Dunkaroos: This Millennial snack is relaunching in the summer of 2020
News of the '90s snack's relaunch has taken social media by storm
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Millennial nostalgia has revived Betty Crocker’s Dunkaroos, the cookie and confetti icing snack that originally launched in 1990. The dunkable dessert was discontinued by General Mills in 2012, but fans never lost faith, having launched several online petitions and social media pages dedicated to bringing the kangaroo-branded confection back.
| Ticker | Security | Last | Change | Change % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GIS | GENERAL MILLS INC. | 70.23 | -0.60 | -0.85% |
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At the end of January, a Dunkaroos Instagram page caught users’ attention. But it was on Monday when the snack brand confirmed its return on the photo-sharing app.
“Definitely coming back. Summer 2020,” the post said with over 115,000 views and 29,100 likes reached in 10 hours after publication. The promo video accompanying the caption criticized '90s-style frosted tips and cassette tapes but noted that the fashion of that era will “probably be coming back” before it dropped a Dunkaroos logo.
In a follow-up post that evening, the snack company poked fun at the Millennials who showed excitement about the revival.
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“The year is 1997. Your Tamagotchi is thriving. You just set a new personal best with your Bop It. Your mom packed Dunkaroos in your lunch. Everyone at school wants to be your friend. Life is good,” the post said.
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"For those who grew up in the '90s, the original cookie-frosting combo represents the taste, color and fun of being a kid during that decade,” Jeff Caswell, General Mills president of snacks, said in a press release. “We know there’s a lot of love for Dunkaroos, and fans everywhere have been asking for it. We’re excited to help '90s kids relive all the best parts of childhood."
On Twitter, Dunaroos made sure to retweet some of its famous fans, including Kim Kardashian, Tyler, the Creator, Chrissy Tiegen, Josh Peck, Elizabeth Gillies, Lilly Singh and Frankie Munoz.
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It’s not clear whether the Australian relaunch of Dunkaroos in 2018 played a role in General Mills’ decision to bring the snack back. However, it’s important to note that the Australian version is under Nestle and uses a hazelnut spread along with the brand’s old kangaroo-shaped cookies for dunking.
The new Dunkaroos are minimalistic circles that feature a capital “D” etching.
"Our classic kangaroo imagery will not go away entirely, however you won’t see it featured on our single-serve packaging available at relaunch this summer," a General Mills representative told "Good Morning America" about Dunkaroos’ missing mascot, Sydney the Kangaroo.
With such a loyal following, Dunkaroos are sure to heat up the snack wars, which have been focused on flavor innovation in recent years.
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The global snack market was estimated to be worth $439.9 billion in 2018 by market research firm Grand View Research and is projected to grow exponentially by 2025.