Prodnose is a candymaker who rivals Willy Wonka in the confectionary business. Early in Wonka's career he had reached the apex of the candymaking pyramid with his marvelous confectionaries, such as nonmelting ice cream. Prodnose, along with Wonka's other rivals Fickelgruber and Slugworth, engaged in economic espionage to steal Wonka's secrets. Prodnose had his subordinates get jobs as employees at the Wonka factory, where they learned how Wonka's unique candies were made. Soon Prodnose marketed a copycat product: gum that never loses its flavor, and marketed it as "Prodnose's 24-Hour Gum: Just Like Wonka's". When Willy Wonka learns of the economic espionage, he regretfully lays off all his employees and takes a 10-year absence in order to find a way to prevent future idea theft, resulting