Tauranga locals aren’t fussed Jaffas are gone — the iconic orange chocolate balls were mostly just for movie nights and rolling down Baldwin St in Dunedin.

RJ’s Confectionery officially discontinued the lolly on July 1, citing declining sales and with no plans to resume production.

Though long considered a Kiwi icon, Jaffas were invented in Sydney in 1931 by James Stedman-Henderson’s Sweets Ltd under the brand Sweetacres.

They were later produced in New Zealand by Cadbury at its Dunedin factory until it closed in 2018.

Production then shifted to Levin-based RJ’s, which took over from Mondelez International.

Following the news, SunLive took to the streets of Tauranga to gauge the community’s views.

“I love Jaffas, but I probably don’t eat them,” said resident Emma Cooke. “I still think we should have them.”

She described Jaffas as a cinema-time classic but said she’d since swapped them for Maltesers – and largely avoided lollies altogether.

“I love them, but once you buy them, you can’t stop eating them – and then it’s just calories.”

Alex, Eli, Ingrid and Eve Deerness. Photo /Brydie Thompson

Aucklander Alex Deerness, visiting Tauranga with his family on their way to Ōhope, wasn’t surprised by the lolly’s demise.

“I can’t remember the last time I had a Jaffa,” he said. His children, Eli, Ingrid and Eve Deerness, had never tried one.

“Skittles are the favourite,” he said.

Paige Edelston and Lilly Pritchard. Photo / Brydie Thompson

Paige Edelston believed the brand began fading from memory after the cancellation of the iconic Baldwin St Jaffa Race in 2018.

The annual Dunedin event saw tens of thousands of the red sweets roll down the world’s steepest street, drawing crowds and keeping the brand in the spotlight.

Edelston said the last time she bought Jaffas was also the last time she went to the movies.

Edelston said she preferred Pineapple Lumps.

“That’s my favourite,” she said.

Her friend Lilly Pritchard said the last time she saw a pack was in the cupboard at her family’s bach.

“I think they were expired.”

King Street Dairy co-owner co-owner Sarbjeet Kaur

At Kings Dairy in Tauranga, co-owner Sarbjeet Kaur said Jaffas remained popular among some customers and were often included in their $2 lolly bags.

“You still see people coming in and buying them,” she said, adding that discontinued lollies often returned to shelves after a few months.

Peter West (left), Jaden Wilton, Joe Dunlop and Samuel Keals. Photo /Brydie Thompson.

Sam Keals recalled last seeing them around eight months ago at what he described as an “underground dairy”.

Matthew and Ira Galo. Photo/Brydie Thompson

Greerton resident Matthew Galo said he wasn’t surprised to see the sweet phased out but was disappointed by the outcome.

“I do not like to see anything fail,” he said.

Across the Tasman, Australian Jaffas – made by Allen’s – were quietly pulled from Woolworths shelves in December 2023, also because of declining sales.

RJ’s, which also produces Liquorice Allsorts, Oddfellow Spearmints and Heards Toffees, has not indicated any intention to revive the brand.