This winter, the magic of Roald Dahl’s confectionary classic will be back in theaters with the Warner Bros. prequel Wonka. Promising to show the early life and times of Timothée Chalamet’s young candy challenger, a brand-new candy under the Wonka name is being brought to market to sweeten the deal for fans of pure imagination. As such a fan, I’m excited for not only the first new Wonka candy in a while, but what this could mean for bringing back my beloved Wonka Bars.
Introducing Wonka Magic Hat Gummies
First, here’s what we do know: candy maker Ferrara, the current owners of the Wonka candy brand, has created a new treat just in time to hype up Wonka. Announcing Wonka Magic Hat Gummies, the company plans to have this sweet surprise on the market in the very near future. Starting September 1, they’ll be exclusively available at Walmart locations, with a nationwide rollout debuting on September 28.
Further stoking anticipation for this new offering is a statement from Greg Guidotti, the Chief Marketing Officer at Ferrara Candy Co. Explaining the process for bringing a new Wonka candy to shelves, Guidotti expanded on this idea thusly:
For decades, the name ‘Wonka’ has been synonymous with sweet treats that bring joy, wonder, and the magic of childhood to people of all ages. And with the anticipation of the new Wonka movie, we are excited to help bring the film to life through the return of the Wonka brand to sugar confections with the new Magic Hat Gummies. With this innovation, our goal is to create fun and imaginative experiences through candy that offers fans a little bit of magic with every bite.
Four flavors await the bold and brave who want to taste Willy Wonka’s newest candy: Strawberry Watermelon, Raspberry Grape, Orange Strawberry and Magic Berries. I'm not sure what that last flavor is supposed to taste like, but if it’s the one where you end up defying the laws of gravity, I’m in! Although I’m more sold on the resurrection of Wonka’s candy brand, and it’s time we talk about the potential for sweet successors.
What Could This Mean For The Return Of Wonka Bars?
As if falling in love with the Wonka trailer hadn’t already put me into a metaphorical sugar rush, there’s now going to be a product that can give me an actual blast of sucrose. At the same time, I was incredibly curious about why Wonka Magic Hat Gummies would be the product to relaunch this once active candy brand.
This is, after all, the prequel to Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, which was based off of Roald Dahl’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. No matter where you go, all roads lead to refined cacao beans, so I asked the marketing department at Ferrara if there were any plans for a future resurrection of the Wonka Bar, or even the equally magical Scrumdiddlyumptious Bar. The response to that question can be read below:
…while consumers may expect more candy innovations from Wonka in the future, no specific products have been announced yet.
So the bad news is that there’s no announcement that any of the chocolate treats Wonka eventually paves the way for are coming back. Which is a bummer, as the Wonka Bar is not only the treat that actually got Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory made in the first place, but they were also in production around the release of the remake, 2005’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.
While I'd agree that Tim Burton's take got some things right, one of them was definitely allowing the candy in question to continue to exist. Unfortunately, the good times would eventually come to an end, as the Wonka candies were discontinued in the US around 2010.
However, the good news is that the answer above, as well as the previous statement from Chief Marketing Officer Greg Guidotti, haven't closed the door for future treats. Which is great, because while it was a simple graham cracker encased in chocolate, the Wonka Bar was as delicious as I'd expected from both the book and original movie.
It's a simple pleasure I happen to miss, and it feels like that golden ticket to a golden day might lie ahead. For now, we just don’t know what other experiences lie down the line. If Wonka Magic Hat Gummies are enough of a hit, maybe we’ll get some more treats revealed closer to Wonka’s December 15th release on the 2023 movie release schedule. Also, don't forget to check out your local Walmart starting September 1st, and keep an eye out for the national rollout on September 28th.
