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Monday, July 18, 2005
Wonka’s OompasName: Oompas  Now, when I was a kid there was a candy called Oompa-Loompas and they were nothing like this. Well, they were something like this - they came in a bag and were about the same size as these but they were like a mash-up of M&Ms and Reese’s Pieces (this is all a vague recollection, correct me if I’m wrong). When you bit into the little disks (like fat, large, plain M&Ms) the top layer was peanut butter cream and the bottom was milk chocolate and it was all covered in a bright candy shell. Wonka discontinued those pretty quickly. Now we’ve got the new Oompas which are pretty much jumbo Skittles. Oompas are brightly colored and about the size of garbanzo beans (about two or three times the size of Skittles). Where most of us eat two or three Skittles at a time, I’d probably only eat one of these at a time. Thus losing out on one of the great things of Skittles which is flavor combos - you put a lemon and lime in your mouth at the same time. Generally with Skittles consumption I spill the bag out on my desk and separate them and eat pairs of comparable flavors - citrus with citrus, although lemon can be combined with grape or strawberry, etc. Okay, enough with the Skittles comparisons. Oompas come in six flavors: Green Apple, Cherry, Lemon, Orange, Grape and Strawberry. What’s especially interesting about eating these is that they’re very sweet when you start to chew and they get more sour and zesty as you go (which is the opposite in most chews). Though I don’t care for the intense sweet start, these have a nice finish and are less grainy that some other chews. Think of them more like Starbursts than Skittles. My thing about these assorted flavor packages of stuff is that I invariably only like a few of the flavors. I don’t care for the cherry at all, though it does have a strong flavor. I didn’t like the strawberry or green apple either, and again, that’s personal preference, I’m not saying they were bad. What I did like was the orange and lemon and the grape was just okay. If I liked the majority of the flavors, I think I’d be able to give this a higher rating. As it is, they’re pretty good and I wouldn’t turn them down if you put a big bowl in front of me and I could discreetly pick out the flavors I like. Interesting fact from the wrapper: made in New Zealand. UPDATE: Tracy commented that she can’t find an image of the original wrapper. Here’s one from Imaginary World of one version of the wapper and here’s another. UPDATED UPDATE (4/17/07): For lovers of the original Peanut Butter Oompas, you might want to try the Easter M&M Peanut Butter Speck-Tacular Eggs for a more consistent ratio. Rating: 7 out of 10 
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Meticulously photographed and documented reviews of candy from around the world. And the occasional other sweet adventures. Open your mouth, expand your mind.
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COPYRIGHT NOTICEAll content (text and photos unless otherwise credited) is copyright 2005-2010 by Cybele May Please do not use my photos without prior permission directly from me, they represent what I ate in preparation for these reviews and are not to be used for other purposes. Design by Hop Studios &
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YES!! Someone else that remembers the original Oompas candy. I was wild for those. They were plump and peanut-buttery. I don’t remember there being any chocolate in them though. Have you tried Peanut Butter M&M’s? They are very close to the Oompas. Reeses Pieces are good too. I’m going to the store now…
I have been searching all over for the original Oompas candy (half peanut butter, half chocolate, in a hard candy coating). I’m so disappointed that they didn’t come back with those, as they were my favorite candy as a kid.
I LOVED these also as a child and wish I could at least find a picture of what the wrapper used to look like! I can’t even find a picture on the internet…strange.
I adore Oompas (I’m too young to remember the originals, though). The chew is extremely unique and whilst I agree w/you on some of the flavors (green apple, bleck - lemon, scrumptious), if you shove a bunch in your mouth they all start to taste the same. I hope they stay around for a while - they could use a tropical fruit variation like Skittles offer.
I absolutely loved the old fashioned Oompa half chocolate half peanut butter, my family thought I was crazy until I found this website thank you for saving my good name..
I would love to find somewhere that still has these but a picture would be great to show my kids I’m not crazy.
