Wondermade turns 50-state marshmallows into patriotic Sanford marketing campaign

Wondermade turned the Independence Day weekend into a Sanford-centered sales pitch, using its 50-state marshmallow collection to push a patriotic product line that now stretches from Downtown Sanford to Disney Springs. The company’s Florida pair, Key Lime Pie and Orange Chocolate, sat in the middle of a campaign that was built to sell candy, widen brand reach and keep a Seminole County shop visible far beyond Central Florida.

The company says it has been handcrafting marshmallows since 2012, but the business started in December 2011 with a gift: Nathan Clark got a candy thermometer and a marshmallow recipe for his wife, Jenn, after hearing an NPR segment about candy. From that kitchen experiment, Wondermade grew into a brand with retail space in Downtown Sanford and at Disney Springs in Lake Buena Vista, giving the company a physical foothold in two of the region’s best-known shopping districts.

Its latest push, the Marshmallows Across America collection, is built around the slogan “50 states, 50 marshmallows, 50 trips.” Wondermade says it asked customers to vote in a “Marshmallow Election” to choose the state flavors, and the resulting lineup includes 50 state-specific marshmallows. Florida’s two flavors are Key Lime Pie and Orange Chocolate, a mix that leans into the state’s citrus identity while fitting the company’s giftable, tourist-friendly style.

Clark said the company spent 160 days traveling to all 50 states and later took the products back on the road, marketing each marshmallow in its home state or region. Tens of thousands of people voted on the flavors in 2024, giving the campaign a built-in audience before the holiday rollout began. Wondermade has also said the founders are traveling across the country this year to celebrate the winning flavors that define each state, turning the line into both a sales effort and a traveling brand showcase.

The business case is broader than a seasonal novelty. Wondermade’s broader marshmallow catalog lists 84 products, giving the company room to use the 50-state theme as one part of a larger product mix rather than a one-off stunt. A local magazine profile said the business moved into downtown Sanford and has shipped marshmallows around the world for years, a reminder that a shop rooted in Seminole County is competing with far larger brands by tying product development, retail placement and holiday marketing to the same local identity.