The new 340,000 facility marks Pennsylvania’s largest manufacturing investment since Hershey built its former West Hershey plant in 1991. The Hershey Co. has opened a $300 million, state-of-the-art plant in West Hershey, Pa. to produce Hershey’s Bars and other chocolate products, including up to 70 million Hershey’s Kisses a day, the Philadelphia Business Journal reported.…
Cotton Takes On New Role At Hershey
Having joined the Hershey Co. in 1992, Brent Cotton has held a range of leadership positions with the company. Brent Cotten has been promoted to director, customer and industry affairs, at The Hershey Co. In this role, he will represent The Hershey Co. at U.S. trade associations, trade events, and customer events to help establish…
Mars Inc. Funds American Business Exhibition At Smithsonian
Mars Inc. plans to sponsor the American Business Exhibition at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History in 2015, featuring the role of business and innovation in the U.S. from the mid-1700s to present. Mars supports the “American Enterprise” section, which will be located in the Mars Hall of American Business in recognition of the…
2012 Candy Hall of Fame Inductees Announced
Thirteen leaders in the confection industry are inducted to the Candy Hall of Fame this fall. Information on the 2012 Candy Hall of Fame, scheduled for Oct. 20 in Tampa, Fla., is now available online. The following are inductees for the 2012 Candy Hall of Fame: Jim Bourne, Hilliard’s Chocolate System Pierson Clair, Brown & Haley…
Mars Celebrates National Ice Cream Day With Six Flags
Mars Chocolate North America promotes its ice cream products at 11 Six Flags parks across the U.S. for National Ice Cream Day. Mars Chocolate North America announced its exclusive partnership with Six Flags Entertainment Corp. to help consumers celebrate National Ice Cream Day on July 15. Guests who visit select Six Flags parks on National…
Sweeten the Deal for Chocolate
Market researchers report that between 82% and 92% of Americans admit to indulging in chocolate candy. Even more important is the revelation that the majority of them do it at least once a month. By Marilyn Odesser-Torpey, Associate Editor. Americans aren’t eating out as much as they used to, but they are eating more chocolate,…
Hershey To Acquire Brookside Foods
“The acquisition of Brookside is an opportunity for Hershey to expand our portfolio in this category,” says Hershey’s CEO. The Hershey Co. has reached an agreement to purchase Brookside Foods Ltd., a privately held confectionery company based in Abbotsford, British Columbia. Brookside is a chocolate confectionery company with products based on a unique formula…
Maintain A Thriving Candy Aisle
Mars Chocolate North America has launched a new Web site exclusively for convenience store operators. Mars24seven.com is a resource center with everything c-store operators need to create, enhance and maintain a successful candy aisle and to help drive overall store sales. With the click of a mouse, c-store operators have all the information in front…
Efficient Exit Strategies Sweeten Candy Profits
Developing an effective exit strategy for candy and reviewing product performance regularly can boost profits in the candy segment. “On a basic level you want to discontinue the slow moving items that rank in the bottom of the category to bring in something new that is going to contribute sales and margins to the category,”…
Core Brands Drive Candy
The confectionery retail market grew across all trade channels in 2009, but supermarkets, dollar stores and warehouse clubs outpaced the overall retail market in 2009, according to the National Confectioners Association (NCA). NCA also noted c-stores brought in $4.6 billion in dollar sales in 2009, up 3%. Seasonal confectionary sales were up 1.2% in 2009…