White Rabbit
White Rabbit is a Chinese milk-candy brand known for its chewy vanilla confection, edible rice-paper wrapper, and strong association with Chinese childhood nostalgia.
Last updated November 4, 2026
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Overview
White Rabbit is a Chinese confectionery brand best known for its small, cylindrical milk candies wrapped in edible glutinous-rice paper. Manufactured by Shanghai Guan Sheng Yuan Food Co., Ltd., the product is one of China’s most recognizable candy brands and has become a cultural symbol extending beyond ordinary confectionery. Its identity is closely linked to childhood memories in mainland China, Hong Kong, and Chinese communities overseas, while its distinctive red, blue, black, and white packaging has made it readily recognizable across generations. The brand originated in Shanghai in 1943 at the ABC Candy Factory. The factory developed a milk candy after a merchant associated with the business tasted an English milk confection and sought to produce a local alternative. The original product was sold under the name ABC Mickey Mouse Sweets and used a red Mickey Mouse image on its wrapper. After the factory became state-owned in the 1950s, the foreign character was replaced by a white rabbit illustration. This redesign established the visual foundation of the modern brand, although the rabbit’s pose and facial treatment have changed over time. White Rabbit’s core product is a soft, chewy, milk-based candy with a flavor commonly described as vanilla-like or similar to milk caramel. Each piece is enclosed in a thin, edible paper made from glutinous rice or edible starch before being placed in its printed outer wrapper. The edible inner layer is a central part of the product’s identity and distinguishes White Rabbit from many other wrapped candies. The original flavor has been supplemented by varieties including chocolate, coffee, peanut, coconut, strawberry, mango, lychee, durian, red bean, yogurt, matcha, tiramisu, wasabi, mixed fruit, and other limited or regional flavors. The brand acquired symbolic importance through its association with important moments in modern Chinese history. White Rabbit candies were reportedly presented as gifts during the celebrations of the tenth anniversary of the People’s Republic of China in 1959. In 1972, Premier Zhou Enlai gave White Rabbit candy to U.S. president Richard Nixon during Nixon’s visit to China. The product was also promoted with the slogan that seven candies were equivalent to one cup of milk, a claim that positioned the confection as having nutritional value as well as being a sweet. Some students in the early reform era reportedly dissolved the candies in hot water to make a milk-like drink, further embedding the brand in popular memory. White Rabbit expanded internationally as China’s consumer economy developed. It has been exported to numerous countries and territories, including the United States, Europe, Singapore, Australia, and other markets. In 1997, the brand was transferred to Guan Sheng Yuan (Group) Co., Ltd. The company has supported the brand through product extensions, overseas distribution, cross-promotions, themed retail, and collaborations. These activities have helped White Rabbit move from a traditional candy into a broader lifestyle and nostalgia-oriented brand. Examples include White Rabbit-flavored ice cream, themed desserts, apparel, plush toys, accessories, and other merchandise. The brand has also faced significant food-safety crises. In 2007, regulators and distributors in the Philippines and Indonesia acted against White Rabbit products after reports that some imported samples contained formaldehyde. The brand disputed the possibility that authorized export products were contaminated and suggested counterfeiting could have been involved, but recalls and product seizures nevertheless occurred. In 2008, White Rabbit was among the Chinese milk-containing products recalled or withdrawn in connection with the melamine contamination scandal. Authorities and retailers in several countries, including the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, Singapore, South Africa, and others, issued warnings or took products off shelves. Export products later retur…
History
White Rabbit traces its origins to Shanghai’s ABC Candy Factory in 1943. The factory developed a milk candy after a merchant connected with the business encountered an English milk confection and sought to create a locally produced alternative. The first version was marketed as ABC Mickey Mouse Sweets and used a red Mickey Mouse illustration. Its lower price than imported candy helped it gain popularity among Chinese consumers. The factory became state-owned during the 1950s. Because Mickey Mouse was regarded as an unsuitable foreign symbol in the new political context, the product was redesigned with a white rabbit and an artist’s palette. The new package used a restrained red, blue, black, and white color scheme and Chinese and English lettering. The rabbit illustration subsequently became the brand’s central trademark image. Earlier packages showed the rabbit lying down, while later designs showed it jumping; modern outer packaging uses a more stylized, wide-eyed rabbit, while the candy’s inner wrapper preserves a more traditional graphic style. Production was initially limited and