The founding of the Wonka Company is a part-charming, part-corporate tale. Film director Mel Stuart had a daughter, who loved the Charlie and the Chocolate Factory book, and wanted her father to make it into a movie. So, he asked producer David L. Wolper what could be done, and Wolper saw the merchandising opportunity, so he struck a deal with Quaker Oats that they would get the candy rights to the Wonka name if they would finance the making of the movie. The company was sold to Nestle in 1988, and has been there ever since, a subsidiary of Sunmark, itself a subsidiary of Nestle, all of which screams old world charm. They do make a damn fine line of candies, though...

- Count Dolby von Luckner