The Reason Wonka Candy Donutz Were Discontinued So Soon

The Willy Wonka Candy Company might ring a bell if you're old enough. Unfortunately, not all good things are meant to last, and the same can be said for the confectionery brand that once bore the beloved character's name. As a result, although some of the sweets it produced are still around, such as Laffy Taffy, Runts, or Nerds, they are currently being manufactured by the Ferrara Candy Company and no longer carry the Wonka moniker. However, for every item you can still find in stores, there are just as many discontinued candy products — like Wonka Candy Donutz. 

For those in the know, the chocolate truffle-esque candy donut topped with an assortment of rainbow sprinkles was a fitting promotional treat offered by the brand (at the time, owned by Nestlé) ahead of the 2005 live adaption premiere of "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory." Yet, to understand why the confection is no longer sold, you have to learn the origins of the original manufacturers, what happened to them, and how poor sales volume played a part in its demise. 

If you ever had a piece of Wonka candy or saw the original film, you can thank the Quaker Oats Company. When director Mel Stuart became interested in developing the movie, he told his friend and producer, David L. Wolper, about the idea, who then sold it to Quaker. Wolper corroborated the story to the Archive of American Television during an interview. However, Quaker's decision to fully financially back the movie was a matter of business: "About that time ... Quaker Oats was coming out with a candy, and they said 'maybe it's a good idea if we do a television thing on this show "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory"' and I said, 'Well, why don't you do a feature film ... and get it out all over on all the theaters and it's the time you released the candy at the same time the movie comes out?'"

As a result, the company bought the rights to the titular character's name to sell candy in exchange for its contribution. Yet the sweet failed to produce a following, and Quaker soon sold the brand property, which began a slew of sales that led to Nestlé's acquisition. So, when the 2005 adaptation came about, Nestlé took a turn by releasing Wonka Candy Donutz. Still, the past tends to repeat itself, and the new owners discontinued the item in 2013 due to poor sales.

Despite Nestlé, much like Quaker, soon selling the brand name off to the Ferrero Group, it's not likely to appear again anytime soon. All grass-root attempts — like the 2015 petition at change.org — to bring the beloved candy have failed. Nevertheless, some are willing to see its return and even inquired about the prospect in the past. Perhaps Ferrero is more interested in expanding its other properties, like Kinder Chocolate, but with the new "Wonka" trailer out, it sure feels like a missed opportunity.

Either way, it's hard to blame Ferrero if the company chooses not to indulge in a revival. After all, while Wonka Candy has always been at the center of promotional theatrical sales, the brand has never been particularly good at sustaining its popularity, which is a shame since the confections have always produced a sense of imagination.