labor-intensive, with reported output of approximately 800 kilograms per day. White Rabbit gained additional symbolic visibility in 1959 when the candies were given as gifts during celebrations marking the tenth anniversary of the People’s Republic of China. In 1972, Premier Zhou Enlai reportedly presented the candy to U.S. president Richard Nixon during Nixon’s visit to China. These associations helped turn an inexpensive confection into a product connected with national history and international diplomacy. The brand was promoted with the slogan that seven candies were equivalent to one cup of milk. This positioned White Rabbit as a quasi-nutritious food rather than merely a sweet. During the early reform period, some students reportedly dissolved the candies in hot water to create a milk-like drink, an anecdote that illustrates the product’s role in the everyday memories of a generation. Its continued presence in households, holiday entertaining, films, and television contributed to its reputation as a symbol of childhood in mainland China and Hong Kong. Guan Sheng Yuan became the brand’s corporate home when ownership or brand rights were transferred to Guan Sheng Yuan (Group) Co., Ltd. in November 1997. The operating manufacturer is Shanghai Guan Sheng Yuan Food Co., Ltd. As China’s economy and international consumer presence expanded, White Rabbit entered more overseas markets, including the United States, Europe, Singapore, Australia, New Zealand, and other regions. In the United States, distribution has been associated with Queensway Foods. White Rabbit’s international growth was interrupted by two food-safety controversies. In 2007, Philippine and Indonesian authorities reported formaldehyde in samples of imported Chinese foods that included White Rabbit candy. The Philippine distributor followed a recall order, while the brand argued that authorized export samples had tested clean and suggested counterfeit products might have been involved. In 2008, the brand was caught up in the broader melamine contamination crisis affecting Chinese dairy products. White Rabbit products were recalled, withdrawn, or subjected to warnings in multiple countries, including the United Kingdom, United States, Australia, Singapore, New Zealand, South Africa, and others. The crisis damaged the brand’s international reputation and prompted changes in export presentation and sourcing. In 2009, some export products returned under the Golden Rabbit Creamy Candy name, using Australian milk. The original White Rabbit brand also continued in domestic and international commerce. Guan Sheng Yuan subsequently broadened the brand through flavor innovation, collaborations, themed desserts, specialty retail, and licensed or co-branded merchandise. White Rabbit-flavored ice cream became a notable extension, and a Toronto ice-cream business publicly introduced a White Rabbit flavor in 2017. The brand’s contemporary strategy combines continuity with cultural adaptation. The original chewy milk candy remains the anchor, while new flavors and collaborations make the brand relevant to younger consumers and overseas audiences. White Rabbit’s appeal therefore rests on three layers: a distinctive physical product, a highly recognizable visual identity, and nostalgia rooted in modern Chinese social history.
- 2026
Singapore lifestyle pop-up
A White Rabbit-themed pop-up in Singapore combines confectionery, desserts, apparel, plush products, accessories, and regional exclusives.
- 2017
White Rabbit ice-cream collaboration gains attention
[1]A Toronto ice-cream business introduces a White Rabbit candy-inspired flavor, illustrating the brand’s extension into specialty desserts.
- 2009
Golden Rabbit export relaunch
[1]Some export products return under the Golden Rabbit name and use Australian milk.
- 2008
Melamine contamination crisis
[1]White Rabbit products are withdrawn or subjected to warnings in multiple international markets after melamine is detected in connection with China’s dairy contamination crisis.
- 2007
Formaldehyde-related recalls
[1]Authorities in the Philippines and Indonesia take recall, seizure, or destruction actions involving White Rabbit products after reports of formaldehyde contamination.
- 1997
Brand transferred to Guan Sheng Yuan
[1]The White Rabbit brand is transferred to Guan Sheng Yuan (Group) Co., Ltd.
- 1972
Presented during Nixon’s China visit
[1]Premier Zhou Enlai reportedly gives White Rabbit candy to U.S. president Richard Nixon during Nixon’s visit to China.
- 1959
Candy used as National Day gifts
[1]White Rabbit candies are reported to have been given as gifts during celebrations of the tenth anniversary of the People’s Republic of China.
- 1950
White rabbit identity replaces Mickey Mouse packaging
[1]Following state ownership, the brand replaces its foreign character imagery with a white rabbit and establishes the visual identity associated with the modern product.
- 1943
ABC factory develops the milk candy
[1]Shanghai’s ABC Candy Factory develops the confection that would later become White Rabbit, initially selling it as ABC Mickey Mouse Sweets.
Products and positioning
A nostalgic, culturally iconic Chinese milk-candy brand combining an affordable everyday confection with distinctive edible wrapping, intergenerational memories, and increasingly broad lifestyle and dessert collaborations.
