FROM IMAGINATION TO INNOVATION: A SNEAK PEEK INTO FERRERO’S NEW WONKA RANGE

For more than 60 years, Wonka has been associated with imagination, invention and extraordinary moments. Today, Ferrero is bringing that universe to life, to create an all-new confectionery range, combining the world of Wonka with its own R&D expertise, creativity and commitment to quality.

With the range beginning to roll out across markets from autumn 2026, UK Head of R&D at Ferrero, Gary Youren and food historian Seren Charrington-Hollins answer some of the key questions behind this new chapter for Wonka, from how Ferrero turned imagination into reality to how an iconic world can continue to evolve across multiple generations.

“What was important to us was to remember that, in the books and films, people loved Wonka products not only because they were zany or strange, but because they were delicious” Youren explains. “We wanted products that tasted great, with some surprising twists.”

The team began referring to this as the Wonka Twist - taking familiar ideas and finding unexpected ways to explore them through flavour, texture, colour and format.

DID YOU KNOW...

The all-new range will begin rolling out across markets from autumn 2026. This includes UK, US, Germany, Italy and France.
Wonka has captured imaginations through invention and surprise for more than 60 years
Ferrero’s R&D teams explored new recipes, flavours, textures, shapes and formats inspired by the Wonka world

How do you create something new from the world of Wonka?

For Ferrero’s R&D teams, the starting point was understanding what makes Wonka distinctive, while giving themselves the freedom to imagine something completely new.

For Youren and the team, it was also a brief that felt particularly close to home. “We work in a chocolate factory, and for years people have compared our roles to Willy Wonka’s, so to actually do that ‘for real’ was amazingly exciting,” says Youren.

The team wanted to do justice to the story loved by so many, and capture Wonka’s sense of surprise while making sure the experience delivered first and foremost on taste.

Creating something new for Wonka did not mean recreating the past. Instead, Ferrero looked at the qualities that have helped make its world distinctive across multiple generations and considered how they could inspire new experiences today.

Why does Wonka continue to resonate across generations?

The balance between heritage and reinvention has long been part of confectionery itself. Across history, confectionery has continually evolved through new flavours, textures, shapes and experiences, with familiar ideas providing inspiration for something new.

As Charrington-Hollins explains: “Confectionery does not simply preserve nostalgia; it allows traditions to evolve, connecting generations and cultures through a shared sense of enjoyment, discovery and wonder.”

A familiar taste or texture can surely evoke memories, while something unexpected can spark curiosity and create new ones. It is a relationship Charrington-Hollins sees reflected particularly strongly in Wonka.

“The enduring relationship between confectionery and imagination is at the heart of Wonka. Through stories and film adaptations, the Wonka story is a reminder of the ongoing history of confectionery, and how it’s shaped by culture, invention, science and joy,” she says.

Across the last 60 years, the Wonka world has continued to evolve across books, films and popular culture. While multiple generations may encounter it in different ways, imagination, invention and surprise have remained at its heart.

“Confectionery inventions are more than a delicious product; constant reinvention is a key reason treats remain such a powerful part of our lives. Every new wave of imaginative sweet making continues to reinvent confectionery through research, innovation, evolving consumer taste, new processes, and creativity, proving that sweet treats truly never go out of fashion.”

When will the new Ferrero's new Wonka confectionery range be available?

The all-new Wonka seasonal range will begin rolling out across five markets from autumn 2026, opening a new chapter that builds on years of imagination while giving consumers new ways to discover the world of Wonka. Stay tuned! Product-specific information will be announced locally as the range launches in individual markets.

What was the innovation process behind turning imagination into reality?

Turning that creative starting point into confectionery meant combining experimentation with Ferrero’s technical and manufacturing expertise. Leaning on the team’s strong experience in quality craftsmanship, this project required a high standard of innovation and creativity, to bring the Wonka universe to life.

The process starts on paper, as R&D teams explore different flavours, recipes and concepts before moving into kitchen prototypes. Ideas then go through rounds of review and refinement, followed by industrial trials and production validation.

Some ideas presented the teams with completely new technical challenges.

“There were moments when we really did not know how we would achieve what we were trying to do,” says Youren. “Sourcing ideas from engineering and technology colleagues was essential in finding the right solutions.”

At Ferrero’s Alfreton site in the UK, R&D and manufacturing teams worked together to translate those ideas into products that could be made consistently and at scale. For one part of the range, the team designed and installed new equipment to achieve the visual finish envisioned during development. Throughout, quality remained central. “The important thing is consistently high-quality craftsmanship,” Youren explains. “The work to optimise and improve does not stop.”

For Youren, one of the most rewarding parts of the project has been seeing people experience the results for the first time.

“As the project has gotten bigger, there are always new colleagues tasting the products for the first time, even if I have tasted them many times,” he says. “It remains a thrill to see how people react.”

MEET THE EXPERTS

Gary Youren
UK Head of R&D at Ferrero

Gary is part of Ferrero’s UK R&D team and worked closely on the development of the all-new Wonka range, helping turn creative ideas into new confectionery experiences.