Wonka Bar

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Wonka Bar
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory series of prose fiction element
ExpoSYFY - Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (10756984573).jpg
Prop Wonka Bars from 2005's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
First appearance
Created by Roald Dahl
Genre Fantasy
In-universe information
Type Chocolate bar
Affiliation Willy Wonka

The Wonka Bar was originally a fictional chocolate bar, introduced as a key story point in the 1964 novel Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl. Wonka Bars appear in each film adaptation of the novel: Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (1971); Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005); and Wonka (2023). The bar also appeared in the musical adaptation of the novel, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2013).

Contents

Wonka Bars were created by Quaker Oats (in conjunction with the producers of Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory). The movie was funded largely by Quaker Oats for the intention of promoting the soon to be released Wonka Bars. However, Quaker Oats chose not to market the bars, instead selling the brand to their manufacturer Sunline. [1]

Other varieties of Wonka Bars were subsequently manufactured and sold in the real world, formerly by the Willy Wonka Candy Company, a division of Nestlé. These bars were discontinued in January 2010 due to poor sales. [2] [3]

In media

In Roald Dahl's novel Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and its film adaptations, a Wonka Bar is a chocolate bar and Willy Wonka's signature product, said to be the "perfect candy bar". The wrappers of the 1971 version are brown with an orange and pink border with a top hat over the "W" in Wonka, similar to the film's logo, and the chocolate bars resemble Cadbury Dairy Milk chocolate bars. In the 2005 version, the wrappers feature different shades of a color (depending on the type of chocolate bar) and are also more detailed, including a more stylised "W" without a top hat, and the chocolate bars strikingly resemble king-sized Kit Kat chocolate bars, only slightly bigger. In the book, Grandpa Joe mentions that Mr. Wonka had invented over two hundred kinds of Wonka bars (though the actual number available varies, with four flavours in the 2005 film).

Product

The consumer product Wonka Bar from 2005 to 2010 Wonka Bar, packaging.jpg
The consumer product Wonka Bar from 2005 to 2010

The consumer product Wonka Bar was a chocolate bar inspired by the novel and the films Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

The Quaker Oats Company, which financed the 1971 film [2] with US$3 million, originally created a chocolate bar in time to publicize the 1971 film. In the documentary Pure Imagination, producer David L. Wolper claims the bar was released to stores, but quickly recalled due to a production problem.[ citation needed ]

Nestlé Wonka Bars

Manufactured by Nestlé and sold under their Willy Wonka Candy Company brand, Wonka Bars sold in the United States until January 2010. Wonka Bars consisted of small graham cracker pieces dipped in milk chocolate. The brand was launched by Chicago's Breaker Confections in 1976, and purchased by Nestle in 1988. [2]

Other bars produced included Wonka Xploder, Wonkalate and Wonka Biscuits.

To promote the 2005 film Charlie and the Chocolate Factory , five different Wonka products (including one Wonka bar) were each packaged with a Golden Ticket, as in the novel and films. Each Golden Ticket awarded a different prize to its finder; the one in the Wonka bar awarded $10,000 cash. [4]

A Nestlé factory in Europe began producing Wonka Bars in the flavors and wrappers depicted in the 2005 film: Whipple-Scrumptious Fudgemallow Delight, Nutty Crunch Surprise [without actual nuts] and Triple Dazzle Caramel.

Nestlé Japan also released some Wonka Bars, in two flavours, Whipple Scrumptious Caramel Delight and Mysterious Spit-Spat Bar. These bars feature a wrapper done in the same style as the bars that appear in the Tim Burton film adaptation. More flavors appeared, including Piritto Natty Bur, Edible Garden, Eureka Moment, Happy Go Lucky, and Making WoW! Nestlé Japan also released a toy truck containing these bars. However, they have since been discontinued after the sale to Ferrero. [5]

