Skyline Queenstown turns to jelly with launch of Jelly Belly store

Skyline Queenstown gets a rush of sugar to the head when it opens a fun-filled Jelly Belly themed store tomorrow in its elevated setting high above Queenstown.

The Jelly Belly store will be only the second in New Zealand and the latest addition to the Bob’s Peak complex offering visitors a world-class retail experience.

Skyline Queenstown has teamed up with Wilson Confectionary, Jelly Belly’s New Zealand distributor, to bring locals and visitors the unique, fun, family-friendly store, which follows the opening of the country’s first store at Skyline Rotorua.

Skyline Queenstown general manager Lyndon Thomas described the store as a “fun and fitting addition to the Skyline family”.

“The Jelly Belly store adds another string to our bow and we’re sure it’ll be a hit with our diverse customer mix,” said Mr Thomas.

“Jelly Belly is a global phenomenon known as a bright, energetic brand with heaps of life. It embodies exactly what Skyline is - a fun, interactive experience for people of all ages.

“Between Skyline Queenstown and Rotorua we’ll have the widest range of Jelly Beans in New Zealand and that’s a whole load of jelly beans. The team’s already excited about trying all the different flavours.”

Jelly Belly is renowned the world over for recreating famous pieces of artwork and iconic characters made out of Jelly Beans -- including the Mona Lisa, former US President Ronald Regan and many other US presidents, The Beatles, The Girl with the Pearl Earring and many other celebrities and world figures.

Wilson Confectionary business manager Dave Cunningham said he was “excited about the opportunity” to integrate the Jelly Belly brand with the iconic Skyline Queenstown location.

“The Jelly Belly store will be an interactive area with over 50 flavours of Jelly Beans and an entire wall of Pick 'n Mix beans to choose from,” he said.

“There’ll be 30 individual dispensing tubes of mini Jelly Belly packets for guests to enjoy along with packs ready to pick up and go.”

Visitors can buy gift packs to take home to family and friends or cherry-pick from the huge variety of flavours on offer to make their own Pick 'n Mix box.

“People of all ages can also take part in ‘Bean Boozled’ the popular Jelly Belly spinning wheel game where they could land on tasty flavours like popcorn, berry, peach or kiwifruit or some other less appetising flavours such as vomit, dog food or rotten eggs.”

“When they land on a certain flavour they have to eat the jelly bean, even if it’s one of the less favourable flavours.

“It all comes down to the luck of the spin. It’s a fitting game for Queenstown's adventure seeking visitors,” said Mr Cunningham.

Skyline has commissioned an Auckland-based artist to replicate two jelly bean wall art pieces which will be uncovered at the store opening featuring guest appearances from the Jelly Belly Bean Mascot and Skyline’s own Captain Gravity.

Over 18,000 individual Jelly Beans have been used in a special installation which will be on display in store permanently. One of Skyline’s Luge carts has been turned into a Jelly Belly masterpiece and staff have spent hours painstakingly gluing the brightly-coloured sweets to an actual luge cart.

“It’s a pretty exciting and iconic jelly bean sculpture. People will love it,” said Mr Thomas.

To celebrate the opening Skyline will be running a competition where with every purchase made people can win the grand prize of 10,000 Jelly Belly Beans by guessing how many beans are in a special container.
 
The store addition adds to the ever growing activities and products on offer at Skyline Queenstown following the launch of Stargazing tours, the Skyline Gondola Mountain Bike trail and the new Market Kitchen.