Return of the Twizzlers

They were the bane of star chefs and nutritionists, and the crux of busy parents and underfunded school canteens, now Turkey Twizzlers are making a comeback. The corkscrew-shaped sausages will be hitting Iceland’s shelves as soon as Thursday with a new and improved, healthier recipe. But will Twizzlers have staying power amongst 2020’s supposedly more educated consumers? And what other nostalgic foods have we seen on shop shelves?

What were Turkey Twizzlers?

Twizzlers belong to a long line of highly processed meat products, somewhat resembling a meaty Twister ice lolly. Famously only 34% turkey meat, the majority of the foodstuff was made up of water, pork fat, bulking agents and various E-number-infused sweeteners and additives. Launched to relative obscurity by Bernard Matthews in the 1990s, Twizzlers quickly grew to occupy a special place in the hearts (and coronary arteries) of lazy parents, chubby children and underpaid dinnerladies.

What went wrong?

The foodstuff fell victim to a broadside offensive from star chef Jamie Oliver as part of his campaign to improve Britain’s pitiful school meals in 2005. Despite substantial protestations from schoolchildren, Twizzlers were struck off school menus and soon discontinued. Now, 15 years on, Twizzlers are making an Odyssean return from the underworld of abandoned foodstuffs.

What are the new ones like?

Bernard Matthews insists they have learnt from the past: the new Twizzlers are now a whopping 67% turkey (don’t ask about the other third), contain no E-numbers, and have lower amounts of salt, fats and sugar. The two flavours – Chili Cheese and Tangy Tomato – even score a yellow and a green on the traffic-light food labelling system. Gram for gram, the new Twizzlers are healthier than traditional pork sausages, with lower calories and saturated fats.

Will they take off?

Despite this, there’s no guarantee of success for Twizzlers 2.0. After decades of public health campaigning, the public is far warier of cheap, highly-processed meat products than they once were. Many still perceive products like Twizzlers as emblematic of the unhealthy foodstuffs that have led to the profoundly paunchy nation we find ourselves to be today. By emphasising their new, healthier recipe, and targeting those with fond nostalgic Twizzler memories, Bernard Matthews will be banking on finding success by introducing their product to a new generation.

What other classics could we see return?

Food companies are constantly updating, refreshing and relaunching their products to meet changing demand and consumer expectations. Nostalgia-driven publicity stunts are common: starting August 10, Snickers bars will be returning to their original pre-1990 Marathon Bar branding as part of a three-month sales-boosting campaign.

And Opal Fruits?

In 2008, Starbursts temporarily became Opal Fruits once again, and in 2017 Cadbury recreated their classic Tiffin bar as part of a limited-edition sales run. Relaunching classic products – either as a temporary marketing stunt or otherwise – is one of many approaches companies take to boost their sales, but they rarely manage to achieved sustained success. Only time will tell if Turkey Twizzlers can beat this trend.

FINLAY SCOTT