Canadian companies commemorating the beloved brand include iHalo Krunch, Bunners Bakeshop, Eva’s Original Chimneys, SQUISH Candies, Peace Collective, Retrokid™ and Pride Toronto
The lovable, huggable Care Bears from the whimsical land of Care-a-Lot are celebrating their 40th anniversary this year! To celebrate, Corus Entertainment’s Nelvana, a world-leading international producer, distributor, and licensor of children’s animated and live-action content, and Cloudco Entertainment, owner of the Care Bears™ entertainment brand, are bringing the iconic Care Bears brand to life through food, apparel, and experiential event collaborations with companies across Canada.
“We’re honoured to pay homage to 40 incredible years of the Care Bears, and to provide opportunities for the devoted fan base in Canada to join in on celebrating this landmark anniversary,” said Mellany Masterson, Head of Nelvana Enterprises. “The enthusiasm and excitement from so manywell-known Canadian companies to develop unique Care Bears-themed products and experiences speaks to the power of the nostalgic franchise and how much the brand’s values of sharing, caring and togetherness resonates with fans both young and old.”
With anniversary collaborations set to launch this summer and fall, food and apparel retail partners include:
- iHalo Krunch – Known for Asian-inspired soft-serve ice cream served in activated charcoal house-made cones, all retail locations in Toronto will offer limited-edition Care Bears inspired twists and milkshakes.
- Bunners Bakeshop – Toronto’s premier vegan and gluten-free bakery will offer limited-edition rainbow Care Bears sugar cookies, rainbow s’mores squares, mini rainbow birthday cake doughnuts, mini rainbow chocolate chip creamies, and rainbow mini heart cookies with birthday frosting dunking kits at all storefront locations.
- Eva’s Original Chimneys – Chimneys are delicious and unique, bread-like freshly baked Hungarian pastries – which Eva’s famously serves in a cone shape filled with ice cream. Eva’s Bloor Street, Port Credit, Square One, Newfoundland, and Nova Scotia locations will offer limited-edition Care Bears-inspired Chimney Cones®.
- SQUISH Candies – Canadian female owned gourmet gummy shop with real fruit pieces, no sugar added options, and vegan delights in juicy flavours will offer limited-edition Care Bears-themed candy and packaging, available through their website for delivery across Canada.
- Peace Collective (PC) – PC produces quality apparel that looks good and does good, and in turn makes you feel good. Every garment sold gives back to the communities that need it most. A limited-edition Care Bears clothing collection will feature the characters in unique ways and celebrate sharing, caring, and pride. Available in-store and online.
- Retrokid – Retrokid celebrates your fondest childhood memories growing up as a kid through timeless design, authentic collaborations, and quality apparel. A limited-edition collection of Care Bears tees, hoodies, and sweats is available online now.
This summer, Nelvana will also be delivering one-on-one time with the Care Bears themselves through experiential activations across Ontario, including a Peace Collective x Care Bears event in Toronto’s Distillery District on June 25 to celebrate the collection launch and an event at Pride Toronto on June 26 at Church Street Junior Public School. Events will include meet and greets, photo opportunities, and unforgettable memories for everyone in the family. More events and details will be announced soon.
“The Care Bears have always felt at home in Canada, and we are thrilled to have so many exciting collaborations lined up as we celebrate our 40th anniversary this year,” saidCristina Villegas, Vice President of Licensing for North America, Cloudco Entertainment. “The opportunity to bring sharing and caring to our fans in real life, as well, is always a treat and we look forward to seeing these partnerships come to life.”
First introduced in 1982 through a line of greeting cards, the Care Bears have amassed fans of all ages over the last 40 years, and are now featured everywhere from consumer products and plush toys to animated television shows and feature films. Known all over the world for spreading sharing, caring, and togetherness, and with a reach of over 1 million on social media around the globe, the Care Bears look forward to embarking on new adventures with their fans for years to come.
