Roald Dahl, author of the children's novel "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory," was the original imagination behind Wonka products. In his story, published in 1964, Charlie Bucket and four other golden ticket winners go on a tour through the chocolate factory of candy mastermind Willy Wonka. There they float down a chocolate river, meet Wonka's Oompa Loompas, eat mint-sugar grass, and lick candy wallpaper. One child is promised a special prize: inheritance of the Wonka Factory and all of Willy Wonka's candy-making secrets. Dahl's book introduced confections such as ice cream that never melts, color-changing caramels, gum that doesn't lose flavor, candy eggs that hatch into birds, the Whipplescrumptious Marshmallow Delight, hair toffee, Everlasting Gobstoppers, fizzy lifting drinks, square candies that look round, toffee apple trees, exploding candy for enemies, television chocolate, supervitamin candy, and chewing gum that turns into a three-course dinner.
Willy Wonka transferred from the world of fiction and became a real brand of candy in 1980. The line was originally produced by Breaker confections. In 1988, the company was acquired by Nestle, who became the purveyors of the Wonka candy product line. Nestle continued to create confections in the spirit of the Willy Wonka imagination and in 2010 announced a Golden Ticket prize -- a trip around the world -- to mark the launch of its Wonka Exceptionals line.
While the Wonka sweets you find in a candy store aren't quite as magical as those in the movie, there is no lack of nostalgic appeal and imaginative spirit. The candy products inspired by the "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" book and movie include the Everlasting Gobstopper, Oompas, the Scrumdiddlyumptious Chocolate Bar and the Wonka Chocolate Waterfall Bar.
Nestle's Wonka candy line also includes a line of products not featured in the book or movies, but that reflect a similar whimsical, Wonka-style theme. As of 2011, the Wonka candy line includes the Kazoozles, Fruit Runts, Laffy Taffy, LIK-M-AID Fun Dip, Nerds, Pixy Stix, Spree and Sweetarts.