{{Short description|Chocolate egg manufactured by Ferrero}} {{Infobox brand | name = Kinder Joy | logo = Kinder Joy logo.svg | logo_size = 150 | image = Kinder Joy 01.jpg | image_size = 200 | caption = A Kinder Joy egg | producttype = | currentowner = | producedby = Ferrero | origin = | introduced = {{start date and age|2001|04|22}} | related = Kinder Chocolate <br> Kinder Surprise | markets = | previousowners = | trademarkregistrations = | ambassadors = | tagline = | website = {{url|https://www.kinder.com/it/it/kinder-joy|kinder.com/joy}} | module = <!-- or: misc --> | module1 = <!-- or: misc1 --> }} '''Kinder Joy''' (formerly known as '''Kinder Merendero''' in Italy and Bahrain) is a candy made by Italian confectionery company Ferrero as part of its Kinder brand of products. It has plastic egg-shaped packaging that splits into two; one half contains layers of cocoa and milk cream topped with two wafer balls, and the other half contains a toy and a spoon on top of the wrapper. Kinder Joy was first launched in Italy in 2001 and {{as of|2018|lc=y}} was sold in 170 countries.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Spreading the Kinder Joy: Ferrero's product is on track for $100M in first-year sales |url=https://www.fooddive.com/news/spreading-the-kinder-joy-ferreros-product-is-on-track-for-100m-in-first-/524414/ |access-date=2022-03-14 |website=Food Dive |language=en-US |archive-date=2018-05-29 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180529225944/https://www.fooddive.com/news/spreading-the-kinder-joy-ferreros-product-is-on-track-for-100m-in-first-/524414/ |url-status=live}}</ref>
==Overview== Kinder Joy is a brand within the Kinder line of chocolate products sold by Ferrero.<ref name=Forecourt15/><ref name=Scottish15>{{cite news |title=Bringing joy this spring |url=http://www.scottishgrocer.co.uk/2015/11/bringing-joy-this-spring/ |work=Scottish Grocer and Convenience Retailer |date=13 November 2015 |access-date=1 December 2015 |archive-date=31 January 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180131202346/https://www.scottishgrocer.co.uk/2015/11/bringing-joy-this-spring/ |url-status=live}}</ref> It has a plastic egg-shaped package with a tab to open it into two halves.<ref name=Forecourt15>{{cite news |title=Product news: Kinder spreads Joy |author=John Wood |url=https://forecourttrader.co.uk/products/product-news-kinder-spreads-joy/637506.article |work=Forecourt Trader |date=13 November 2015 |access-date=1 December 2015 |archive-date=6 March 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210306211904/https://forecourttrader.co.uk/products/product-news-kinder-spreads-joy/637506.article |url-status=live}}</ref> One sealed half contains layers of cocoa and milk-flavoured creams topped with two cocoa wafer spheres, to be eaten with an included spoon.<ref name=Convenience15>{{cite news |title=Ferrero unveils limited edition gifting and treat lines |url=http://www.conveniencestore.co.uk/products/ferrero-unveils-limited-edition-gifting-and-treat-lines/527281.article |work=Convenience Store |date=6 November 2015 |access-date=1 December 2015 |archive-date=19 October 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201019200223/https://www.conveniencestore.co.uk/products/ferrero-unveils-limited-edition-gifting-and-treat-lines/527281.article |url-status=live}}</ref><ref name=Jiemian15>{{cite news |title=Ferrero profits jump in 2014 as Kinder eggs sales soars |url=http://www.jiemian.com/article/251943.html |work=Jiemian.com |date=26 March 2015 |access-date=1 December 2015 |archive-date=30 September 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190930065249/https://www.jiemian.com/article/251943.html |url-status=live}}</ref> The other half contains a toy.<ref name=Scottish15/><ref name=Grocer15>{{cite news |title=Ferrero expands Kinder range with Kinder Joy |author=Simon Gwynn |url=http://www.thegrocer.co.uk/buying-and-supplying/new-product-development/ferrero-expands-kinder-range-with-kinder-joy/527405.article |work=The Grocer |date=10 November 2015 |access-date=1 December 2015 |archive-date=30 September 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190930065253/https://www.thegrocer.co.uk/buying-and-supplying/new-product-development/ferrero-expands-kinder-range-with-kinder-joy/527405.article |url-status=live}}</ref> As of 2015, Kinder Joy is produced in Poland, India, South Africa, Ecuador, Cameroon,<ref name="CSR">{{cite web|url=http://www.ferrerocsr.com/our-focus/kinder-surprise-joy/amazing-prodcuts|title=Focus Kinder Surprise and Kinder Joy|date=31 December 2014|publisher=Ferrero SpA|work=Ferrero SpA Corporate Social Responsibility|access-date=1 December 2015|archive-date=11 November 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201111223438/https://www.ferrerocsr.com/our-focus/kinder-surprise-joy/amazing-prodcuts/|url-status=live}}</ref> and China.<ref name=SMP15>{{cite news |title=Ferrero Group Launches the First Plant in China |url=http://newspaper.jfdaily.com/xwcb/html/2015-09/26/content_134510.htm |work=Shanghai Morning Post |date=26 September 2015 |access-date=1 December 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304105606/http://newspaper.jfdaily.com/xwcb/html/2015-09/26/content_134510.htm |archive-date=4 March 2016 |url-status=dead}}</ref> Its main ingredients include sugar, vegetable oils (palm and sunflower), milk, and wheat.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Kinder Joy |url=https://www.kinder.com/in/en/kinder-joy |access-date=2022-04-27 |website=Kinder India |language=en |archive-date=2022-01-30 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220130021006/https://www.kinder.com/in/en/kinder-joy |url-status=live}}</ref>
==History== thumb|left|180px|An old Kinder Joy egg's packaging, sealed halves, interior and toy 200px|thumb|A Kinder Joy egg split into halves
