Marich Confectionery facts for kids
| Founded | Watsonville, California (1983) |
|---|---|
| Founder | Marinus van Dam |
| Headquarters | Hollister, California |
|
Key people
|
Brad van Dam (President & CEO) |
| Products | Sugar Panning, Chocolate, Truffles, Candies, Jelly Beans, Cookies |
Marich Confectionery (say "Mahr-ich") is a candy company in the United States. It was started in 1983 by a man named Marinus van Dam. He also helped create the famous Jelly Belly brand of jelly beans! Marich Confectionery makes many yummy treats. Their main office is in Hollister, California. They are also "Fair Trade certified," which means they make sure their ingredients are sourced fairly.
Contents
The Story of Marich Confectionery
The story of Marich Confectionery began with Marinus van Dam. In 1944, when he was just fifteen years old, Marinus started working. He worked as a janitor at a candy factory in Rotterdam, Netherlands. His job was to clean up candy pieces from the floor.
Marinus loved learning about candy. Because he worked hard, he got a special chance. He was able to go to a candy-making school! There, he learned all about how to make delicious sweets. This was called "candy technology."
Moving to America
In January 1957, Marinus moved from the Netherlands to the United States. He found a job at a small company in Columbus, Ohio. After three months, Marinus decided to move to California. He then worked for the Herman Goelitz Candy Company.
Starting His Own Company
In 1983, Marinus van Dam decided to start his very own candy business. He called it Marich Confectionery. He worked with some partners to make this dream come true.
Marich Confectionery became known for its chocolate-covered dried fruits. One of their first popular treats was the chocolate-covered dried cherry. This candy had a special pastel cherry coating. It became a hit in the 1980s. Later, in 1992, they introduced the chocolate-covered dried blueberry.
Today, Marich Confectionery has a large building in Hollister, California. It is about 90,000 square feet! Around 125 people work there. They handle everything from making the candy to sales and marketing.
Awards and Recognition
Marich Confectionery has received several awards for its delicious candies. In 1995, the company was recognized for being a leader. They helped shape the market for fancy, gourmet chocolates.
In 2001, Marich won a special award. This was the International Fancy Food Show award. They won it for their amazing chocolate-covered dried cherry. The company also received more awards in 2001 and 2004. These awards came from the Specialty Food Association.
