Jelly Belly Candy Company, formerly known as Herman Goelitz Candy Company and Goelitz Confectionery Company, manufactures Jelly Belly jelly beans and other candy. The company is based in Fairfield, California, with a second manufacturing facility in North Chicago, Illinois and a distribution center in Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin. In October 2008, the company opened a 50,000 sq ft (4,645 m2) manufacturing plant in Rayong, Thailand where it produces confectionery for the international market.
Video Jelly Belly
History
1866-1913
Gustav Goelitz came to the United States in 1866 and in 1869 started the confectionery business Gustav Goelitz in Belleville, Illinois. His younger brothers Albert and George emigrated to America soon after and joined him in the business. In 1898, the company began manufacturing mellowcreme candies (also called mellow cream, and butter cream). Candy corn, a type of mellowcreme candy, was likely developed by George Renniger, an employee of Wunderlee Candy Company in Philadelphia. The Goelitz Confectionery Company was successful in selling a variety of mellowcreme candy including candy corn. In 1904, the company relocated to Chicago, and then to North Chicago in 1913.
1913-1979
Herman Goelitz, the son of Gustav, moved to the West Coast to start his own business, Herman Goelitz Candy Company. The company eventually settled in Oakland, California, in 1924. In 1960, the company expanded to jelly beans, gummy bears, and various jells. "One of those new products was a small and very flavorful Mini Jelly Bean [developed in 1965]." The Mini Jelly Bean center had natural flavoring, innovative for the time when only the outer shell was flavored.
Ronald Reagan first tried the Mini Jelly Beans in 1966. "The then California governor had quit smoking years before and turned to popping candy as a...substitute." Reagan wrote to Herman Rowland, Sr. while governor, "It's gotten to the point...where we can hardly start a meeting or make a decision without passing around a jar of jelly beans. We owe you a special measure of thanks for helping keep our state government running smoothly."
In 1976, David Klein, a candy and nut distributor, collaborated with Herman Rowland to create a jelly bean using natural purees. Using the Mini Jelly Bean concept, the Jelly Belly jelly bean was created. Klein sold the first Jelly Belly jelly beans in 1976 at an ice cream parlor called Fosselman's in Alhambra, California. The first flavors were Very Cherry, Tangerine, Lemon, Green Apple, Grape, Licorice, Root Beer, and Cream Soda. It was David Klein's idea "...to sell them as separate flavors instead of a variety pack and he came up with the name 'Jelly Belly'".
1980-present
Marinus van Dam, product developer and plant manager for the company, oversaw the development of Jelly Belly jelly beans. By the 1980s, many flavors had been developed. In 1980, Klein sold his interest in the Jelly Belly name. "David Klein sold the Jelly Belly trademark to Rowland for $4.8 million, paid in monthly installments over 20 years, which Klein split with a partner." The Jelly Belly trademark was registered August 3, 1982. The Mr. Jelly Belly character was developed in 1983. Prior to the development of the character David Klein called himself "Mr. Jelly Belly."
After Ronald Reagan became President in 1980, the general public became aware of his preference for Jelly Belly jelly beans. The company supplied Reagan with Jelly Belly jelly beans during his eight years of presidency. Chairman Rowland recalls, "We were thrilled by press reports that President Reagan gave jars of Jelly Belly jelly beans to visiting dignitaries." (Reagan, however, "started to favor M&M's as the official White House candy during his eighth and final year in office.") Reagan made them the first jelly beans in space, sending them on the Space Shuttle Challenger during the STS-7 mission in 1983, surprising the astronauts.
In 2001 the company renamed itself to Jelly Belly Candy Company.
Maps Jelly Belly
Products
Today the company produces more than 100 different confections. Of the signature Jelly Belly jelly beans, there are over 58 flavors including:
7 Up, A&W Cream Soda, A&W Root Beer, Berry Blue, Blueberry, Bubble Gum, Buttered Popcorn, Cantaloupe, Cappuccino, Caramel Corn, Champagne, Chili Mango, Chocolate Pudding, Cinnamon, Coconut, Cold Stone Birthday Cake Remix, Cotton Candy, Crushed Pineapple, Dr Pepper, French Vanilla, Grape Crush, Green Apple, Island Punch, Juicy Pear, Kiwi, Lemon, Lemon Drop, Lemon Lime, Licorice, Lime, Mango, Mixed Berry Smoothie, Orange, Orange Crush, Orange Sherbet, Pancakes & Maple Syrup, Peach, Pink Grapefruit, Plum, Pomegranate, Raspberry, Red Apple, Sizzling Cinnamon, Sour Cherry, Strawberry Banana Smoothie, Strawberry Cheesecake, Strawberry Jam, Tabasco, Tangerine, Toasted Marshmallow, Top Banana, Tutti-Fruitti, Very Cherry, Watermelon, and Wild Blackberry.
The company has produced several flavors based on popular alcoholic beverages, beginning with Mai Tai in 1977. Over the years, new additions have included Blackberry Brandy (retired), Strawberry Daiquiri, Margarita, Mojito, and Piña Colada. The Hefeweizen-inspired ale flavor of Draft Beer was introduced in 2014. All such flavors are entirely alcohol-free.
Several flavors were discontinued over the years like Jalapeño, Peanut Butter, and Cafe Latte.
Other Popular Jelly Belly Products
Organic jelly beans
The company's first line of organic jelly beans and fruit snacks was introduced the winter of 2015. The product is USDA certified with non-GMO ingredients. The flavors and colors are from natural sources. The organic jelly beans come in 10 assorted flavors: apple, berry, blueberry, cherry, coconut, lemon, orange, pear, peach, and strawberry. The five sour organic jelly bean flavors include apple, cherry, lemon, orange, and berry. The organic fruit snacks featuring rainforest animals includes six flavors: apple, berry, cherry, lemon, orange, and strawberry.
Confections
Candy corn
The company began making candy corn, a type of mellocreme candy, around 1898. "The company has the longest history of making candy corn of any in the industry." Jelly Belly Candy Company creates seasonal candy corns: Cupid Corn, Giant Corn, Reindeer Corn, and Bunny Corn.
Facilities
The company operates three manufacturing plants in Fairfield, California; North Chicago, Illinois; and Rayong, Thailand. A fourth facility in Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin, is for distribution.
The Fairfield and Pleasant Prairie locations offer free daily tours. The 1/4 mi-long (400 m) self-guided Fairfield tour features interactive exhibits, Jelly Belly bean art, and videos featuring the candy manufacturing process. It was named one of the best factory tours for children by FamilyFun Magazine in 2014. The Pleasant Prairie tour features a train ride through the warehouse with videos and displays about the candy manufacturing process and company history.
Gallery
Jelly Belly factory in Fairfield, CA
References
External links
- Official website
- Candyman: The David Klein Story on IMDb
Source of article : Wikipedia
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