Ferrero launched Kinder Joy in Italy in 2001.<ref name=Jiemian15/> It has been sold in Spain since 2004,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ferrero.es/Kinder-Joy|title=Kinder Joy|website=www.ferrero.es|access-date=2021-03-01|archive-date=2020-11-29|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201129094543/https://www.ferrero.es/Kinder-Joy|url-status=live}}</ref> in Germany since May 2006<ref name=Stiff06>{{cite news |title=Ferrero looks for growth in North America |author=Peter Stiff |url=http://www.confectionerynews.com/Manufacturers/Ferrero-looks-for-growth-in-North-America |work=Confectionery News |date=20 January 2006 |access-date=1 December 2015 |archive-date=4 September 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170904105818/http://www.confectionerynews.com/Manufacturers/Ferrero-looks-for-growth-in-North-America |url-status=live}}</ref> and in China and India since 2007.<ref name=Jiemian15/> It was launched in Australia and the United States in 2018.<ref name=INBusiness15>{{cite news |title=Unwrapped; How Italian Confectionery Giant Ferrero Created a Market for Premium Chocolate in India |author=Ajita Shashidhar |url=http://www.businesstoday.in/magazine/features/confectionary-firm-ferrero-in-india-premium-chocolate-market/story/204086.html |work=Business Today (India) |date=30 March 2014 |access-date=1 December 2015 |archive-date=12 September 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170912055633/http://www.businesstoday.in/magazine/features/confectionary-firm-ferrero-in-india-premium-chocolate-market/story/204086.html |url-status=live}}</ref><ref name=Economic15>{{cite news |title=How Ferrero India's surprise toy inside Kinder Joy helped it beat Nestle's chocolate division |author1=Ratna Bhushan |author2=Sagar Malviya |url=http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2013-04-23/news/38763395_1_nestle-india-ferrero-rocher-kinder-joy |work=The Economic Times (India) |date=23 April 2013 |access-date=1 December 2015 |archive-date=12 May 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160512052324/http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2013-04-23/news/38763395_1_nestle-india-ferrero-rocher-kinder-joy |url-status=dead}}</ref>
In 2011, Ferrero opened a factory in Baramati, India, to make the eggs, in addition to other products including Tic Tacs.<ref name=INBusiness15/> In 2015, the company opened its first factory in China in the Xiaoshan District of Hangzhou, which produced Kinder Joy as its first manufacturing line.<ref name=Xinhua15>{{cite news |title=Italian Chocolate Giant Launches the First China Manufacturing Plant in Hangzhou |url=http://www.zj.xinhuanet.com/2015-09/23/c_1116657096.htm |work=Xinhua News Agency |date=23 September 2015 |access-date=1 December 2015 |archive-date=4 March 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304080909/http://www.zj.xinhuanet.com/2015-09/23/c_1116657096.htm |url-status=dead}}</ref> As of September 2015 Kinder Joy was one of the highest selling candy products in the Chinese market and had received Nielsen China's Breakthrough Innovation Award.<ref name="SMP15"/>
Kinder Joy became available in Ireland in 2015.<ref name=Scottish15/> Ferrero began to sell the eggs in the United Kingdom the same year in December.<ref name="Forecourt15"/>
Kinder Joy was launched in the United States in 2018 as its sister product by Kinder, Kinder Surprise, was banned in the U.S. by a federal law. Specifically, the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act bans all food products that contain non-nutritive objects embedded within them. Kinder Joy solved this problem as the food and the toy are in two separate containers attached, allowing the product to follow the US guidelines and be sold in the country. <ref name="fortune-kinderjoy">{{cite web|title=Kinder Egg Is Coming to America|url=http://fortune.com/2017/05/22/kinder-egg-usa-debut/|website=Fortune|access-date=23 May 2017|archive-date=8 March 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180308154246/http://fortune.com/2017/05/22/kinder-egg-usa-debut/|url-status=live}}</ref>
== Promotional collaborations and campaigns == Kinder Joy has periodically collaborated with popular entertainment franchises to promote limited-edition toys packaged inside its chocolate eggs. These campaigns often feature collectible figurines and themed merchandise based on widely recognized film and television properties.
=== Franchise collaborations === Kinder Joy has released promotional toy series based on several major entertainment franchises. These include collaborations with DC Comics characters, featuring miniature collectible figures inspired by superheroes such as Batman and Superman. In some markets, the toys were produced in partnership with Funko-style designs, encouraging collectors to obtain multiple figures from the series.
The brand has also introduced themed editions tied to other popular franchises, including Harry Potter and Stranger Things. These promotions included character-based collectibles and encouraged fans to collect the full sets of toys released during the campaign.
Such cross-promotional campaigns are intended to attract both children and collectors, leveraging recognizable characters from film and television to increase engagement with the Kinder Joy product line.
=== “Golden Batman” promotion === As part of the DC-themed campaign, Kinder Joy introduced a promotional contest in which certain packages contained a rare “Golden Batman” figurine. Consumers who found the golden collectible could enter a promotional contest for various prizes.
One of the most widely advertised rewards was the chance to win a trip to Australia, alongside additional DC-themed merchandise and collectibles distributed throughout the campaign.
The campaign was designed to create a “treasure hunt” style promotion, encouraging consumers to purchase multiple Kinder Joy products in hopes of discovering the rare figurine and participating in the contest.
==References== {{reflist|2}}
==External links== * {{official website}}
{{Commons category}} {{Ferrero}}
Category:Ferrero SpA brands Category:Brand name chocolate Category:Candy brands Category:Food and drink introduced in 2001