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Muppets "in" Space jars from Welch's

By Jocelyn Ferran, Greg Rohr, and Phillip Chapman
Courtesy of Welch's
May 21, 1998

Continuing a tradition that started 45 years ago, Welch's has launched Muppets in Space, its newest series of collectable jelly glasses.

Each of the six glasses features a different Muppet character in outer space.  Dressed in space suits are Kermit the Frog, Miss Piggy, Animal, Gonzo the Great, Rizzo the Rat, and Fozzie Bear.  Also appearing on other Welch's Jam and Jelly products is an offer for free Muppets in Space wall clings with the purchase of any two Welch's Spreads items.

In support of the promotion, Welch's and The Jim Henson Company have announced the Muppets in Space Sweepstakes, offering consumers a chance to win one of 5 Grand Prize family trips to U.S. Space Camp in Florida.  20 First Prize winners will receive flight jackets, 50 Second Prize winners will receive Laser Tag games and 100 Third Prize winners will receive Muppets in Space T-shirts.

Welch's first started packing jams and jellies in collectible glasses in 1953 with images of Howdy Doody.  Other notables that have been featured include Tom & Jerry, Looney Tunes characters and The Flintstones.

What is interesting... is that these glasses were released 14 months before the movie is to hit theaters, and according to a press release in Variety that came out yesterday (see below), the title of the movie has changed to Muppets from Space.  If the movie's title has really changed you may want to snap these things up!  Welch's may reprint the jars to say "Muppets from Space" in the very near future.  Of course, this may have been a mistake by Variety, because The Jim Henson Company is still calling the film Muppets in Space.