‘Is this real?’: Australia’s most divisive lolly just made a shock return to supermarkets
Updated . First published
One of Australia’s most polarising sweet treats has officially returned to supermarket shelves, alongside a whole lineup of nostalgic classics most shoppers thought they’d seen the back of.
That’s right: Allen’s Black Cats are back.
Love them or hate them, Allen’s Black Cats are back. @nectoriouspapi
After being quietly discontinued earlier this year, the notorious aniseed and black liquorice-flavoured chew has made a triumphant return. But while they’ve always been a fierce point of contention among lolly lovers, good luck actually getting your hands on a bag.
The great retro lolly comeback
Driven by relentless social media petitions and nostalgic Aussies begging for a taste of their childhood, Allen’s has officially dipped into the lolly archives to bring back five discontinued legends.
The divisive sweet joins some of Allen’s most divisive lollies in returning for a limited time. Nine
The lineup includes:
Black Cats: The love-it-or-hate-it aniseed icon.
Green Frogs: The beloved amphibian fans have spent years trying to resurrect.
Mad About Teeth: A dentist’s nightmare, but a kid’s dream.
Spearmint Leaves: The chewy mint legend.
Bananas: Returning in a massive 300g value pack.
“We love creating new treats, but occasionally it’s fun to dip back into the lolly archives.” Allen's Australia
Nestlé Head of Marketing Confectionery, Shannon Wright, confirmed some sweets are simply too iconic to stay retired.
“When it comes to nostalgic lollies, Allen’s fans are passionate for their return,” Wright said.
“At Allen’s, we love creating new treats, but occasionally, it’s fun to dip back into the lolly archives to bring back some fan favourites. Some lollies are simply too iconic to stay in retirement!”
Banana lolly packs have also returned. Allen's
Where to find them (before they sell out)
If you’re hunting down a hit of nostalgia, you’ll need to move fast. Shoppers across the country are already reporting empty shelves as eager fans snap them up.
The majority of the range is exclusive to Woolworths, where you can find stand-alone packets of Black Cats, Green Frogs, Mad About Teeth and Spearmint Leaves. If you are after Bananas, you need to head to Coles.
The catch? It’s a limited run
Don’t expect these retro treats to stick around forever. The range is strictly limited edition and will only be sitting on Woolies shelves until September 1 or until stock runs out.
Whether you’re stocking up on Green Frogs or daring someone to eat a Black Cat, you’d better sprint down the confectionery aisle before they are all gone and are once again relegated to Allen’s variety packs.
The range is available for a limited time only. Jo Abi
Black Cats lovers can find them in the Allen’s Party Mix along with Bananas. Mad About Teeth are in the Allen’s Retro Party Mix and the Allen’s Classic Party Mix.
Green Frog and Spearmint Leaves lovers aren’t so lucky. Once these stand-alone bags are gone, these two will be gone for good – again.
Australians remain split over our most divisive lollies. Nine
Australia’s most divisive lollies
A previous survey by nine.com.au identified Australia’s most divisive lollies, and Allen’s most recent line up featured prominently on the list, alongside classic musk sticks which one person described as “perfume flavoured chalk”.
Still, there many, many defenders of all of the lollies on the list which also included Allen’s Peaches & Cream, and Jaffas.
