regina, helped create them. He supposedly worked with Charles McLaughlin, another candy expert. McLaughlin prepared the liquid pineapple mix. Then, Charles Diver helped shape the candies.
How Pineapple Lumps Changed Hands
Over the years, different companies have made Pineapple Lumps. The company Cadbury eventually took over the "pineapple lumps" name. They started making them under their Pascall brand.
In 1995, another company called Nestlé NZ bought Regina. Nestlé closed the Oamaru factory in 2001. However, a new company, Innovex Holdings, bought the factory. In June 2001, they started Rainbow Confectionery. Rainbow still sells pineapple chunks under its own brand. In 2013, Rainbow also brought back a version of the original recipe under the Regina brand.
Pascall's Pineapple Lumps were the very last product made at the Cadbury factory in Dunedin. That factory closed in March 2018. Since then, all Pascall Pineapple Lumps sold in New Zealand have been made in Australia.
Other Pineapple Lump Treats
Pineapple Lumps are so popular that they have inspired other yummy products!
- In 2013, Fonterra made a special Pineapple Lumps-flavored milk in New Zealand.
- In 2017, Jaffas Lumps were released for a short time by Cadbury.
- In 2019, Cadbury created Perky Nana Lumps, mixing two popular New Zealand sweets.
- Also in 2019, Cadbury released a special Dairy Milk chocolate bar with Pineapple Lumps inside. It was first sold in New Zealand, then in Australia.
- In 2020, Cadbury made Snifters Lumps, combining Snifters and Pineapple Lumps.
- In February 2024, a Pineapple Lump flavored Squiggles biscuit was released.
Other companies also make similar pineapple-flavored sweets. As of 2023, Pams sells "Pineapple Flavoured Bites." Countdown also has a similar product called "Pineapple Pieces."
