Smarties Candy Company

Smarties Candy Company
Private
Industry Food industry, confectioner
Founded 1949
Headquarters Union, New Jersey
Key people
 Jonathan Dee, President
Products Smarties
Number of employees
 100
Website www.smarties.com

Smarties Candy Company (formerly Ce De Candy, Inc.) is a confectionery company well known for its candy, Smarties.[1][2] Edward "Eddie" Dee founded Ce De Candy in Bloomfield, New Jersey, in 1949.[1] His son, Jonathan Dee, is president of the company.[3][4] Edward Dee’s granddaughters, Sarah Dee, Jessica Dee Sawyer and Liz Dee serve as executive vice presidents and oversee day-to-day operations.[3][5] Smarties Candy Company operates plants in Union Township, New Jersey, and in Newmarket, Ontario, Canada.[6] Its headquarters are in Union Township.[2][4] It is one of the few remaining family-owned, mass-production confectionery companies in the United States.[3]

While generally considered a Halloween staple, groups also give out Smarties to encourage people to buckle up and drive safely. Among these are Tampa Bays' Students Against Destructive Ideas (SADD) and Dum Dum or Smartie initiatives in schools.[7][8][9][10]

History

Smarties Candy Rolls

In 1949, Edward Dee first began producing candy rolls in a rented New Jersey factory in Bloomfield with one wrapping machine and one tablet presser which was a repurposed pellet-making machine.[1][11][12] He called his product "Smarties".[2] His family produces a similar candy in England through Swizzels Matlow Co.[13] Initially, Dee took the candy by car to small grocery and tobacco stores.[11] Dee later moved his American operations to Elizabeth, New Jersey, in 1959 and then again to its current location in Union Township in 1967.[1][14]

Ce De Candy's Canadian operations were first established in Toronto, Ontario, in 1963, and were later moved to Newmarket in 1988.[13][15] The Canadian candies go by the name Rockets to avoid confusion with Nestle’s candy coated chocolate Smarties.[1][14][15] The company now produces Smarties around the clock in its two factories producing over 2.5 billion Smarties candy rolls per year.[4][14][15]

In 1991, Mr. T and Ce De Candy collaborated to form Crusade for Kids.[12] It encouraged kids to stay in school and say "no" to drugs.[12] Crusade for Kids raised funds for the Children's Defense Fund charity. In October 2010, company vice president of sales and marketing Eric Ostrow was inducted into the Candy Hall of Fame.[16]

In 2011, the company changed its name from Ce De Candy's to Smarties Candy Company after its most famous product.[1][11][15]

Products

The company also produces Mega Smarties, Giant Smarties, X-treme Sour Smarties, Tropical Smarties, Love Hearts, Smarties 'n Creme, candy necklaces, Smarties Pops in three sizes, and other candies,[1][3][4][5][6][17] including Breath Savers.[13] All Smarties products are peanut-free, gluten-free, dairy-free, and vegan.[5][18]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Greg Hatala (2014-02-11). "Made in Jersey: Smarties keep rolling out of Union factory". NJ.com. Retrieved 2014-05-23.
  2. 1 2 3 Dave Murray (2011-05-31). "Smarties-maker to students: Eat our candy; don't snort it". MLive. Retrieved 2014-05-23.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Marissa Rothkopf Bates (October 29, 2015). "Smarties, a Halloween Favorite, Maintains a Sweet Family Business". New York Times. Retrieved 2015-10-29.
  4. 1 2 3 4 Nick Montano (2011-05-20). "Smarties Ship In Special Packaging And Formulation For Bulk Vending". Vending Times. Retrieved 2014-05-23.
  5. 1 2 3 "Three Millennial women are revolutionizing Smarties". CNN. October 4, 2015. Retrieved March 17, 2016.
  6. 1 2 Diane Nassy (2012-08-08). "Taking a Tour of the Smarties Candy Factory". philzendia. Retrieved 2014-05-23.
  7. ↑ Douglas R. Clifford (2014-03-18). "Safety's sweet rewards". Tampa Bay Times. Retrieved 2014-05-23.
  8. ↑ "Smartie or Dum Dum: Which will you choose?". Missouri Department of Transportation. April 10, 2010. Retrieved 2014-05-23.
  9. ↑ Ruth Campbell (2014-01-30). "Local high schools rewarded for increased seat-belt use". Southeast Missourian. Retrieved 2014-05-23.
  10. ↑ Jim O'Hara (2011-05-05). "CBA's safe-driving "Lookin' Out" club officers honored by DA's advisory council". Syracuse.com. Retrieved 2014-05-23.
  11. 1 2 3 Marissa Rothkopf Bates (October 29, 2015). "Smarties, a Halloween Favorite, Maintains a Sweet Family Business". New York Times. Retrieved March 17, 2016.
  12. 1 2 3 Beth Kimmerle (2003). Candy: The Sweet History. Collectors Press. p. 89. ISBN 1888054832.
  13. 1 2 3 Jennifer Bain (October 31, 2014). "Sweetest place on earth: A tour of the Rockets candy factory". The Star. Retrieved March 17, 2016.
  14. 1 2 3 Dianne Wenz. "Meatless Monday with the Smarties Candy Company". Devil Gourmet. Retrieved March 17, 2016.
  15. 1 2 3 4 "Rockets candy a Halloween treat with a Toronto history". CBC News. 2013-10-30. Retrieved March 17, 2016.
  16. ↑ "Candy Hall Of Fame Inducts 14". National Confectioners Association. 2010-10-25. Retrieved 2014-05-23.
  17. ↑ "Smarties offers Love Hearts for Valentine's Day". New Jersey Online. 2014-02-12. Retrieved 2014-05-23.
  18. ↑ Maria Mooney (2014-03-11). "Smarties Executive, Liz Dee, Talks Compassionate Candy". Ecorazzi. Retrieved 2014-05-23.

External links

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