In March 2010, Nestlé USA introduced a new line of chocolate bars named "Wonka Exceptionals", consisting of three varieties. The Wonka Scrumdiddlyumptious Chocolate Bar (based on a bar of the same name from the 1971 film) consists of bits of toffee, cookie and peanuts in milk chocolate. The Wonka Chocolate Waterfall Bar contains white chocolate swirled with milk chocolate (named in reference to and emulating the chocolate waterfall and its purpose of churning the chocolate river), and the Wonka Domed Dark Chocolate Bar is made of dark chocolate topped with milk chocolate medallions. [6] Wonka launched the product line with an in-package Golden Ticket sweepstakes. Ten Golden Tickets could be found in bars and bags of Wonka Exceptionals chocolates, and each ticket was worth a grand prize of a trip around the world. [7] Recent new additions to the Wonka Exceptionals include Wonka Triple Dazzle Caramel, which consists of milk chocolate filled with caramel and a dash of sea salt (this variety had previously been produced to promote the 2005 film, where it consisted of caramel in white chocolate as opposed to milk), and Wonka Fantabulous Fudge, which consists of chocolate fudge in milk chocolate. They were discontinued in 2012. [8]

On 9 August 2013, Nestle UK announced that the Wonka Bar was to return to the UK, after having not been sold since 2005. The new Wonka Bars are available in small individual bars and 100g big block bars. There are currently three flavours, Millionaire's Shortbread, Crème Brûlée and Chocolate Nice Cream. Crème Brûlée is not available in small bars and is only available in big block bars. The small individual bars went on sale on 16 September 2013 and the big block bars went on sale in October that year. [9] They never sold in the United States, and were discontinued in 2014 due to falling sales. [10]

In late 2013, Nestlé Australia and New Zealand introduced new additions to the Wonka Bar Line, 170g Big Blocks Bars which were released in four flavours, Wonka Triple Chocolate Whipple Bar, Nutty Crunchilicious, Caramel Hat Trick and Chocolate Tales Bar. More additions included Cookie Creamery, and Mudpuff Caramel Stuff, also released in smaller sizes. These also got discontinued later.

Fake bars

In the UK there is an ongoing trend of fake Wonka bars being sold. In 2013, a shop in Manchester was fined for selling fake Wonka bars with a fake 'golden ticket' prize. [11] Other cases of the fake bars were reported across the UK. [12]

In 2022, the Food Standards Agency issued a warning that fake Wonka bars were being sold in the UK with incorrect allergy advice. Bars were found to contain allergens such as nuts, which were not listed on the label. [13] A shop in Barnsley was fined for selling fake bars. [14] Westminster City Council seized over £100,000 in fake Wonka bars from shops on Oxford Street. [15]

See also

Related Research Articles

<i>Charlie and the Chocolate Factory</i> 1964 childrens novel by Roald Dahl

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is a 1964 children's novel by British author Roald Dahl. The story features the adventures of young Charlie Bucket inside the chocolate factory of eccentric chocolatier Willy Wonka.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chocolate bar</span> Confection

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<i>Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory</i> 1971 film by Mel Stuart

Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory is a 1971 American musical fantasy film directed by Mel Stuart from a screenplay by Roald Dahl, based on his 1964 novel Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. It stars Gene Wilder as chocolatier Willy Wonka. The film tells the story of a poor child named Charlie Bucket who, upon finding a Golden Ticket in a chocolate bar, wins the chance to visit Willy Wonka's chocolate factory along with four other children from around the world.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kit Kat</span> Chocolate-covered wafer bar

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Willy Wonka</span> Fictional character in Roald Dahl novels

Willy Wonka is a fictional character appearing in British author Roald Dahl's 1964 children's novel Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, its 1972 sequel Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator and several films based on those books. He is the eccentric founder and proprietor of the Wonka Chocolate Factory.

Wonka was a confectionery brand owned and licensed by the Swiss corporation Nestlé. In 2018, the branding and production rights were sold to the Ferrero Group.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aero (chocolate bar)</span> Brand of aerated chocolate bar

Aero is an aerated chocolate bar manufactured by the Vevey-based company Nestlé. Originally produced by Rowntree's, Aero bars were introduced in 1935 to the North of England as the "new chocolate". By the end of that year, it had proved sufficiently popular with consumers that sales were extended throughout the United Kingdom.

