With the market flooded with new products, it is a pleasure to see a product that is new, unique and tastes great!

Hehrshey’s Kissables are bite size, candy coated mini Hershey Kisses with the only difference being that they are unwrapped.

Truth be told, they taste great and would be perfect for baking, snacking or throwing at your kid sister…

In a market filled with duplications of duplications, we would like to tip our hats to Hershey’s for introducing the next “hot” candy…. Although it isn’t available in an obscure flavor or color like many of the recent “Limited Editions”, like the original Hershey’s Kiss, these are bound to become a classic!

Customs inspectors in Karni crossing confiscate delivery of candy; package label bears name of non-existent factory, fake kosher seal
Ilan Marciano

The alertness of customs inspectors in the Gaza Strip’s Karni crossing led to the confiscation of a large amount of fake and non-Kosher “Krembo” – a round biscuit topped with cream covered by a thin layer of chocolate.

The goods, which made their way from Gaza to Israel, were registered under the brand name Sambo. The package carried the address of a factory in the Erez industrial zone, but an examination carried out by the inspectors revealed that such a factory does not exist.

The brand also bore a fake kosher certification of the Chief Rabbinate and the Beit Yosef ultra-orthodox body.

The Chief Rabbinate said in response that many deliveries of Sambo “Krembos” may have made their way into Israel without being caught. The rabbis added that they hoped their cooperation with the customs would prevent future infiltration of fake food products from the West Bank.

One of the biggest complaints I get about candy critic is people calling something that I review not candy. Chips are the biggest complaint, people tell me all the time that I shouldn’t review chips or salty snacks. I don’t know about that, I think chips are candy; the national confectioners association has chips at their All Candy Expo. I say chips are candy, just because it’s not sweet doesn’t make it not candy. People have to open their minds a little and realize that just because it’s not a lollypop or a mint, it’s still candy.

If you where to go by the definition that chips are not candy, we would probably have to eliminate chocolate as well, because really it’s a bean based product and although it is sweet it really isn’t the same as basic candy. Really if we’re to limit ourselves to the purest form of candy all we can have is flavored melted sugar, and where’s the fun in that.

My definition of candy is simple, if it’s not a pastry, and it’s fun to eat, it’s probably candy. If you get a toy with it and it’s not cereal, it’s probably candy. If you look at it and say “this candy is great” it’s candy!

Don’t be in denial, if it’s candy and it’s fun.

Chris Stewart
Candy Critic
www.candycritic.org

Candy is a staple of holidays. Of course Halloween being the biggest. But then there is also tons of candy around for Christmas, Easter and the 4th of July. So why is it that there isn’t Thanksgiving candy? Everyone always talks about the turkey, the potatoes, the cranberry sauce, the stuffing, and the pumpkin pies. But what about candy?

Thanksgiving is unfortunately stuck between Halloween and Christmas. I guess people thought the Halloween candy could hold them over until Christmas. But personally, I don’t think its fair. Thanksgiving is a great holiday, and it should get attention from the candy community! Maybe a chocolate set of the original Thanksgiving complete with chocolate pilgrims, indians, and a giant turkey! Or for non chocolate lovers, a gummy set!

There could be lollipops shaped like turkeys. Maybe even lollipops that taste like turkey! Wait, nevermind, that would be disgusting. So candy lovers, I put the question to you. What candy would you like to see as Thanksgiving candy? Or should Thanksgiving forever remain the lost holiday??

Farley’s & Sathers Candy Co. Inc. has agreed to buy the North American trademark rights for the Trolli gummy candy brand from the Wm. Wrigley Jr. Co. for an undisclosed amount

Round Lake-based Farley’s & Sathers will also receive a Creston, Iowa, production facility in the deal. The factory employs approximately 150 people.

Chicago-based Wrigley (NYSE: WWY) had sought to sell the Trolli as part of a realignment plan after the company bought several brands from Northfield, Ill.-based Kraft Foods Inc. (NYSE: KFT) in June.

Farley’s & Sathers, which makes Chuckles, JujyFruits, Jujubes and Now and Later candies, has annual sales of roughly $200 million. The company also makes RainBlo and Super Bubble gum.

The privately held company was formerly a division of Kraft Foods, which sold it to Greenwich, Conn.-based private equity firm Catterton Partners Corp. in 2002.

At Rochester Institute of Technology you would assume all the learning happens in the confines of the classroom or the computer lab. But for Halloween, the Residence Life and Student Health Center staff decided to bring the education directly to the students in their residence hall rooms and apartments. We used candy and some catchy names to educate our students about Sexually Transmitted Infections (formally known as STD’s or VD’s).

The staff dressed up in their costumes and went “reverse trick-or-treating” to each room and apartment delivering a bag of goodies. Each bag contained a statistics card with a picture of a Crotch Goblin on it, like Gerdy Gonorrhea or Henry Herpes (much like a baseball card). As well as condoms, instructions on how to use a condom, information on where to get help if you think you have an STI and of course, the Halloween tradition of candy. This year we used the Americana mix from Candyfavorites.com.

Overall we made close to 7000 students happy by delivering 7000 condoms and 180 pounds of candy and hopefully taught them something they maybe didn’t know about STI’s and how to prevent them.