The good candy was truly back in the 70’s
I have looked at small stores all over trying to find oompa loompas and I’m sorry to find out they’re gone.Is there anywhere we can go to petition them to bring them back? I also miss the seven up bar. It was like a box of chocolates in one bar.
Pam - it looks like they’ve been discontinued.
You might want to poke around online - you might want to buy a box of them.
I found that they were still in stock at CandyDirect:
http://candydirect.com/bars/Oompas.html
I am so excited to find others who miss the “original” Oompas! They were the best with the pb and chocolate combo. A totally unique taste that remains unequaled. Hersheys - How about bringing them back!
I have been searching for the old Oompas forever !!! I am glad other people remember them also !!!
I want to find the new oompas somewhere…. they are little treasures to me and my sweetheart never got a chance to try them before they dissappeared… any suggestions for me?
Lets face it, Reeses candy doesn’t hold a candle to Wonka’s OOMPAS. M&M peanut butter tried, but missed the mark. I too wish they would bring back the oroginal OOMPAS!
Come on Hershey, give them another go!!!
So does Hershey (if that’s who used to make them) know we want them back so much?!?
As far as I know, the old Oompas were made by an independent company under the Wonka name. Nestle is now in charge of the Wonka brand, so it’s possible that now that they’ve discontinued this version of the Oompas they’ll experiment with the old version.
The big thing is that Wonka doesn’t really do chocolate. They have the “Wonka Bar” and the “Donutz” but I don’t see them as widely distributed as the sugar candy part of the Wonka line that’s been around for so long.
Nothing in the Wonderful World of Candy has EVER come close to the ORIGINAL chocolate and peanut butter Oompas! True, the M&Ms; attempt is “fair-to-middlin’” and they’re a decent enough imitation. But there’s the rub—they’re an IMITATION! The original Oompas were a wee bit larger, a good deal “plumper,” and their shiny, smooth outside shells have NEVER been duplicated! NEVER!
Please, Nestle, I beg of you—bring back the original Oompas, or contract out and allow someone else to try? Tiny little multi-colored “Sixlets” come close to the “Oompa FEEL, texture, and taste” in several ways as well, so perhaps the company in charge of “Sixlets” could be contracted to give it a go? PLEASE bring back our beloved Oompas?! If E.T. had ever followed, and swallowed, a trail of Oompas, he never would have “phoned home,” but would have eternally FLOURISHED here on Earth with Elliot—AND Willie Wonka!
Oompas FOREVER!
Thank you!!
This message posted November 5, 2006
I remember the original OOMPAS. They were so incredibly good. I don’t remember them having any chocolate inside, but maybe they did, as others have said. I just remember that they had a wonderful peanut butter ingredient inside the hard M&M style shell. That peanut buttery interior had a taste that I have never been able to find replicated in any candy since. I do love Reeses cups, and I love Peanut M&M’s, but they just don’t have that special “something” that the original OOMPAS had. It’s quite amazing that they disappeared without a trace. This website is the first time that I have found mention of this candy anywhere. My friends and family don’t even remember the original Willy Wonka OOMPAS candy. I wish I could get the recipe to the original candy. I would make them, myself, at home. It’s hard to believe that such a great tasting candy was discontinued like that. Makes me wonder what kind of an idiot made the decision to cancel production and sales of that product. Wish I could find that person and hold them accountable.
What happened to the fruity Oompas? That was my favorite candy then all of a sudden i don’t see them on any store shelves. an di look on the web and its discontinued. What gives? did someone find out that this candy had some kind of harmful chemical in it?
George
Lookin for fruity flavor in CAli
I’ve never heard (until now) of the fruity Oompas. But I can’t imagine anything being as wonderful as the chocolate and peanut butter ones! For fruity stuff, there’s always Starburst, LifeSavers, Gummi Savers, Gummi Bears, Jolly Ranchers, etc., etc., etc.
But the original Oompas were ONE OF A KIND! AND I MISS THEM SOOOO MUCH!!
I MISS OOMPA CANDIES. I’M GLAD YOU TOLD US THAT THE NEW ONES ARE LIKE SKITTLES, UCK! THE ORIGINAL WERE OUTSTANDING.
