Jelly Belly Founder Goes Full Willy Wonka – Launches Contest To Give Away Candy Factory

Any kid who ever read Charlie and the Chocolate factory, or who saw Gene Wilder in Willy Wonka and The Chocolate Factory grew up with dreams of owning their own candy company. Well, now David Klein, the founder of Jelly Belly jellybeans wants to help make that dream come true.

The contest isn’t quite as simple as finding a golden ticket in a Wonka Bar. For this one, you’ll have to pay a $49.98 fee to be given a riddle on the Golden Ticket Website. If you can solve the riddle and find the necklace that has been hidden in your state, you will win $5,000 and the honor of being one of the people from which Klein will then choose to hand over the keys to a 4,000 square foot candy factory in Florida. The factory isn’t a Jelly Belly company, but one from the candy company he started after selling his jellybeans back in 1980.

You can sign-up now, but the riddles aren’t out yet. The first riddle will be released on Sept. 30th in Georgia. Also, only 1,000 people can participate in each hunt, so sign-up soon if you want a chance to make your sugar-filled dreams come true!

The Goldenticket website is currently unstable due to the traffic, but you can Check out the introductory video here:

Want to win $5,000 and a shot at your very own candy factory? David Klein, founder of candy company Jelly Belly, no longer owns the business, but he’s playing Willy Wonka just the same. In a video posted to TheGoldTicket.com, Klein explains that he’s hiding “gold tickets” — they look like gold-colored military dog tags — in each US state. And one person will win one of Klein’s Florida candy factories. The 4,000-square foot factory isn’t a Jelly Belly factory. Klein sold his stake in that company in 1980 and started fresh.

It’s not as simple as when Charlie Bucket found his golden ticket in author Roald Dahl’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory book. To play, hunters must pay $49.98 to receive the riddle that will help them hunt down the gold necklace. Different state riddles will be released on different days, beginning with Georgia’s on Sept. 30. Those who pay will be allowed into a private Facebook group about their hunt, and only 1,000 people can participate in each hunt.