Nerds have been a confectionery favorite since they were first introduced back in 1982. Yep, they’re celebrating their 30th Anniversary this year, and I’ll be delving into their history in more detail, later this summer. Today, however, I’d like to show you a few pieces of Nerds packaging that you won’t find in the country of their birth – these are Nerds from around the globe.
Canada - Nestle Wonka - Nerds - Wildberry & Peach flavor - candy box - 2010
As you can see by today’s title image – you don’t have to go far to find a kind of Nerds you can’t get in the USA. Head north up into Canada and you can find Peach Nerds – a flavor of Nerd that, to my knowledge, has never been sold in the United States. But there’s more…
Here in the United States in the 1990’s we had Neon Nerds:
- Neon Nerds candy box – 1995″]
The box for Neon Nerds is one of my favorites, but the flavor combo was discontinued around 1999 or 2000. Even so, down in Australia, they continued making Neon Nerds and you can still get them to this day. Here’s what a current box for the Australian Neon Nerds looks like:
Nestle Australia - Wonka - Nerds Neons candy box - Pinktricity Electro Orange - 2009
Over in the United Kingdom, they’ve had quite a bit of fun with Nerds that we haven’t, starting with this cool triple-chamber box, which was apparently a Woolworth store exclusive. [Note that one of the flavors is Strawberry and Cola – another combo you won’t find here.]:
UK - Willy Wonka's - Nerds Double Dipped - Strawberry & Cola - Green Apple and Punch - Orange and Lime - Woolworths Exclusive candy box - 1996
So the United Kingdom has had some flavors we will probably never get here, but they’ve also used Nerds in some pretty creative ways. In 2001, the UK got a bar with the awesome name of Wonkalate – which included Snozzberry-flavored Nerds mixed in with the bar:
UK - Nestle - Wonka - Wonkalate - foil candy bar wrapper - 2001
I acquired this one still intact, with the original decade-old bar inside. Here’s a shot of the unopened package, as well as the aged contents:
UK - Nestle - Wonka - Wonkalate - unopened bar photo - 2001
Last but certainly not least on today’s coverage of Nerds from around the world is another entry from the United Kingdom. Just back in 2005, Wonka’s UK arm released a product called Nerdalicious, which was sort of like Nerd-filled licorice. What I loved about it was that the package featured the standard Nerds mascots as well as what I can only describe as a “King Nerd”:
UK - Nestle Wonka - Nerdalicious - candy wrapper package - 2005
And that’s everything I’ve got for today on my global-Nerd spectacular. I am currently researching the wonderful 30-year history of Nerds, so if anyone has any stories or info to share, please get in touch.
I’m traveling this weekend, but I’ll endeavor to post some candy-related fun while I’m away. I have some fun ideas. I hope everyone has a safe and fun holiday weekend!
Nerd-out!
I think this is very cool! I’ve been collecting nerds boxes for about ten years now I’m always lookin out for new and old boxes!
Some VERY nice stuff on this blog of yours. You’re like the Indiana Jones of confectionery!
Can you put up a really good scan of the pre-2000’s Willy Wonka logo (the “Gene Wilder-esque” one), pretty please? I’ve been searching forever and a day for some decent, HD images of it. Happens to be my favorite iteration of the brand, and I was sad when the Purple Hat logo first came into vogue.
I may be being really dense here but I dont remember nerdalicious (I’m in & from the UK) and the wrapper you show there says made in New Zealand and appears to be marketed for Australia and NZ. I would love them to be from the UK as I love grape flavoured sweets but they are rare in the country.
Russell,
Now that you mention it, I don’t think it’s from the UK after all. I got it from a collector there, but it’s clearly from Down Under. Thank you for the correction!
Jason
They’ve recently re-released Wonka bars here in the UK after 8 years. Not the same flavours unfortunately, but I’ll take what I can get for now!
Anyway, that’s what led me to look up Wonka bars, and OMG seeing that picture of the Wonkalate I could suddenly taste it strongly!! I remember buying one as a kid, finding the taste very overpowering and I think that is possibly the only chocolate bar in my life I’ve ever thrown away half of. Recalling the taste now though, I think I’d like it at this age.
Sigh, remember when confectionery was fun?
Did you try the decade old bar out of curiousity? 😉
Wildberry/Peach Nerds are also abundant in Mexico.
I just have to say that I was randomly remembering the neon orange nerds from the 90s and in searching online all i could find was the australian brand! This article was the only thing that made definitive sense as to why this could be. Thanks Jason.
NERDS! I luv grape ones <3 😀