Iconic Candy Maker Opens Its First Retail Experience, Inviting Consumers to Rediscover Every Candy from the WONKA Factory in The World's Greatest Toy Store™
Neon lights and taxis. Tourists and hot dog carts. And now, NERDS® and LAFFY TAFFY®. New York's Times Square is an even sweeter destination today with the opening of the WONKA® candy store at Toys"R"Us Times Square, the legendary candy maker's first retail shop and the place to find every candy in its delectable portfolio. As expected from WONKA, this shop, located on Level One of The World's Greatest Toy Store™, is unlike any seen before!
Within its home inside the Toys"R"Us international flagship store, the WONKA candy store offers sweet lovers a one-of-a-kind opportunity to experience a piece of the WONKA world. Filled to the brim with fruity flavored and chocolaty confections galore, WONKA at Toys"R"Us Times Square is a sensory adventure of sight, smell and sound. Easily visible from the store's windows overlooking Broadway, customers will be lured into the world of WONKA, where they will encounter sweet surprises at every turn, including:
- A four-foot tall WONKA hat displaying some of the sweetest candies greets guests as they enter the shop.
- Swirled candy pieces seem to spring from a massive purple vortex, and fantastically flavorful WONKA Exceptionals Fruit Jellies surround a gigantic, scrumptious infinity wall, filled to the brim with every type of WONKA candy.
- Larger-than-life candy mushrooms, filled with mixed treats, decorate a replica of the famous WONKA edible garden.
- A 21-foot tree of make-believe PIXY STIX® and KAZOOZLES™ towers over the space complete with LAFFY TAFFY and FUN DIP flowers, while swirled sweets sprout from the not-quite-edible grass.
- SPREE® and SWEETARTS® seem to fly through the air, while purple and gold twirling conveyors entice customers to grab a Scrumdiddlyumptious Chocolate Bar, Waterfall Chocolate Bar or a Domed Dark Chocolate Bar.
"The WONKA candy shop at Toys"R"Us Times Square is a glimpse into the fantastical, unexpected and delicious world of WONKA," said Janet T. Planet, chief innovator for WONKA. "The sweet smells, dazzling optical illusions and vividly colorful candy foliage will feed the imaginations of candy lovers and WONKA fans alike!"
WONKA candy at Toys"R"Us Times Square houses all 12 nostalgic and beloved WONKA brands, as well as the new WONKA Exceptionals collection. From classic FUN DIP to seasonal items, visitors can be sure they'll rediscover an old favorite or find a new one. WONKA at Toys"R"Us Times Square also offers in-demand WONKA merchandise, such as T-shirts, tasty lip-balms, whimsical stationary and more featuring candy favorites like NERDS and LAFFY TAFFY.
"This is more than a retail space – it is an experience. Many people dream about setting foot in the WONKA world, and now they can," said Patricia Bowles, spokesperson for Nestle Confections & Snacks. "With its interactive experiences and amazing retail presentations, Toys"R"Us Times Square is the perfect destination to host the first WONKA candy shop in the world."
"Kids and kids at heart travel from all over the world to visit Toys"R"Us Times Square, a one-of-a-kind destination in New York City's bustling Times Square," said Mindy Clements, vice president, Flagship Stores, Toys"R"Us, Inc. "The WONKA candy shop at Toys"R"Us Times Square is another way we are delighting our customers by offering a distinctive retail environment that makes our international flagship store a unique, sought-after destination.
In addition to the new, experiential WONKA shop, customers can also find WONKA products in the Candy Land department on Level Two of the store. WONKA at Toys"R"Us Times Square is now open to the public during regular business hours (store hours subject to change): Sunday-Thursday, 10:00 am-10:00 pm; and Friday & Saturday, 10:00 am-11:00 pm.
ABOUT WONKA
Wonka® opened its doors in 1983. Since that time, Wonka® has been dedicated to the art of producing fun, innovative, high-quality confections for candy lovers of all ages. Wonka® candies include NERDS®, NERDS® Rope, SWEETARTS®, SHOCKERS, SPREE®, LAFFY TAFFY®, RUNTS®, EVERLASTING GOBSTOPPER®, LIK-M-AID® FUN DIP, PIXY STIX®, BOTTLE CAPS®, KAZOOZLES™ and GUMMIES. THE WILLY WONKA CANDY FACTORY is owned by Nestle USA, Inc. For more information about WONKA, visit WONKA.com. Follow WONKA on the Web at facebook.com/WONKA, twitter.com/WONKAnation, wonkanation.blogspot.com and myspace.com/OnlyWonka.
ABOUT TOYS"R"US
Toys"R"Us, Inc. is the world's leading dedicated toy and juvenile products retailer, offering a differentiated shopping experience through its family of brands. It currently sells merchandise in more than 1,560 stores, including 848 Toys"R"Us and Babies"R"Us stores in the United States, and more than 510 international stores and 200 licensed stores in 33 countries and jurisdictions. In addition, it exclusively operates the legendary FAO Schwarz brand and sells extraordinary toys in the brand's flagship store on Fifth Avenue in New York City. With its strong portfolio of e-commerce sites including Toysrus.com, Babiesrus.com, eToys.com, FAO.com and babyuniverse.com, it provides shoppers with a broad online selection of distinctive toy and baby products. Headquartered in Wayne, NJ, Toys"R"Us, Inc. employs approximately 70,000 associates worldwide. The company is committed to serving its communities as a caring and reputable neighbor through programs dedicated to keeping kids safe and helping them in times of need.
About Nestlé USA
Named one of “The World’s Most Admired Food Companies” in Fortune magazine for fourteen consecutive years, Nestlé provides quality brands and products that bring flavor to life every day. From nutritious meals with Lean Cuisine® to baking traditions with Nestlé® Toll House®, Nestlé USA makes delicious, convenient, and nutritious food and beverage products that make good living possible. That’s what “Nestlé. Good Food, Good Life” is all about. Well-known Nestlé USA brands include: Nestlé® Toll House®, Nestlé® Nesquik®, Nestlé® Coffee-mate®, Stouffer’s®, Lean Cuisine®, HOT POCKETS® and LEAN POCKETS® brand sandwiches, Nescafé®, NESTLÉ® Juicy Juice®, Buitoni®, DREYER’S/EDY’S®, Nestlé® Crunch®, Nestlé® Butterfinger®, Wonka®, DIGIORNO®, TOMBSTONE® and CALIFORNIA PIZZA KITCHEN® frozen pizza. Nestlé USA, with 2010 sales of $10.4 billion, is part of Nestlé S.A. in Vevey, Switzerland — the world’s largest food company with a commitment to Nutrition, Health & Wellness — with 2010 sales of $105 billion.
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- Patricia Bowles, (818) 549-5817, [email protected]