Fantales have been discontinued. Nestlé Oceania announced the news on Tuesday June 20 in a statement that shocked the nation. Cause of death: declining sales.

The chocolate-covered chewy caramels are perhaps best-known for their yellow and blue wrappers that include movie themed “Who Am I?” trivia questions. They were created in 1930 and will cease being manufactured in mid-July of this year.

As the country prepares for the loss of an, at times, overlooked legend of the confectionary world, we asked leading food figures how they took the news – and which forgotten snacks they’d like to make a comeback. Some were “devastated”. Others, unaware. We were just relieved it wasn’t Minties.

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Below are tales from fans and critics of the iconic chewy treats.

Hetty Lui McKinnon, cookbook author, New York City
They are my fave. I am devastated. I used to collect those wrappers and on car trips we read out clues to see who could guess the celeb first.

Michael Cotton, Our Boy Roy, Adelaide
Not sure I’ll miss Fantales. The pleasure from the nostalgia of getting one as a kid and reading the trivia probably no longer outweighs the anxiety of trying to get the caramel out of your teeth, and not being certain all your teeth are still there after you finish chewing them.

One thing I miss dearly are the Arnott’s Coffee Scroll biscuits. I loved them!

Aaron Fenwick, The Summertown Aristologist, Adelaide
I had no idea that was happening. I had one only, like, two weeks ago and it was such a nostalgic thing to taste. That precise combination of caramel and chocolate will always be Fantales and will always take me back to being a kid, eating far too many of them and not reading a single tale on the wrapping.

Hugh Allen, Vue de Monde, Melbourne
It’s a big shame. For me it’s like when they discontinued the Barney Banana ice cream! But that came back. Hopefully in the future it will be released again. For large corporations profit outbids nostalgia.

Dominic Wilton, Hector’s Deli, Melbourne
Fantales are gone!? Roll ups, miss those. Also, normalise adults drinking blue heaven spiders.

Scott McComas-Williams, Ragazzi, Sydney
Devastating. We used to have a big pile of Fantales in the Ragazzi office. After knocking off, you’d drink a beer, you’d have one and you’d end up wanting to eat them all. And I swear every third wrapper was Nicole Kidman.

I miss Savoys – they’re not discontinued, but they’re only available in Victoria. Here in New South Wales, they’re Jatz. They’re so similar but not perfectly identical.

Zee Scott, The British Celebrant, Melbourne
For sure will miss Fantales. Funny story, they were in a package from my partner as his first gift to me back when we were dating. Calippo shots are my most missed snack!

Natalie Paull, Beatrix, Melbourne
I have feels about this! As soon as I heard the news about Fantales I was unfazed. The best thing about Fantales was really only the wrapper and reading out the “Who am I?” question on those interminable family car trips down the coast every holiday. The Fantale itself was an ordinary sweetie. Minties are far superior in the car lolly hierarchy.

I am grateful every supermarket trip seeing Cheekies (chocolate jelly babies) hanging in there. I love those little bebes, and suit-wearing, sales-driven snack-ecutives better keep their mitts off them! (I do suspect their days are numbered.)

Julia Busuttil Nishimura, cookbook author, Melbourne
I never really liked Fantales! Although I do have fond memories of making the one-metre strip from the wrapper in maths!

I also miss those Bellis fruit bars! I think they’ve remade them but the old ones were the best as kids! And Dunkaroos? Do they still make them?
Note: they do!

Adam Liaw, The Cook Up, Sydney
I reckon I’ve eaten one Fantale in my entire life, and frankly, I’m not 100 per cent certain I remember what it tasted like. Was it like a chocolate candy? I’m not a chocolate fan so I always avoided them.

Charlotte Ree, author, Sydney
To be honest, the only thing that made me sad about Fantales was the nerd in me that loves the facts. I don’t enjoy chocolates or lollies that make my tongue tie and my teeth stick together.

Quatros, though, they’re the one biscuit Arnott’s really must bring back. Caramel, chewy, nutty deliciousness. With a crunchy biscuit base!

Alex Lowes, Parkside Coffee, Perth
I never really got behind Fantales. End of an era for sure, though. I miss the whole suite of Starbursts, and Pepsi Blue.

Greg Leaver, Al Lupo, Perth
They were okay and a bit of a novelty, but I was never really that interested in reading fun facts about movie stars. Give me a call when the Violet Crumble goes out of production and I’ll be protesting in the streets.

Rachael Niall, Tomorrow on Tap, Perth
I’m sure my parents bought Fantales because of the long-chew factor; they would keep my brother and I quiet on road trips.

Bring back Burger Man! I liked them as a kid but as an adult, a pack of those with a beer would be so tasty.
Note: they’re back!

Phil Marchant, The Nixon Room & Essa, Brisbane
I just had to Google Fantales but if you ever want to talk British sweets, I’m your guy!

Artwork above courtesy of Elisha McGuckin