Although Charlie’s Chocolate Factory exists only in storybooks, this real-life German gummy factory is the Candyland your inner child has always dreamed existed.
Set in the birthplace of Ludwig von Beethoven, the Haribo Fabrikverkauf (factory) is the birthplace of the world’s first gummy bear, a treat invented by Hans Riegel in the city of Bonn, hence the candy company’s name: Hans Riegel Bonn. The town is now home to one of the world’s greatest candy stores of all time.
On the outside, the building looks like an average supermarket, but you won’t find any eggs or veggies inside this multi-storied gummy haven; the store is filled with rows and rows of rare and hard-to-find Haribo treats, along with a few fan favorites and some seriously funky merch—there’s even an entire wall of mix and match candies to create your own Haribo mix. The company plans to open a similar concept with its U.S. manufacturing facility in Wisconsin in 2020, but for now, this original storefront is the only place to purchase some of Haribo’s coolest sweets and swag. Check out the 15 craziest things for sale at Haribo’s Bonn’s factory store.