When the movie “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory,” starring Gene Wilder, was released in 1971, I could go to my local candy shop (yes, my town had some of those) and buy the newest candies on the market, Wonka Super Skrunch Bars and Peanut Butter Oompas.
Super Skrunch was a peanut butter and crispy rice center covered with chocolate. The Oompas were similar to M&Ms, but with a peanut butter center. Reese’s would launch its similar product, Reese’s Pieces, seven years later in 1978.
Oompas were discontinued in 1983, according to History of Candy, and Super Skrunch disappeared in about 1981, according to Foodie.
The original Wonka candies might be gone forever, but an iconic candy company is teaming with streaming service Netflix, which purchased the Wonka intellectual property rights in 2021, to launch a new line of Wonka products.
80-year-old candy company Ferrero Group, which has owned the rights to the discontinued Wonka candy brand since 2018, said that it will relaunch the candy line with four new limited-edition sweet creations in November.
Ferrero rolls out four Wonka candies
Ferrero North America announced that it will launch Wonka Magic Hats Chocolate Pralines, Wonka Purplypurple Milk Chocolate Bar, Wonka Magic Garden Chewy Ropes, and Wonka Oompa Loompa Gummies in November. It will also offer fans a chance to win a Golden Ticket and a trip for four to the new Netflix House on the Las Vegas Strip, which opens in 2027, through its partnership with the streaming service.
Netflix in 2021 purchased the Roald Dahl Story Company, which held the rights to the “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” story. The streaming network in 2026 launched a reality competition series, “The Golden Ticket,” and will premiere the animated film, “Charlie vs. The Chocolate Factory,” in 2027.
Wonka fans can stream “The Golden Ticket” on Netflix beginning Sept. 23.
“Wonka’s newest treats are uniquely crafted to capture the timeless magic that so many people know and love,” Ferrero USA spokesperson Kelly Flaherty said in a Sept. 22 statement.
You could win a Golden Ticket
“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. And who knows? You might be the next Golden Ticket winner,” Flaherty said.
The original Wonka Bar candy was launched in 1971 by the Quaker Oats Company, which also contributed financing for the production of the movie, “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. “
Quaker Oats wanted different movie name
The film was based on Roald Dahl’s 1964 book “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory,” but Quaker Oats wanted the film renamed from the book title to “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory” as part of a marketing plan for Willy Wonka products, according to Daily Meal.
The film was remade in 2005, however, with the title “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory,” starring Johnny Depp as Willy Wonka.
Wonka brand purchased again
Nestle purchased the Willy Wonka Candy Company in 1988 and discontinued the candy brand in 2014. Ferrero purchased Nestle’s candy brand and the Wonka rights in 2018 but has not had a full-scale relaunch of the Wonka brand until now.
Ferrero was established in Italy in 1946 and has grown to one of the world’s largest, sweet food companies with over 35 brands sold in over 170 countries. The company entered the North American market in 1969.
The candy company, which employs 5,400 workers, operates 15 plants and warehouses and eight offices in the U.S., Canada, and the Caribbean.
Ferrero manufactures Ferrero Rocher candies; many of the classic Nestle candy bars, such as Butterfinger and Crunch; and Tic Tac; as well cookie brands Keebler, Famous Amos, and Mother’s Cookies.
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