As Jurassic World continues its weeks-long Summer box office domination, I thought it would be fun to revisit some dinosaur-themed confectionery treats from the past. Most kids delight in dinosaurs and many (myself included) even go through a phase of dinosaur infatuation at some point. So it was a stroke of jawbreaker-marketing genius when the folks at Willy Wonka Brands introduced their DinaSour Eggs to the marketplace. Make the jump to check out this delightfully-classic 1980’s treat!
DinaSour Eggs were first announced to the candy trade in the spring of 1981 via an ad that highlighted their packaging, their unique spot as the only “giant sour jawbreaker” in the marketplace, as well as the fact that each egg would last between 30-60 minutes. That ad featured none other than the real-life Willy Wonka himself, Mark Sweet – and here it is:
Willy Wonka DinaSour Eggs – candy trade magazine advertisement – feat Mark Sweet as Willy Wonka – April 1981
Initially, DinaSour Eggs were offered in two different packages – containing either one of the giant sour egg-shaped jawbreakers, or two.
Sunmark – Willy Wonka Brands – DinaSour Egg – giant sour jawbreaker – giant poster calendar offer – .65 oz candy box – 1981
Sunmark – Willy Wonka Brands – DinaSour Eggs – 2 giant sour jawbreakers – 1.3 oz candy box – 1981
The single DinaSour Egg box featured a mail-away offer for a “Giant DinaSour Poster/Calender”. I have one in my archives and it was pretty big, coming in at a good 24″ x 36″ poster size:
Sunmark – Willy Wonka Brands – Dina Sours Eggs – promotional poster calendar 24 x 36 – 1981
Though the dinosaur mascot found on those original DinaSour Egg packages is not named on them, like so many other Wonka characters, she was given a name on a sticker sheet found in the Willy Wonka Fun Club Kit – she’s “Dee Dee DinaSour”:
Willy Wonka Candy Club Sticker sheet – 1982
Sometime during the 1980’s, Willy Wonka brands decided to move away from “giant” jawbreakers. The decade would see their original giant-size Gobstoppers and DinaSour Eggs supplanted by their mini offspring. By 1987, DinaSour Eggs were no longer referred to as giant jawbreakers on their packaging and it’s clear by the size of the box panels that the candy’s dimensions had shrunk.
Here are two DinaSour Eggs boxes from 1987 that featured a dinosaur quiz and collectible dinosaur cards:
Sunmark – Willy Wonka Brands – Dina Sour Eggs – New Dinosaur Quiz and Collectible Card – 2 oz candy box – 1987
This one is deconstructed to view the dinosaur card inside:
Sunmark – Willy Wonka Brands – Dina Sour Eggs – New Dinosaur Quiz and Collectible Card – Brontosaurus – 2 oz candy box – 1987
DinaSour Eggs lasted through the entirety of the 1980’s decade and even managed to survive into the 1990’s. The latest confirmed evidence of their survival comes in the form of a long-box style package for them, dated from 1992:
Sunmark – Willy Wonka Brands – Dina-Sour Eggs – 1.75 oz candy box – 1992
Without any further evidence to draw upon, I’d estimate that Willy Wonka’s DinaSour Eggs were likely extinct from store shelves by the mid-1990’s. And while they may have become another fossil of our shared confectionery past they stand as a 1980’s classic that will be warmly remembered for many years to come.
And that’s everything I’ve got on Willy Wonka’s classic DinaSour Eggs. See you next time!
My favorite candy in the early 80s.
Wow that poster is too cool! Great post. I think you’re correct about the timeline as well, I don’t remember getting these far beyond the mid nineties.
Vintage Wonka candy packages rule!
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Something you should know:
Dina-sours existed up until…oh…I want to say 1997, at which point they were discontinued.
HOWEVER, they were resurrected as “Runts Fruity Eggs” for Easter.
I think that these were re-branded (or copied without licence) and re-named ‘Super-Sour Dinosaur Eggs’ and sold in England around the same time period.
The (single product) cardboard packaging of these ‘Super-Sour DInosaur Eggs’ was identical in shape and overall concept, but was printed to resemble a wooden shipping crate with a (knot?) hole in it, out of which a (dinosaur?) eye peered out at you!
In a fit of nostalgic whimsy, I was looking for a picture of the packaging of the one I remember but was unable to find one, and from you description I’m fairly sure we are talking about the same product.
I remember them being sold as DinaSour Eggs in Sheffield during the early eighties. I think I passed the Sweet Shop on my way to and from school.
Ahhh these were a staple of my youth in the early 80s. I miss them! I remember they had them in vending machines as well.
I remember eating these as a kid everywhere I went and if I didn’t have any and my parents would ask what candy I wanted from the store these were the first on my mind..if I knew where to get them now I would be so happy
Me too! I miss these so much!
I emailed Wonka candy about 15 years ago to see if they they would make these again but unfortunately no….. I also remember them in a crate-like box with eye’s peering out. The same company also made giant watermelons same type of thing giant gobstopper in a crate box…. Oh how I miss nipping to the local corner shop and getting a box of these and some capt’n fizzies
Bring them back please…….
I had a flashback today. Decided to get online and order some DinoSour eggs and revisit my childhood. I had no idea they stopped making them. So depressed now.
They existed past the 80s, but like everything else they changed them. The original had layers that each were flavorful and stong. Later versions only the outer layer was flavorful. Even as a kid I knew I was getting played.
I remember my high school selling these in the school store. This was the late 80’s/early 90’s (I graduated in ’92). The year after I graduated they stopped selling these in Rhode Island. I haven’t seen them in the wild since. I miss them. They were so popular in our school that if you were quick enough you could buy the stores stock then turn around and resell them at a profit. I remember I’d show up early since I lived nearby, spend four bucks then turn around and make ten. The school eventually limited the amount of packages students could buy to two.
THE BEST sour candy EVER made! No sour candy today can match DinaSour Eggs; they’re all just sour coatings and not all that sour at that. I remember DinaSour being sour all the way to the end. I wish Wonka would revive DinaSour.
These were my favorite. I wish they would bring them back! Please
So do I, that’s why I was looking them up, hoping they were being sold in another market somewhere.
These are my ABSOLUTE favorite candy. NOTHING has compared to them. I wish they would bring them back…. I’d probably invest stock in them 🙂
Dinasour eggs were one of my favorite candies when I was growing up,they did’nt carry the candy at a store close to our house,so my mom would walk with me and my friends to a store that was a couple of miles away everytime and that was often,that would be cool to see them back
My wife begged me for these dinosour eggs that I’ve never heard of, but obviously was very popular for her 50th birthday. I would love a second wave to come through so I could try them and she could go back in time….
I would love it if these came back on the market! I loved them as a kid and always, always had them. So said they were discontinued!
I would love it if these came back on the market! I loved them as a kid and always, always had them. So sad they were discontinued!
I emailed Wonka candy about 15 years ago to see if they they would make these again but unfortunately no….. I also remember them in a crate-like box with eye’s peering out. The same company also made giant watermelons same type of thing giant gobstopper in a crate box…. Oh how I miss nipping to the local corner shop and getting a box of these and some capt’n fizzies
If I remember correctly, Dinasour Eggs were discontinued because of being a choking hazard. I believe they had several size iterations in an attempt to make the candy safer, but ultimately canceled production all together.
Choke hazard? Everything is a choke hazard. Maybe wonky would bring them if they saw the demand for them. Petition anyone? I’d sign it.