A real chocolate factory is coming to the Netherlands, and you don’t need golden tickets.
Every child dreams of visiting Willy Wonka’s famous chocolate factory, a fictional paradise created by author Roald Dahl. Not really a surprise, since that place still looks like heaven to every adult. But now that nostalgic dream might just come to life! [Featured image: SeARCH via Tony’s Chocolonely]
Tony’s Chocolonely plans to build exactly that dream world. They aim to bring us “Tony’s Chocolonely Chocolate Circus” by 2024 and hope to attract 500,000 visitors each year. We’re sure that’s not asking too much—after all, it’s literally a world of chocolate.
Tony’s Chocolonely Chocolate Circus is described as a combination of a factory and an amusement park. The plans include a roller coaster ride through the main building—the perfect way to view the factory in all its chocolatey glory. (Don’t worry, no one will suffer the same fate as Augustus Gloop and Veruca Salt.) If the project succeeds, the factory will feature a restaurant, a shop, and of course plenty of chocolate tastings. Nothing is known yet about Giant Glass Elevators.
Tony’s Chocolonely is the largest chocolate brand in the Netherlands. They base their brand on strong ethical values that address the massive problem of slavery in the cocoa sector. Tony’s pays all its farmers a living wage and uses a system to ensure that their supply chains are fully traceable.
The chocolate factory offers an experience where you can learn more about how the ethical brand operates. In addition, they educate visitors about the harmful practices of slavery in the sector and what Tony’s Chocolonely is doing to combat it.
The designers hope the complex will open in 2024 and estimate that construction will cost around €100 million (£89 million). It will be located in a converted red-brick warehouse in Zaandam, a city just outside Amsterdam, and was designed by the architectural firm SeARCH.
Should we start lining up now, so we’re ready for 2024?
