Ferrero has introduced a new Wonka range spanning chocolate and sugar confectionery. The launch includes Wonka Magic Hats (RRP £7.65), Wonka Oompa Loompa Milk Chocolate Hollow Figurines (RRP: £4.50), Wonka Purplypurple Milk Chocolate Bar (RRP £3.75), Wonka Magic Garden Ropes (£2.30), Wonka Oompa Loompa Gummies, blueberry & strawberry with berry-cola filling (£2.30), and a Wonka Kinder Joy Egg with exclusive Kinder Joy × Wonka Funko toys (RRP £1.60).
The products represent the latest expansion of Ferrero’s Wonka portfolio. The company acquired exclusive confectionery rights for the brand in 2018, following substantial investment in its Alfreton factory.
Ferrero has invested more than £35 million in the Derbyshire site since purchasing it in 2015. The funding has supported modernisation, increased manufacturing capacity and the development of the facility as the Group’s Centre of Excellence for assortments and model figures.
Craig Barker, managing director of Ferrero UK and Ireland, said the new products reflected the combination of the Alfreton team’s “creativity and technical expertise” with “Ferrero’s global brand-building capabilities”. He added that the range demonstrates what “continued investment in UK innovation and manufacturing can deliver”.
“This launch is a proud moment for Ferrero in the UK,” he said.
“By combining the creativity and technical expertise of our Alfreton team with Ferrero’s global brand-building capabilities, we are able to bring distinctive products to market, while delivering the quality and taste experience consumers expect from Ferrero. It is a powerful example of how our UK business is helping to shape innovation for consumers here and around the world.”
“My team and I are incredibly proud that our Alfreton team in Derbyshire has played such a pivotal role in the innovation and manufacturing for Ferrero Group on the global launch of the new Wonka range,” added Gary Youren, head of R&D for Ferrero UK and Ireland.
“The launch draws on Wonka’s strong nostalgic appeal and Ferrero’s confectionery expertise to offer consumers imaginative products across chocolate and sugar confectionery, with seasonal, limited-edition and further category innovations planned.
“We hope some of these new Wonka creations will become favourites for our ‘young at heart’ audience, combining the excitement of innovation with the quality and taste experience of a Ferrero product our consumers know and love.”
Youren told Food Manufacture that the investment had strengthened the site’s capabilities and supported wider food manufacturing trends. “It’s given our teams the specialist capabilities, from new production lines and technology to dedicated innovation spaces, to keep bringing new ideas and creations to our consumers.”
He also explained how the company developed the range: “Our R&D teams spent time developing and testing new recipes to ensure every product met our exacting standards, building on decades of experience crafting pralines and intricate fillings and utilising Alfreton’s unique manufacturing capabilities.
“The goal was to combine familiar, nostalgic flavours with unexpected chocolate experiences, creating a sense of surprise and wonder that is synonymous with Wonka. From investing time in ensuring we could deliver the colour and marbling decoration effectively on the hats, including designing and installing new equipment in our factory to help us do that, to delivering the popping candy ‘pop’ and achieving that recognisable popcorn flavour, we developed multiple iterations to make sure the flavour delivery, and taste experience was just right.”
He continued: “One of the most rewarding moments throughout the process was seeing a product that the team have helped to develop become a reality.”
The launch reflects wider food and beverage industry trends, including demand for food and drink industry innovation, distinctive product formats and experiences rooted in nostalgia. It also highlights the role of food processing technology in turning new concepts into commercially viable products.
For Ferrero, the long-term objective is to “establish Wonka as a growing global brand”. Youren identified a “clear opportunity to bring this iconic, culturally relevant brand to life through a long-term, multi-category portfolio”.
The range is currently available through Morrisons and Asda. Ferrero will extend distribution to additional major retailers across the UK and Ireland, with Tesco listings scheduled to begin on 22 October. The rollout will support emerging food distribution trends while creating further opportunities across food and drink marketing, food and drink packaging and food and drink consumer trends.
