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Monday, December 24, 2012

Here’s some candy for Christmas

US-made, union-made sweets
This is the current leader in the Holiday Peeps contest
By Will Collette

If you’re out shopping for last minute gifts or stocking stuffers, you might be thinking about candy as the quick and easy solution, which of course it is.

As an added bonus, you can feel good about making that purchase if you check the following list that shows you the many great choices that are still made in the U.S. of A. and, even better, made by the members of the Bakery and Confectionery Workers union.

Imagine my joy to see “Just Born” products on the list. Yep, that’s none other than marshmallow Peeps®. And don’t forget to enter their second annual Holiday Peeps® diorama contest.

Other great old favorites are also on the list, including all the Massachusetts-made products from NECCO, led of course by NECCO wafers and including Clark bars, Skybars, chocolate nonpareils, etc. Hershey and Nestle are union-made in the USA. So are Jelly Belly jellybeans. So are candy Boston Baked Beans and Tootsie Rolls.

So are Mallo Cups and Jujubes. And Mrs. See’s chocolates from San Francisco.


Delight your friends and loved ones with holiday treats made by hard-working BCTGM members! Listed here is a sampling of the BCTGM-contracted companies that produce seasonal specialties…

Tootsie Roll wreath
Annabelle Candy BCTGM Local 125 (San Leandro, Calif.) 
Holiday seasonal specialties and bag candy, including union-made candies like Rocky Road, Abba-Zaba, Look, Big Hunk and U-No.

Brown & Haley BCTGM Local 9 (Seattle)
Holiday gift boxes, baskets, tins and packages filled with the company’s renowned Almond Roca, Cashew Roca, Mocha Roca, Sugar Free Almond Roca and Candy Cane Roca.

Tootsie Roll BCTGM Local 1 (Chicago)
Tootsie Roll brand candies.

Nestlé Chocolate BCTGM Local 1 (Chicago) and Local 342 (Bloomington, Ill.)
Holiday hard candy, molded solid chocolate, tins and festive packages filled with Nestlé Treasures, Laffy Taffy, Flipz Pretzels, Kathryn Beich specialty candy, Baby Ruth, Butterfinger, BB’s and Pearson Nips.

Frankford Candy & Chocolate BCTGM Local 6 (Philadelphia)
Holiday candy toys, gift baskets, tins, boxes and packs filled with gums, jellies, hard candy, molded filled, hollow and solid chocolate under the Frankford name.

Ghirardelli Chocolate BCTGM Local 125 (San Leandro, Calif.)
Holiday chocolate gift baskets, tins, boxes and festive packages filled with Ghirardelli brand chocolate.

Hershey BCTGM Local 464 (Hershey, Pa.)
Festive packaging for union-made Hershey’s Kisses, Hershey’s Milk Chocolate Bars and Hershey’s Milk Chocolate with Almond Bars.

Jelly Belly BCTGM Local 125 (San Leandro, Calif.)
Holiday gift boxes, tins, packs; Christmas tree taffy, gums, jellies and other seasonal novelties under the Jelly Belly brand.

Just Born Inc. BCTGM Local 6 (Philadelphia)
Holiday Marshmallow Peeps in tree and snowman designs, Mike and Ike Merry Mix.

NECCO wafers make great shingles for a gingerbread house
New England Confectionery Company (NECCO) BCTGM Local 348 (Framingham, Mass.)
Holiday tins and bags filled with BCTGM-made treats, including: NECCO Wafers, Clark bar, Sky Bar, Candy Cupboard Chocolates, Masterpiece Chocolates, Wrapped Foil Mints, Mary Jane Bags, Peanut Butter Kisses, Haviland Thin Mints, Chocolate Covered Peanuts, Raisins and Bridge Mix, Chocolate Peanut Clusters, Chocolate Nonpareils, Mighty Malts Malted Milk Balls and more.

See’s Candies BCTGM Local 125 (San Leandro, Calif.)
Holiday tins, baskets, boxes with hard, soft and nut chocolate candies, peppermint twists, fudge and foil chocolate.

Pearson’s Candy BCTGM Local 22 (Twin Cities, Minn.)
Holiday tins, bagged and chocolate mints including the Nut Goodie bar, Salted Nut Roll, Pearson’s Mint Patties and Flurries.

Christmas Boston Baked Beans
Linette Quality Chocolates
Womelsdorf, Pa., plant Local 6 (Philadelphia)
Seasonal chocolates and festive packaged chocolate candy, including Linette brand Creamy Peanut Butter Cups, Mini Creamy Peanut Butter Cups, Creamy Caramel Cups, Mini Creamy Caramel Cups, Dark Chocolate Mint Cups, Carmel Nut Clusters, Chocolate Covered Raisins, Chocolate Covered Cashews.

Sconza Candy BCTGM Local 125 (San Leandro, Calif.)
Red, White & Green Chocolate Jordanetts, Christmas Bell Jellies and Rings, Reindeer Corn, Red, White & Green Boston Baked Beans, Sprinkled Christmas Tree Pretzels.

Dare Foods BCTGM Local 264 (Toronto, Ontario)
A variety of gums, jellies, hard candy and gift tubs, including festive bags with “To/From” gift tags. Products include Icy & Spicy Mints, Snowdrift Mints, a range of festive colored Ju Jubes and Dare’s Scotch Mints.

Christmas Jujubes
Farley's & Sathers Local 36 (Davenport, Iowa)
Creston, Iowa, plant Trolli brand

Concord Confections BCTGM Local 264 (Toronto, Ontario)
Double Bubble bubble gum and gumballs in festive packages.

Boyer Candies Local 19 (Cleveland)
Boyer Mallo Cups, peanut butter cups, triple twist pretzels.