Why Were Butterfinger BB's Discontinued?

The return of Dunkaroos, 3D Doritos, and Trix Yogurt has us reminiscing about some of our other favorite pre-Y2K snacks, including Butterfinger BB's. Initially released in 1992, this treat promised the same crispity, crunchety, and peanut-buttery experience as a full-sized Butterfinger all packed into tiny, chocolate-coated balls (via The Daily Meal). And as it turns out, BB's were actually some people's preferred method of indulging in the sweet. "My first favorite candy. I dunno why, but I never really liked Butterfingers themselves. But the BB's were my absolute jam," u/DrSousaphone wrote on a Reddit thread about the candy, while u/Banks_bread agreed that they were "better than the real thing."

Yes, to many, BB's were Butterfingers at their best, which might have you itching to get your hands on some. We hate to be the bearers of bad news, but the sad truth is Butterfinger BB's were removed from shelves in 2006, which Insider reported led some lovers of this delicious snack to go as far as to petition for its return. The market for Butterfinger BB's was — and still is — clearly there, so we can't help but wonder: Where exactly did the bite-sized version of Bart Simpson's favorite candy go wrong?

There doesn't seem to be a clear answer as to why Nestlé, who TODAY notes owned Butterfinger candies in all forms from 1990 to 2018, discontinued Butterfinger BB's. However, The Daily Meal points out that a low melting point may have been a part of their demise. Fans certainly took notice of this fault, as evidenced by Reddit user Arson-Welles pointing out that pouring the BB's straight into your mouth was the best strategy "so your fingers didn't get completely covered in chocolate reaching into the bag." 

However, the potential mess didn't deter fans from continuing to enjoy their Butterfinger BB's, leading us to believe there might have been something else going on. It's also possible that the candy simply suffered the same fate as so many of our other favorite treats that thrived during the 90s and early 2000s but were eventually phased out to make room for other products.

The call for the return of Butterfinger BB's is still just as strong today as it was a decade ago, but as many point out, a recipe re-vamp following the candy's sale to Ferrero Rocher in 2018 made for a difference in taste that would likely be detectable in the bite-sized version as well. While seeing the treat return to shelves would be a blessing to many, it might just be better to remember Butterfinger BB's in their prime.