Milk candy · 1943
White Rabbit Creamy Candy
The core product is a small cylindrical milk candy with a soft, chewy texture and a flavor often compared with vanilla caramel. Each piece is wrapped first in edible glutinous-rice paper and then in a printed outer wrapper. The original formulation includes milk-derived ingredients, sugar, syrup, butter, gelatin, flavoring, and edible starch-based paper. The candy’s wrapper is not merely packaging: eating the rice-paper layer is part of the traditional consumption experience.
Flavored confectionery
Flavored White Rabbit Creamy Candies
Over time, Guan Sheng Yuan expanded the range beyond the original milk flavor. Reported varieties include chocolate, coffee, toffee, peanut, maize, coconut, lychee, strawberry, mango, durian, red bean, yogurt, matcha, tiramisu, wasabi, mixed fruit, and butter-plum. Availability varies by market and period, with some flavors serving as regional or limited offerings.
Export milk candy · 2009
Golden Rabbit Creamy Candy
Golden Rabbit was used for certain export-market products after White Rabbit’s 2008 melamine-related reputational crisis. The product was made with Australian milk and presented as a way to resume overseas sales while separating the export product from the damaged name association. The original White Rabbit brand also continued to be sold after the relaunch.
Dessert collaborations · 2017
White Rabbit-themed desserts
The brand has been adapted into ice cream and other desserts by third-party businesses and collaborators. These products use the distinctive milk-candy flavor as an ingredient or inspiration and help translate White Rabbit from packaged confectionery into contemporary café, dessert, and novelty-food formats.
Branded merchandise
White Rabbit lifestyle merchandise
White Rabbit-themed apparel, plush toys, accessories, gift boxes, and customizable products extend the brand’s visual identity beyond food. Such merchandise is particularly associated with pop-ups, collaborations, and nostalgia-focused retail aimed at consumers who recognize the rabbit character and classic wrapper design.
Controversies
2008
Melamine contamination crisis
White Rabbit was among milk-containing Chinese products affected by the wider melamine contamination scandal. Regulators and retailers in several countries issued warnings, conducted testing, or removed the candy from sale. The brand later changed some export-market naming and sourcing practices.
2007
Formaldehyde contamination allegations
Food authorities in the Philippines and Indonesia reported formaldehyde in imported Chinese foods that included White Rabbit candy. Products were recalled, seized, or destroyed. White Rabbit disputed that authorized export samples were contaminated and suggested counterfeit goods could have been responsible, but the episode created a significant overseas food-safety controversy.
Marketing campaigns
- 2026Singapore White Rabbit lifestyle pop-up
Singapore
A themed retail activation presented White Rabbit as a lifestyle and gifting brand as well as a candy. The reported assortment included multiple flavors, desserts, apparel, plush toys, accessories, customizable products, and Singapore-exclusive items.
Brand decisions
2017
Expansion into White Rabbit-flavored ice creamProduct launchBackground
The candy’s strong nostalgic identity created an opportunity for collaborations with specialty dessert businesses.
Action taken
A Toronto ice-cream business introduced a flavor inspired by White Rabbit Creamy Candy.
Aftermath
The collaboration exemplified the brand’s expansion from packaged candy into contemporary dessert culture.
2009
Use Golden Rabbit for export relaunchStrategyBackground
The decision followed the reputational damage caused by the 2008 melamine contamination crisis and the withdrawal of White Rabbit products in several overseas markets.
Action taken
Some export-market products returned under the Golden Rabbit Creamy Candy name and used Australian milk. The original White Rabbit product continued in other distribution channels.
Aftermath
The relaunch allowed overseas distribution to resume while creating distance from the contaminated-product controversy, although White Rabbit remained the primary cultural and commercial name.
Recent events
Reported
White Rabbit announces frozen dough balls line for Sainsbury’s[4]
White Rabbit announced a free-from frozen dough balls line, planned to launch at Sainsbury’s on 6 March. The line includes a separate plant-based garlic and herb dip.
Reported
White Rabbit announces entry into chilled ready meals[4]
White Rabbit announced it was entering the chilled ready-meals market with three pasta dishes, planned to roll into Sainsbury’s on 27 February.
- Unconfirmed
Court upholds ruling over Big White Rabbit-style packaging[5]
The Shanghai Intellectual Property Court dismissed the appeal and upheld the original judgment in an unfair-competition dispute involving peanut nougat packaging that the court found substantially similar to Guan Sheng Yuan’s packaging and likely to confuse the public.
Sources5 sources
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