Sunkist Fun Fruits was a licensed snack food from Leaf Confections Limited which was manufactured with fruit from Sunkist Growers, Incorporated. and packaged by Thomas J. Lipton. The food which was introduced in 1987, was small, soft and pellet shaped. Initially, the food was available in four flavors: cherry, grape, orange and strawberry. Later that same year, it was available in assorted shapes such as dinosaurs and rock 'n' roll shapes in order to appeal to children.
With the dismantling of Leaf Confections, Sunkist has currently licensed the production of fruit snacks to the Ben Myerson Candy Company for Sunkist Fruit Gems and General Mills, Inc. for Sunkist Fruit Snacks. In Canada, an additional brand, Sunkist First Fruit Snacks is manufactured by Ganong Bros. Limited.
Advertising
Advertising on television and comic books for Fun Fruits usually featured characters named "Tickle Trees" who would cause those who approached them to laugh uncontrollably. These trees, according to the advertising, produced fruits good enough to be used for Fun Fruits. Advertising for the dinosaur shapes featured the "Fruitasaurus," a friendly Brontosaurus who stockpiled dinosaur shaped Fun Fruits.