Chupa Chups, the lollipop brand from Perfetti Van Melle, and The Sandbox recently announced a partnership as part of their ongoing Alpha Season 4. This partnership kicks off with Chupa City, a vibrant metaverse experience where the sun always shines, every day is sweet, and fun never stops.

This collaboration marks an exciting way for food brands to reimagine how fans interact with them, blending nostalgia with cutting-edge tech, Chupa Chups says.

We recently touched base with Sebastien Borget, co-founder and COO, The Sandbox, to inquire more about the collaboration.

 

Liz Parker Kuhn: Why did The Sandbox decide to partner with Chupa Chups?

Sebastien Borget: As a global platform, The Sandbox is always eager to collaborate with globally recognized and cherished brands that align with our values. Chupa Chups, celebrated by people of all ages, perfectly embodies the playful, creative spirit we champion. With its tagline, "Forever Fun," Chupa Chups offers a vibrant playground of opportunities for creativity and self-expression within The Sandbox. We're thrilled to welcome one of our first CPG partners through this interactive gaming experience blending sweetness, excitement, and creativity.

 

LPK: How was the Chupa City experience created? How was nostalgia blended with cutting-edge tech for it?

SB: In Chupa Chups City, players can explore a colorful, candy-themed world brimming with thrills and fun where they collect popular Chupa Chups flavors, play the Melody Pops tunes, or team up with other players to embark on various adventures. Designed using The Sandbox’s creation tool Game Maker, the experience offers gamified adventure, wearable NFTs, and iconic imagery from the brand to bring the immersive environment to life. Created as a social hub, players can complete challenges to unlock exciting rewards including the Flavor Shades which allows your avatar to view the world with delicious new "flavor sight" technology that turns each color hue into Chupa Chups flavors. The glasses, along with the rest of the NFT collection (Cherry Cap, and Lollipop Mask) are inspired by the brand's vibrant colors and iconic lollipop wrappers. In the experience, players can have light-hearted adventures as they help citizens to plan Chupa Chups metaverse party, make music on Melody Pops, explore, and even break open a piñata to collect candy.

Nostalgia is woven into the experience through virtual goods by incorporating iconic Chupa Chups imagery, such as Melody Pops and piñatas, which evoke fond memories of the brand’s classic products and moments of joy. These elements are reimagined through interactive gameplay, where users can collect flavors, join celebrations, and explore a world reminiscent of cherished childhood adventures.

 

LPK: Have Chupa Chups and The Sandbox partnered before on a video game? Are there any plans for more games?

SB: This marks the first collaboration between The Sandbox and Chupa Chups and the platform's debut partnership with a candy brand. The Sandbox has unveiled the first-ever Chupa Chups NFTs in the Metaverse, unique avatar customizations that complete the ultimate Chupa Chups experience. While The Sandbox has previously explored food-related experiences, such as its collaboration with McDonald's, Chupa Chups stands out as the first candy brand to make its mark in the metaverse. The launch of their experience marks the beginning of many new and exciting activations to come in The Sandbox, including the launch of Chupa Chup's first collection of NFTs, which players can purchase in the marketplace. 

 

LPK: What is trending in the lollipop/hard candy space right now?

SB: The lollipop and hard candy space is seeing trends that cater to both nostalgia and innovation.

Perfetti Van Melle is on the current Candy Industry “Global Top 100 Candy Companies” list. Click here to view the current “Global Top 100” rankings.