China plans to open a Willy Wonka-style chocolate theme park to cater for the country’s rising number of chocoholics.
According to the China Daily newspaper, the ‘world chocolate dream park’ will be reminiscent of Roald Dahl’s much loved book ‘Charlie and the Chocolate Factory’ and will feature a life-size edible Terracotta Army, a replica of the Great Wall and versions of famous paintings from around the world.
The park, due to open in January 2010, will be located in the Olympic Green, which also includes the iconic Bird’s Nest stadium and the Water Cube Aquatics Centre – all used during the Olympic Games last year.
The site will include five pavilions and two outdoor sites where chocolate-made objects, such as the replica Great Wall, will be on display, the report said.
“Our ‘chocolate wonderland’ will be beyond the imagination,” Tina Cheng, general manager of the company that will operate the park, was quoted as saying.
Chocolate is not yet as popular in China as it is in Western countries, but the nation’s younger generation are getting a taste for it, prompting investment in the sweet stuff.
Ms Cheng was quoted as saying that a number of prestigious chocolate makers from Europe, including Belgium and Switzerland, wanted to participate in the project, but she would not reveal their names.
“There is the potential for a huge market in China with regards to chocolate consumption,” she said.
via Daily Mail
Omg! I want to be there!
You know you wanna!