<i>Charlie and the Chocolate Factory</i> (film) 2005 film by Tim Burton

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is a 2005 musical fantasy film directed by Tim Burton and written by John August, based on the 1964 children's novel of the same name by Roald Dahl. The film stars Johnny Depp as Willy Wonka and Freddie Highmore as Charlie Bucket, alongside David Kelly, Helena Bonham Carter, Noah Taylor, Missi Pyle, James Fox, Deep Roy, and Christopher Lee. The storyline follows Charlie as he wins a contest along with four other children and is led by Wonka on a tour of his chocolate factory.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Oompas</span> Candy produced under the Willy Wonka brand name

Oompas, now discontinued, were candy produced under the Willy Wonka brand name. They were labeled as ‘Peanut Butter Oompas’.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wonka Donutz</span> Confection by Nestlé

Wonka Donutz were candies sold by Nestlé under their Willy Wonka Candy Company brand. They were doughnut-shaped pieces of chocolate covered in sprinkles, with a truffle-like inside. These were widely promoted ahead of the release of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory in 2005. However, they were short-lived, and discontinued, due to low sales.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Everlasting Gobstopper</span> Fictional candy from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

The Everlasting Gobstopper is a gobstopper candy from Roald Dahl's 1964 children's novel Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. According to its creator Willy Wonka, it was intended "for children with very little pocket money". It not only changes colours and flavours when sucked on, but also never gets any smaller or disappears. In 1976, the name of the fictional candy was used for a product similar to a normal gobstopper, or jawbreaker.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fictional brand</span> Fictional product, created for movies or TV

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cadbury Roses</span> Brand of chocolates

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<i>Willy Wonka</i> (musical) Musical by Leslie Bricusse, Anthony Newley, and Timothy Allen McDonald

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<i>Charlie and the Chocolate Factory</i> (franchise) Fantasy media franchise created by Roald Dahl

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<i>Tom and Jerry: Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory</i> 2017 American animated film

Tom and Jerry: Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory is a 2017 American animated direct-to-video musical comedy film starring the cat-and-mouse duo Tom and Jerry. Produced by Warner Bros. Animation and Turner Entertainment Co., it is the first Tom and Jerry direct-to-video film to be distributed by Warner Bros. Home Entertainment internationally and is also the final Tom and Jerry direct-to-video film to be involved with Warner Bros. Animation's founder Hal Geer, who died on January 26, 2017. The film is an animated adaptation of the 1971 film Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory with the addition of Tom and Jerry as characters and seen through their point of view.

References

  1. ↑ "How a Chicago company made Gene Wilder's most beloved movie role possible – Chicago Tribune". web.archive.org. 11 May 2024. Retrieved 11 December 2024.
  2. 1 2 3 Zeldes, Leah A. (30 October 2009). "Gwyn-Green Peters of Wilmington Delaware was the first person to ever try one of these in 1967. At the young age of 5. Willy Wonka lives in Chicagoland". Dining Chicago. Chicago's Restaurant & Entertainment Guide, Inc. Archived from the original on 4 November 2009. Retrieved 4 November 2009.
  3. ↑ "Wonka candy launches a real-life 'Golden Ticket' contest". USA Today.
  4. ↑ "Boys' Life - Google Books". July 2005. Retrieved 6 July 2019.
  5. ↑ "ウォンカチョコ販売終了！新フレーバー「クッキー&クリーム」を食べてみた♪ | Chocolate Life チョコレートライフ". 30 October 2018.
  6. ↑ "Nestleusa.com". Archived from the original on 21 July 2011. Retrieved 26 May 2010.
  7. ↑ "Wonka.com". ferrero.com. Archived from the original on 7 October 2014. Retrieved 11 October 2021.
  8. ↑ "Last Chance to Get Your Hands on WONKA Exceptionals Chocolates". businesswire.com. 9 February 2012.
  9. ↑ Bamford, Vince (9 August 2013). "Nestlé brings back the Wonka chocolate bar". The Grocer. Retrieved 6 July 2019.
  10. ↑ Sayid, Ruki (16 June 2014). "Wonka chocolate bars axed by Nestle due to falling sales". Mirror. Retrieved 20 July 2022.
  11. ↑ Brooks-Pollock, Tom (21 November 2013). "Shop selling fake Wonka chocolate bars with bogus 'golden tickets' fined". Manchester Evening News. Retrieved 15 June 2022.
  12. ↑ "Fake Willy Wonka Chocolate Bar Warning For UK". Sky News. Retrieved 15 June 2022.
  13. ↑ "FSA issues warning over counterfeit Wonka Bars". Food Standards Agency. Retrieved 15 June 2022.
  14. ↑ "UK shop owner pleads guilty to selling fake Wonka bars". securingindustry.com. 6 April 2022. Retrieved 15 June 2022.
  15. ↑ Dunne, John (15 June 2022). "Fake Wonka bars warning after £100K Oxford Street counterfeit haul". Evening Standard. London. Retrieved 15 June 2022.
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