I have bee searching all over for them and everyone I speak to thinks I’m crazy and does not remember them. Please bring them back. It was my favorite when I was a child. I have missed them every since!
As with some of the other people on here, I’m much to young to remember anything before the fruity candy. All I remember is that a couple of years back, my sister, cousin and I would RAID the store just to get them, even though they were expired we bought them by the armloads. Finally, today as we were just passing by a random variety store on the way home, we found them! I was so glad, and still am :D I’m happy Canada has them, even if they’re randomly placed throughout.
I noticed someone wanted a pic…Soooo
here is a pic of the old Oompas pkg.
http://theimaginaryworld.com/twitter07.jpg
bring back the old oompas
Ever try peanut butter M&M’s? They taste very close to what the old Oompas were like, they are just not as large.
I have tried Peanut Butter M&M’s & would have to say that, per my recollection about the original OOMPAS, the two candies have distinctly different tastes. One thing I noticed about peanut butter m&m’s is that they have an unsatsifying aftertaste, whereas the OOMPAS had none. Even though they both present a peanut butter based inside ingredient, the taste of the original OOMPAS candy is in a league all it’s own. The taste was just too good to be true. In my opinion, this can not be said of PB M&M’s; although, the Peanut Butter M&M’s “are” quite yummy when mixed into ice cream.
Ditto. M&M’s just don’t do it for me like OOMPAS did!
The original Oompas were GREAT! They were my favorite treat to buy from the high school candy store after school - 50 cents a pack. While Reese’s is good, there is nothing I have found better than the half chocolate, half peanut butter Oompas. Given the success of Reese’s pieces (which I believe came out after the Oompas), maybe the Oompas were just a bit ahead of their time…I bet they’d be a hit if they came back out now!
Same here. I tried the M&Ms; chocolate peanut butter. Sad to say, a sure dissappointment to my beloved OOMPAS! I wonder If we all wnt to Hersheys and begged, they’d bring our treats back. I have the same memory of getting my oompas fix at lunch, or after school as a teenager. I’d have to say they are still my alltime favorite candy!!
Just like the old Flying Saucer Wafer Candy (that I pay a fortune for when I can find them) - I would love to see the old Oompa Loompa PB/Choc original candy come back. Come On!!! It was fabulous!!!
Is this candy like the old TV shows, someone owns the copyright & will not release it (like some of the old TV shows, like Dark Shadows that we waited forever to be released?)
Please bring it back!!!
I was a hardcore oompas fan back in 1980 then BOOM they were GONE. For years nothing came close..then Peanut Butter M&Ms;..sorry folks, that’s as close as we’re going to get. Thank you Mars Candy company.
D
Just watched willy wonka and the Chocolate Factory as a family. I told my kids that there used to be a candy I loved called Oompas ( nothing will ever compare) and a Scumptious candy bar, so yummy. The Scrumptious bar had a golden ticket that came inside ( it was a 10cent off coupon).
It’s too bad that Quaker Oats ( the original licensee for the wonka candy) gave up and sold it to nestle .
Oh my gosh I am so glad I found others who also loved Oompas. They were the best! Half peanut butter and chocolate in a candy coating. Sorry but m&ms; and reeses pieces cannot even come close to the taste…YUCK. Thanks for posting the link to the original packaging. Today is my birthday and what a great present to see them again. Does anyone know of a petition site I can sign to get them back. Todays candies are just plain boring and bad. Bring them back.
OMG—These were the BEST! Yes, PB M&M;‘s are as close as we have, but NOTHING compares to the original. There was something very special about the blend of flavors. I was unaware that Quaker Oats did the originals—I intend to write them and express the interest. I will point them to this blog. Wish me luck, all you fellow original Oompa candy lovers!
This has to be the longest lasting post I’ve ever seen. I’ve never heard of the original or the later version of oompas, and now I feel like I’ve been left out! What could be better than reeses pieces, I want to try!
