Why Donald Duck Gets His Own Juice Brand At Dollar Tree

Donald Duck might not be the most popular character in the Disney universe, but if you just so happen to buy your juice from Dollar Tree, one of the biggest dollar store chains in America, you might be far more familiar with the character than other members of The Sensational Six. This is because the beloved Disney character is the mascot of his very own brand of juice — fittingly called Donald Duck juice — that is primarily sold by Dollar Tree locations.

While Dollar Tree's grocery selection isn't particularly well known, the store has been attempting to satisfy its customers' food and drink needs for several years now, and the Donald Duck juice is just one example of this. However, this likely prompts two pretty obvious questions: Why is Donald Duck the mascot of this juice, and why is it primarily sold at Dollar Trees? While the answer to the latter question likely boils down to a low production cost making the juice a viable dollar store product, the reason for Donald Duck getting his very own juice brand ultimately comes down to the character's long-lasting popularity as one of the most famous Disney characters of all time.

TV and movie tie-ins are a very familiar marketing tactic in the food world, with movies like the famous "Barbie" food and drink collaborations to better market the film. However, the Donald Duck juice you'll find at Dollar Tree is far from a limited-time-only product made to be an advertisement for a new show or movie. Instead, the Donald Duck juice was created by Citrus World Inc. back in 1940 and is the juice company's oldest product still available today.

As for the choice to use Donald Duck in the marketing, that age should clue you into its origin. After first debuting in 1934, Donald Duck became an incredibly popular character in the 1940s, making him a fitting mascot for a new juice company to hitch onto. Thus, Citrus World has paid Disney for licensing rights to use Donald Duck as the beloved mascot of its affordable juice brand.

Plus, while it might not be quite as world-renowned as Walt Disney World's high-priced drinks, the Donald Duck-branded juice has continued to be a highly popular product even 84 years after its creation. In fact, the juice brand is one of the highest sellers at certain Dollar Tree locations, making its fascinating existence a profitable one for all parties involved.