A gentleman aggressively borrowing THE plot device from a beloved children's novel is surprised people want to win a candy factory.
David Klein, who sold his stake in Jelly Belly in 1980 and now runs a company called Spectrum Confections, announced last week that he will give away a candy factory to one lucky winner who is able to locate the "ultimate treasure." Additionally, one treasure hunter in all 50 states will receive $5,000. The contest has sparked enormous interest, with the "Gold Ticket" Facebook group gaining tens of thousands of members in just a few days and the website TheGoldTicket.com crashing from an apparent influx of visitors.
Reached by phone, Klein told Fast Company he was caught off guard by the surge. "This is the biggest response to anything we've ever done," he says.
It costs $50 to play in his game, but people are willing.