I am so glad other people loved and miss Oompas. For those of you who never had the pleasure, they were about the size of a nickel, maybe, and had a candy coating, but inside was half chocolate and half peanut butter. The Reese’s pieces have a ‘waxy’ taste or texture to them, Oompas just melted in your mouth, there is nothing like them, except maybe if you can imagine a Reese’s peanut butter cup with a hard candy coating around the outside of it? Well, if anyone finds where to buy them or a petition to ge them back, LET ME KNOW, I’M IN!
i also loved original oompas-they were the best.wish they would bring them back.
I am SO HAPPY to hear of the many others that loved the OOMPAS candy! And I am not talking about the fruitty ones, I am talking the “real”, 70’s Oompas, with peanut butter and chocolate! I miss ‘em! The peanut butter M&M;‘s are the closest thing to them but, there’s nothing like those good ol’ OOMPAS!!!!!! :(
I found the picture of the original wrapper! See link below:
http://theimaginaryworld.com/twitter07.jpg
I love OOMPAS I would give up my first born child for that fruity taste. Everytime i see a reses peices or a skittle i get really emotional. I want to just own so many oompas i cant fit them all in my house.
R.I.P Oompas
you will be forever in my heart (but not in my mouth)
I just found Oompas today, at a vending machine at my son’s high school. From the descriptions everyone is giving, I don’t think I would have enjoyed the originals (peanut butter and chocolate combined don’t do it for me, but please dont hate me!) These fruity Oompas are delicious though. I love Skittles, but these are ten times better, and you don’t have to grab a handful, one is a perfect size. My only complaint, and only a small complaint, is that the colours of the strawberry (which I love) and cherry (not so keen) are too similar. Otherwise, LOVE THEM!
How exciting it was to find this site. I was just browsing and looking for my favorite childhood candies. Oompas were my fav. I truely think that if the manufacturers were to give this a go one more time it would be a huge success , and if the younger generation doesn’t take to it I think there are enough of us ole schoolers out there to revive this product. We need to get some type of a petition going for these giant dots of joy to make a comeback.
I remember when I got a job working at a Liqour store in the Valley that had All kinds of candy
for sale. One of the greatest candy’s of all time was Oompas. Reese’s peanut butter cups in a hard candy shell. Boy if E.T. had them, he would
have never left…. What a disapponitment when they stopped making them.. Only to replace them with a sad failure. Bring them back with those’s
super Hot Cinnamon Balls they used to make.. Man
some candy’s were before their time.
Oompas was a favorite candy of mine also. One of the reasons for its smooth texture and taste was palm kernel oil (not a health positive), but ooh were they good. Seeing the wrapper brought back memories, because the package was skinny for such a big plump morsel, and you kind of squeezed them out one at a time.
Someone had written that a different company made them under the Wonka name. I wonder how to find out who made them and if they have them under a different name?
I agree with prior posters that the original PB OOMPAS were better than the PB M&M;‘s by a longshot. But….ya take what ya can I guess. :(
If…IF I remember correctly, the OOMPAS were kind of disc-like. Not round but flatter than a circle - kind of like a flying saucer. Anyone?
Hey Found a Pic Of The Original!!!
http://theimaginaryworld.com/twitter07.jpg
Don’t remember the original - but I wish more people would join in and support the new ones, which were the only candies to have ever broken me of a nasty Skittles habit. The candy pictured at the top of this page was such a hit with me and everyone I know who loves Skittles. The problem was that you couldn’t find them anywhere - just some Walgreens and a few Toys-r-Us stores. Wish they’d bring those back!
Now everyone can really call me crazy, as I just sent Nestle an email begging them to re-institute the fruity Oompas.
Peanut butter Oompas were my all-time favorite candy! I got so excited a few years ago, when I saw a package of Oompas in a vending machine…I thought, for a brief moment, that my dreams had come true (like when Taco Bell brought back the enchirito and Tas-T-O donuts reopened.) The let-down was unbearable when I found that they were chewy candies. Alas, once they reuse the name, I guess there’s not much chance they’ll bring back the original!
