Dive Brief:
- Ferrero North America has relaunched the Wonka candy brand with a line of limited-edition treats in partnership with Netflix.
- The lineup, available in November, features four treats with unexpected flavor or texture combinations.
- The announcement is tied to the release of the Netflix reality show "Wonka's The Golden Ticket" on Sept. 23. Ferrero said more innovations under the Wonka line are expected in the future.
Dive Insight:
Ferrero is reopening the gates to Willy Wonka's chocolate factory after purchasing the discontinued Wonka brand as part of its $2.8 billion purchase of Nestlé's confectionery business in 2018.
The new launch leans into the magic of the Wonka universe with fun shapes, novel flavor combinations and unexpected textures. The four candies are:
- Wonka Magic Hats featuring colorful chocolate shells with creamy centers
- Wonka PurplyPurple Chocolate, a milk chocolate bar with purple caramel-flavored milky filling
- Oompa Loompa Gummies featuring a juicy berry cola-flavored filling
- Wonka Magic Garden Chewy Ropes, chewy gummy ropes with a lemon filling meant to represent grass blades harvested from the factory's garden.
Ferrero's research and development team explored new recipes, flavors, shapes and formats inspired by the Wonka world in creating the launch, the company said earlier this month. The company looked to take qualities that helped make the Wonka world distinctive and reimagine them for a new generation.
“What was important to us was to remember that, in the books and films, people loved Wonka products not only because they were zany or strange, but because they were delicious,” Gary Youren, U.K. head of R&D at Ferrero, said in a statement. “We wanted products that tasted great, with some surprising twists.”
The food industry has had a long history with "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory," with the original 1971 film financed by Quaker Oats in exchange for the rights to use the Wonka name. Nestlé took over the Wonka brand in 1988, before phasing it out in 2015 following declining sales.
Ferrero has spent years revitalizing Nestlé’s candy brands, including turning Nerds into the candy aisle's biggest hit with the introduction of gummy clusters. The company hopes to recreate some of that success with Wonka by leaning on unexpected texture combinations similar to gummy clusters.
"As we begin this exciting new chapter for Wonka, we're inviting the young at heart to experience the imagination and unexpected delights that have made the brand so beloved, reimagined through a collection of delicious new treats," Kelly Flaherty, cross category marketing and innovation at Ferrero USA, said in a statement.
