The Heralds Jenni Mortimer talks all things country music and explains why Jaffas are no more.
Opinion by Jenni Mortimer
Jenni Mortimer, Chief Lifestyle & Entertainment Reporter for the New Zealand Herald, is passionate about telling stories and providing a place to escape for kiwis in amongst the hard news.
RJs is discontinuing the Jaffa due to declining sales
A Herald poll revealed Kiwis felt the Pineapple Lump was our most iconic sweet
The Baldwin St Jaffa race hasn’t happened since 2017
You’ve seen the headline, and now you’ve come here to be outraged because a piece of Kiwiana is under threat. You, as a proud New Zealander, simply won’t stand for it.
The iconic Jaffas are being discontinued by RJ’s and are set to disappear fromshop shelves for good.
“How could they do this to the nation?” you exclaim over your bowl of Weetbix - you are a true blue Kiwi after all. But you’ve only got yourself to blame.
When was the last time you purchased a bag of Jaffas for your own consumption and enjoyment?
It doesn’t count if you purchased them to send to a friend overseas, or to give an international guest a “Kiwi sweet treat,” to which they will politely “mmm” in fake appreciation, despite there being far better chocolates out there that aren’t an orange-flavoured choking hazard.
When was the last time you strolled through the confectionery aisle, saw a bag of Jaffas amongst 2025’s superior sweet offerings and thought to yourself, “That is the one I want to spend my hard-earned money on”?
When was the last time you sat down in front of the television and demolished a pack as it stained your mouth red and became more sickly with every sub-par bite?
In a tough competitor market, New Zealanders are faced with the harsh reality that there are better chocolates out there, and a nostalgic attachment to a product doesn’t mean it’s good.
Nostalgia doesn’t equal sales. Nostalgia doesn’t equal good taste. Nostalgia doesn’t mean it has to be around forever if it’s no longer serving its purpose.
If Kiwis wanted them to stick around, then they should have purchased them.
Since the news dropped, I’ve spent my hours surveying my peers, some of whom assure me that the Jaffa is more than just a lolly to eat on its own. It’s got many other purposes within New Zealand, you see.
“What about the Baldwin Street race? It’s iconic!” the race enthusiast cries. Well, that hasn’t taken place since 2017, when the Cadbury factory closed in Dunedin.
If patriots are so passionate about Jaffas’ place in the race, why haven’t they been campaigning for its return for the last eight years?
The Baldwin St Jaffa race. Photo / Gerard O'Brien
“But I need to use them as Rudolph’s nose on my Christmas-themed treats”, the Kiwiana baker exclaims. Try a raspberry jube, or a strawberry.
“What will I eat at the movies though?!” the once-a-year movie goer pleads. Virtually any other $12 bag of lollies they have on sale will suffice. M&Ms are better in every way, so let’s start there.
Instead of complaining that a lolly you never ate is heading toward extinction, Kiwis need to face the hard facts that there’s more Kiwiana headed to the chopping block if they don’t buy it.
When was the last time you purchased a Pineapple Lump to eat yourself?
If you aren’t a zany radio host trying to impress an international star with our local fare (while secretly knowing they are a bit meh), then chances are, you aren’t keeping the sweet alive. Pineapple Lumps should be paying Jono and Ben a dividend at this point.
And why haven’t you purchased them in such a long time? Because just like the Jaffa, there are better sweets out there.
To save Pineapple Lumps from the same fate as our so-called “beloved” Jaffa, you might need to do the unthinkable and actually buy them, support the brand and take action to retain a treat voted Aotearoa’s most iconic in a Herald poll.
Pineapple Lumps
Or, is it time we let go of some of the more average Kiwiana food offerings? Admit that the Jaffa, Pineapple Lump, Lamington and Kiwi Burger aren’t that exceptional; there are better options out there, even if these treats mean something to us on a national level.
If you are buying them and supporting them, that’s awesome, and you’ve done your bit. This hot take isn’t for you.
It’s for the Kiwis who cried out “No!”, “How could they?” and “F*** you RJs” in the comments section on Facebook, despite the fact that they haven’t spent a cent on Jaffas in the last 15 years.
The Jaffa is disappearing because of you, and if you aren’t careful, your subpar lumps will be next.
Jenni Mortimer is the NZ Herald’s chief lifestyle and entertainment reporter. Jenni started at the Herald in 2017 and has previously worked as lifestyle, entertainment and travel editor.