I remember the original peanut butter oompas also. I was about 10 or 11 and for our after baseball game treat I would always get the oompas. Great!
the chocolate oompas were the best, they always get rid of the best stuff, barnone chocolate, cherry ripe, hersheys chocolate chip mint, and salsa rio doritos. who ever works in marketing that got rid of this stuff should burn in hell!
I love Oompas. I cant find them anymore. I never expierence the old school version. Just the more recent ones…LOVE EM.
Why can’t they make Peanut Butter Oompa’s again? It obvious they will sell. Hell, I’d order 20 boxes.
I’ve searched the internet to find my favorite candy from childhood, the pb/chocolate Oompas. I’m happy to find so many others felt the same way I did! I hope the manufacturer will see that there is a market for them!! Please make some more! I miss my favorite candy!
Bring Back OOMPAS. The best Peanut Butter flavored filling with chocolate ever. Reece’s Pieces are not even close. The fact that people care enough to look them up after over 20 years should send a signal to how good they were. I must admit, I would order several boxes too. Whose congressman should
I write too?
PLEASE!!! Bring back the Oompas (chocolate/peanutbutter) They were the best. And some of us older ones deserve a wonderful blast from the past. PLEASE!!!!!
Thanks, Lori
OMG! The peanut butter and chocolate Oompas were to die for! There is no substitute for that kind of perfection! Hard to believe they are not available anywhere on this planet…a shame. If we could get them back, I too would but a case of them! Isn’t there some sort of strength in numbers here to resurect them? Surely there is something we could do!!!
I contacted the Nestle USA company to request that they bring back the classic chocolate & peanut butter Oompas. Here is their disappointing response:
“Thank you for contacting Wonka® Oompas®.
As you know, we no longer manufacture Wonka® Oompas® and have no remaining stock available. Sales volume was not great enough to justify space on the retailers’ shelves.
At this time we have no plans to bring back the product; however, please be assured that I have reported your inquiry to our Marketing Department.
We appreciate your interest and hope you will visit our website often for the latest information on our products and promotions.
Sincerely,
Tiffany Smith
Consumer Response Representative”
I am so glad to find other fans of OOMPAS! They were soooooo good! I wish they would bring them back for my daughter who loves PB M&Ms;—She would go crazy for OOMPAS! They were more scrumptious than the M&Ms;—had a bit of a more scrunchy textured peanut butter…I have often wondered why they don’t bring them back??? I am so dissapointed that WONKA doesn’t make chocolate anymore—it’s pretty much sacra-oompaish that they don’t!
Completely agree…have been searching for Oompah’s for years and telling people about them. Guess they will just remain a sweet memory.
I thought I was the only one!
I think about these Oompas all the time. I still remember exactly how they looked—-half peanut butter and half chocolate, in a shell, each about the diameter of a nickel.
WAHHHHH!!!! I clicked on the above link to see photos of the Oompas bags. Seeing the pictures of those bags just made me want them more!! Maybe we should all petition a chocolate company to make them.
How do we get the candy that we so rightfully deserve? Would this fall under Oprah’s jurisdiction?
My kids thought I was crazy when I talked about the “Real OOMPAS candy”. THEY NEED TO BRING THEM BACK! Those were the best especially for peanut butter and chocolate lovers. Man I miss those.
YES! I knew I was not crazy! I loved oopmpa loompas and my kids think I have lost my mid!
I loved these too! Was trying to tell my husband about the best candy (besides Godiva) and he thought I was crazy. He thought I was confused with the Wonka guys… I said I knew they were called oompas. I, too, wish they’d bring these back. I would buy them!
I so agree - the original oompa loompa candies were seriously fabulous - and yes, of course due to their size - near throat-chokers - BUT, one side was creamy melting chocolate with nestle-like crunch while the other was smoother than that of Reece’s peanut butter cup centers…truly a magnificent candy - I so want them - aka that chick in the white dress who wants a goose that lays a golden egg - “daddy, I want the original oompa loompa candy, NOW!” and several bags to keep me quiet for a few months!
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