Dive Brief:
- Ferrero Group is set to reinvigorate the Wonka candy brand as part of a new collaboration with Netflix.
- Ferrero, which bought the Wonka brand from Nestlé in 2018, will introduce 10 seasonal and limited-edition products in partnership with Netflix this fall. The launches span categories including chocolate, sugar confectionery, ice cream and cereals.
- The collaboration comes as Netflix announces a new reality competition and animated film tied to the Willy Wonka universe. The streaming platform acquired the Roald Dahl Story Company in 2021 with plans to bring beloved childhood classics into new formats including consumer products.
Dive Insight:
The fantastical world of "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" has had a close relationship with the food industry for decades — the original 1971 film was financed by Quaker Oats in exchange for the rights to use the Wonka name and put the candy at the forefront of the movie.
The Wonka brand has changed hands several times, and was bought by Nestlé in 1988 from Pixy Stix creator Sunmark Corporation. The brand eventually came to house popular candies including LaffyTaffy and Nerds.
However, as Nestlé moved to exit the food business, the company phased out Wonka in 2015, housing its candies under a new name called Nestlé Candy Shop. Ferrero purchased Nestlé's candy business for $2.8 billion in 2018.
Ferrero has spent years revitalizing Nestlé's candy brands, including turning Nerds into a breakout star with the introduction of gummy clusters. The company hopes to now revive the Wonka brand, saying its ambition is "to thoughtfully bring the beloved universe back for long-time fans."
Ferrero also intends to take a larger share of the seasonal market, which has become a growing business for other candy giants like Mondelēz. Ferrero said the Wonka collaboration represents "a significant disruption in the category."
Wonka products will be available in the U.S. and select markets across Europe, including the U.K., France, Italy and Germany. The partnership between Ferrero and Netflix is also the start of a long-term collaboration to engage consumers through experiential marketing.
"[O]ur ambition is to apply the Ferrero lens to the Wonka universe and to bring fresh new energy to the seasonal aisle," Alessandro Rapali, premium chocolate president at Ferrero Group, said in a statement. "Behind the scenes, our research, development and innovation teams have been carefully leveraging decades of experience in real chocolate factories, applying Ferrero's signature quality and craftsmanship, and bringing to life a new Wonka world."
