D. L. Clark Company facts for kids
| Private | |
| Industry | Candy, chewing gum |
| Fate | Bankrupted |
| Successor |
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| Founded | 1886 in Allegheny City, Pennsylvania |
| Founder | David L. Clark |
| Defunct | 1995 |
| Headquarters | Pittsburgh |
| Products | |
| Parent |
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The D. L. Clark Company was a famous candy company that made popular treats like the Clark Bar and Zagnut. It was started in 1886 in Allegheny, Pennsylvania (which is now part of Pittsburgh) by an Irish candy salesman named David L. Clark. For many years, the company made delicious candies and chewing gum.
Over time, the D. L. Clark Company changed owners several times. In 1921, the part of the company that made chewing gum became a separate business called Clark Brothers Chewing Gum Company. Later, in 1955, the main candy company was sold to a larger company called Beatrice Foods.
The Company's Journey
The D. L. Clark Company had a long history with many changes. After being owned by Beatrice Foods, it was sold to Leaf in 1983. Leaf then sold the company in 1991. However, Leaf kept the rights to popular candies like Zagnut.
The new owner, Michael P. Carlow, ran the company under his Pittsburgh Food & Beverage Company. Sadly, this company went bankrupt in 1995. Many of the D. L. Clark Company's valuable parts, like the rights to the famous Clark Bar, were sold off.
A businessman from Pittsburgh named James Clister bought these parts for $3.2 million. He started a new company called Clark Bar America, Inc. But this company also faced problems and went bankrupt. In 1999, another candy company called Necco (New England Confectionery Company) bought the assets for $4.1 million.
Clark Gum Company
The chewing gum part of the D. L. Clark Company, which became Clark Gum Company in 1921, also had an interesting journey. In 1931, it was sold to Philip Morris. They owned it until 1973, when they sold the rights to Reed's Candy.
Reed's Candy worked with Amurol, a part of Wrigley Gum, to make the gum. In 1989, Reed's Candy was sold to Amurol. However, the gum business was kept separate and became a new company called Clark Gum Company. Today, Clark's Teaberry gum is sold by First Source, LLC and is made in Mexico.
Popular Clark Products
The D. L. Clark Company made many different kinds of candies and chewing gums over the years. Some were very famous, while others were unique.
Candies
- Alligator Eggs
- Banana Caramels
- Black Jack Caramels
- Boomer
- Bun (in vanilla, maple, and caramel flavors)
- Chocolate Chips
- Chocolate Malted Milk Balls
- Clarconut
- Clark (the original bar)
- Clark Coconut
- Clark Dark
- Clark Light
- Clark’s Miami Coconut
- Clark Mint
- Clark’s Wintergreen
- Coconut Frosted Creams
- Crispy
- Crunchy
- Fudge Bar
- Honest Square
- Iceland Sandwich
- Mario Bun (named for hockey player Mario Lemieux)
- Mint Appetizers
- Nutcracker
- Peanut Blossom Kisses
- Peanut Butter Log
- Reggie!
- Sassy
- Sour Cherry Crème
- Sour Grape Crème
- Sour Lemon Crème
- Spanish Chips
- Sunpower
- Wild Cherry Caramels
- Winter Clark
- Zagnut (now made by Hershey’s)
- Zig Zag
Clark's Gum Flavors
- Cinnamint
- Cinnamon
- Diet Spearmint
- Freshmint
- Fruit Punch
- Peppermint
- Smile Sugar Free (various flavors)
- Sour Cherry
- Sour Lemon
- Sweetwood
- Teaberry
- Tendermint
- Winter Green
