China childhood staple ‘White Rabbit’ candy gains global praise for classic wrapper design

The time-honoured Chinese creamy candy brand White Rabbit recently went viral for its iconic wrapper design, but the brand, having pursued an active rebranding strategy and collaborations, offers much more than its traditional legacy.A netizen on X, under the handle @weeabob, shared a post featuring the candy’s classic blue, red, and white wrapper, praising it as an “absolute masterstroke of graphic design.”This post garnered 260,000 likes and , with many users reminiscing about the candy, as well as the brand’s innovative new products and collaborations.Launched in 1959 to mark the 10th anniversary of the People’s Republic of China, White Rabbit has earned its status as a national creamy candy favourite. Photo: ZhihuIntroduced in 1959 to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the People’s Republic of China, White Rabbit is widely recognised as China’s national creamy candy.Its lesser-known precursor, the “ABC Mickey Mouse Candy,” was developed in 1943 by the Shanghai ABC Candy Factory, inspired by British creamy sweets. As its name suggests, this candy’s wrapper featured Mickey Mouse.In 1954, the ABC Candy Factory rebranded to the Aimin (Love People) Candy and Biscuit Factory, abandoning the Mickey Mouse design due to concerns over copyright and the designation of rats as one of the “four pests.” The candy was subsequently rebranded as White Rabbit creamy candy.During times of extreme resource scarcity, White Rabbit candy was regarded as a premium source of nourishment, famously said to be “equivalent to a glass of milk” for every seven pieces consumed.Its lesser-known predecessor, the “ABC Mickey Mouse Candy,” was developed in 1943 but had to be renamed due to copyright concerns. Photo: Zhihu