Stephanie Bauschard
Assistant Director for Residence Life
Rochester Institute of Technology

Christmas Hershey Kisses are what makes this world a good place to be living. Hershey kisses are in general amazing. The little chocolate drops of heaven never leave my mouth unsatisfied (unlike some other kisses I’ve had, but we won’t go there).

But there is something extra special about the Christmas Hershey kisses. The red and green foil makes all the difference in the world! They are the perfect Christmas gift. Who doesn’t love Hershey kisses? You can give them to a boyfriend or girlfriend, a friend, parents or co-workers. Just grab a few of the delicious kisses, wrap them in some cling wrap paper, then cut a piece of red or green ribbon and tie it up! And make sure you curl the ribbon ends with some scissors. You have to put some effort into it!

So for all those out there without a lot of cash this Christmas, instead of trying to make something our of a hanger and tissue paper, spend a few bucks on a bag or two of Christmas Hershey Kisses. You’ll be glad you did, and so will your friends and family. And the best part is while you’re wrapping them up, there’s nothing wrong with eating a few!

You could also try to be REALLY creative if you’re not as lazy as I am!

Christmas Hershey Kisses

What’s new?

People always ask me what my favorite candy is. It makes sense, having tried hundreds of different treats from all over the world and written about them I can understand why that’s the most common question. The thing that isn’t common is my answer.

Sure I’ve got a top ten list on Candy Critic number one being Kit Kat, but is that really my favorite treat? No, what I crave is something different, something I’ve never tried before, it doesn’t even have to taste that great, I just need a change. That’s kind of how Candy Critic started; it was a search for interesting candy and a look at it. To be honest the only reason I even review the common treats is to either appease e-mailers or to give people a reference to basis my tastes off of.

So this is my problem, candy companies are just not that creative. The
amount of money that this industry invests and makes is astounding, in the billions of dollars. Yet for no particular reason all they can give us is the same chocolate bar with an orange flavor. Why can’t we see a little more creativity out of the major candy companies?

The last “new” bar to surface out of the candy world was the Max 5, sure it wasn’t bad and it was a little different but it really wasn’t that revolutionary. Basically they took a bunch of ingredients that work in a common chocolate bar and put them all together. I give credit where it’s due and I’ll say it’s a step in the right direction but with so much money invested in this industry I would expect much more.

So there you are, craving something that you haven’t eaten a thousand times
before, what do I suggest? Well look to other nations for that unique taste
experience. Also look at smaller candy companies, the mom and pop manufactures you’d be amazed what’s made in your own backyard that you haven’t tried. And what’s my word to all those big companies making the same treat over and over again? Invest in the little guys now and again, and if you’re going to pay someone millions to come up with a new treat it better not be the same old treat covered in white chocolate or with “new” orange flavor.

Chris Stewart
Candy Critic
www.candycritic.org

Tic Tacs are an interesting family. The family line started out with Mr. Spearmint and Ms. Peppermint. Both are very kind, loving, and gentle to the taste buds. And of course they have that wonderful minty freshness. The trouble began once they decided to get married and procreate.

Their firstborn was Wintergreen. Wintergreen is a nice upstanding Tic Tac. A fine light green color, and the same minty taste as his parents. There is a bit of zing in the taste, but still a fine Tic Tac. As the years went on, the descendants of Mr. Spearmint and Ms. Peppermint became a bit more eccentric.

Cinnamon was next. She is a bright Tic Tac with a fiesty spirit! Much loved by the masses, but if you get too close, you may get burned. Though she is somewhat rebellious, her parents are still proud of her today.

Then the twins came along. Orange and Lime. No one is quite sure what genes got mutated to bring about these two Tic Tacs, but nevertheless they are here. Neither Orange nor Lime have served the original purpose of their parents. There is no minty taste to accompany them, and they do not refresh the mouth. They have been quite a disappointment to their parents, but they are still part of the Tic Tac family, and will remain so.

Just remember, the Tic Tac family is here to serve you. Whether you like original mint, or some wacky flavor, there is a Tic Tac for you. It’s your job to find it!

Until next time, this is Kandy K..stay sweet!

Check out the family!

Do you remember when candy used to cost 5 cents or less? I do, which actually makes me feel old. But nevertheless, its another good family memory. I think being home for a wedding this past weekend is what spawned my overabundance of childhood memories. But it’s always good to remember happy times from the past.

My grandma had a little shore house in Sea Isle. Once a year, my family would stay down there for a few days. I have a lot of memories from that shore house. But my favorite memory is the little convenience store that was about 5 blocks down the road. There was nothing special about it, unless you were a kid. The had this bin full of candy for 5 cents. All year long, my sister and I would save our nickels and pennies. Then we’d walk the 6 blocks together, with our styrofoam cups filled to the brim with coins. My favorite piece of candy to buy was those atomic fireballs. They were all shiny and bright red in color. They lasted long, and left that fire taste in your mouth. This tradition probably started when I was about five. Once I was 10 we stopped going to the shore every year.

I went back for a day or two when I was 16. Things sure had changed. None of the candy cost 5 cents anymore. Everything was 25 cents or more. The candy was different too. Of course life had changed a lot since the last time I had been there, but a part of me expected the little convenience store to remain the same. Of course, that store is just one more memory to look back on and smile.

Until next time, this is Kandy K……stay sweet!

Red and Shiny!