We all know our man Shaq draws a crowd wherever he goes. Now, think Shaq out in public – at a Walmart, no less – but also giving away free candy! Yup, that’s exactly what the scene was at a south Florida Walmart earlier this week as the big man launched the latest of his own personal business ideas.
It happened at the Walmart in Doral, a neighborhood just east of the big city of Miami, on Monday afternoon (just past few days, as of this posting). The former NBA legend – and let’s not forget, member of the Miami Heat – was in town to show off and give away samples of his Shaq-a-licious XL Gummies candy.
As the name says, they’re XL – for Extra Large. Shaq-sized, one might say. Most of the gummies in the bag look like different-colored Shaq-heads! Crazy, but tasty. Shaq talked to local reporters about coming up with the candies and the flavors. “Growing up in Germany, gummy bears were always some of my favorites,” O’Neal told the Herald. “Hershey’s approached me and it took months of coming up with the characters and flavors. We went to the Hershey factory in Pennsylvania and it’s something fun. I’m the ambassador of fun.”
The BIG Podcast with SHAQ
We all know O’Neal’s fun-related business connections. He calls himself the CFO – for Chief Fun Officer – for Carnival Cruise lines (also based in Miami), and he’s got lots of other business interests in the “fun” category, like his own “Big Chicken” restaurants, and his work on the Board of Directors for Papa John’s Pizza.
Along with those gigs, Shaq is also the main commercial spokesman for The General car insurance, for Google and even Planet Fitness. Most of this has come since his retirement from basketball back in 2011. It’s estimated Shaq earned about $292 million dollars from his playing days with the Heat (and mostly the Lakers), but he’s done really well for himself since then!
Not surprisingly, Shaq drew quite the crowd at the Doral Walmart. At least a hundred kids and adults alike followed him around the story as he handed out samples of his snack-gummies. BTW, they’re available in six different flavors including wild berry, which O’Neal called his favorite flavor.
Thanks to our friends at the Miami Herald for info on this story. Newspaper reporters talked to Doral resident Santiago Gil, doing a little back-to-school shopping. The 19 year-old Gil said he was as surprised as everyone else when he heard the announcement over the store’s public-address system. “I heard ‘Shaq is here, come to the candy aisle. I went to the aisle and thought it was a pre-recording and saw everyone going crazy grabbing basketballs. I ran to the aisle and he ended up fist bumping me and gave me some of his snacks.”
O’Neal later went outside to meet-and-greet customers using the store’s drive-up service lanes. Uber driver Roberto Carlos says he was parked there waiting for an order when he got a special delivery from the big man himself. “I felt extremely good because I’m an NBA fan and a fan of Shaq. I’m definitely going to eat these snacks.”
A press release from the candy company had the details: Shaq-a-licious gummy snacks, officially known as SHAQ-A-LICIOUS XL Gummies, are a fun and tasty treat inspired by Shaquille O’Neal. These gummies come in both original and sour flavors, featuring shapes that represent Shaq’s head and his symbolic nicknames. The original flavors include peach, orange, and berry punch, while the sour flavors include green watermelon, mixed berry, and pineapple. These gummies are larger than the average gummy candy, packing extra fun in every bite. They are perfect for sharing with friends and family or enjoying on your own.