Wonka returns as Ferrero taps into experiential marketing boom

Ferrero revives Wonka brand alongside Netflix partnership

• Ferrero plans Wonka relaunch after acquiring brand rights in 2018
• Ten seasonal limited edition products launch across chocolate sweets ice cream
• Ferrero uses phased consumer-led development to expand categories
• Netflix partnership links confectionery launches with films series and experiential marketing
• Strategy signals wider industry shift

Ferrero Group has announced plans to bring Wonka back.

The confectionery giant acquired the rights to the Wonka brand from Nestlé back in 2018, and has since been working to transform it for a new generation.

Ferrero says the new launch is part of a “longstanding commitment to continuous product development and category expansion” across its portfolio.

The Italian chocolate maker has been developing Wonka through a phased, consumer-led process, and is preparing to offer a series of ten seasonal and limited-edition products across multiple categories.

The new launches will span multiple categories, starting with chocolate, sugar confectionery, ice cream and cereals.

“We’re excited to be introducing a new Wonka family of products,” says Alessandro Rapali, Premium Chocolate President at Ferrero Group. “For generations, Charlie & The Chocolate Factory has been part of popular culture; our ambition is to apply the Ferrero lens to the Wonka universe and to bring fresh new energy to the seasonal aisle.”

Ferrero and Netflix

Ferrero’s releasing the new range alongside a major collaboration with Netflix.

Netflix acquired the Roald Dahl Story Company in 2021 and recently announced the expansion of the on-screen Wonka universe, with a 2026 reality competition series The Golden Ticket, and a 2027 animated film Charlie vs The Chocolate Factory.

The partnership marks the start of a long-term collaboration between the two giants and further emphasises the industry’s move into experiential confectionery.

“Netflix is reimagining the Wonka universe built on extraordinary imagination and whimsical creations, and Ferrero, with its outstanding heritage of product innovation and brand-building, could not be a better home for this partnership,” says Filippo Zuffada, senior director of consumer products at International at Netflix.

The shift to experiential

Ferrero’s latest move highlights how confectionery brands are rethinking the way they connect with consumers.

In the last few months we’ve seen the launch of Ferrero’s FIFA World Cup campaign, Nestlé’s KitKat and Formula 1 collaboration, and Mars’ M&M’s collaboration with make-up brand NYX.

Rather than relying solely on shelf presence and traditional advertising, companies are increasingly building entire worlds around brands, blending product launches with entertainment, storytelling and digital engagement.

By aligning Wonka with streaming content, limited editions and seasonal moments, Ferrero is tapping into fandom culture and encouraging repeat interaction beyond the point of purchase.