One of the products Runk Candy sells is American Made Banana Taffy. A more complete list of their products is provided by Made in America Secrets, to review their list click here.
For more information about Runk Candy and its Made in the USA products see the following:
The following is what we have pieced together about the history of BB Bats and Kits taffy.
Fair Play Caramel Company (Fair Play Caramels, Inc.) started making the BB Bats and Kits taffy in 1924 in Johnson City, NY. After many years of production by Fair Play, Gilliam Candy bought the brands in 1990 and made them in Paducah, KY. The brands were subsequently licensed to Sophie Mae which made them in Atlanta, GA. Sophie Mae was sold to Georgia Nut which made them under their Family Brands label in Skokie, IL. Some were also sold under the Georgia's Confections name. When Georgia Nut stopped making them, the brands were licensed to Warrell in 2009 and they made the candy at their Warrell Classic plant in York, PA until the fall of 2010. Runk Candy acquired the equipment and brands in the summer of 2011 and re-commenced manufacturing in the spring of 2012 in Cincinnati, OH.
Marshmallow Products (Marpro) was founded in 1936 by John V. Arbino, a tailor. During the Great Depression, Mr. Arbino observed that while people did not always have money for tailor-made clothes, they did always seem to have pennies for candy! So, with that in mind, Mr. Arbino bought a beater and started into the marshmallow candy business ? making clothes during the day and marshmallow treats at night. He made everything he could think of out of marshmallow and on Saturdays he would load up his car and put his products onto city grocery store shelves on consignment. So long as an item sold, he continued to make it. In January of 1964, the founder was succeeded by his son, Jack. The business continued to grow and prosper. By the mid-1970's it was evident that the company's future was the Marshmallow-Filled Ice Cream Cone. All other items were discontinued as the company modernized its equipment and dedicated its resources to the manufacture of this unique item. After a long and successful run, Jack Arbino sold the business in 1999 to a local couple who were already involved in the candy business through Murray Bros. Old Time Stores, a small chain of retail candy stores, which have been operating in Cincinnati since 1858. From their experience in their stores, they knew the Marshmallow Cones were an excellent seller. Shortly thereafter the business moved just a couple miles down the road to a new, modern facility.
Every aspect of the Marshmallow Cone's production has always been done completely in-house at the company's plant -- everything from baking the cone on rotary gas-fired baking machines, to filling it with marshmallow made in a stainless steel kettle, to packing the cone and shipping it from the attached warehouse to its customers ? all made and done entirely in the U.S.A!
Marshmallow Cones continue to be sold by distributors and retailers throughout the United States. In the Cincinnati area they can always be found at Murray Bros. Old Time Stores.
To this day, the formulas and recipes for the marshmallow and the cone remain the same as they were in 1936 and many of the original customers who ate them as kids now enjoy sharing Marshmallow Cones ? and their memories ? with their grandchildren!
For more information about Runk Candy and its Made in the USA products see the following:
The following is what we have pieced together about the history of BB Bats and Kits taffy.
Fair Play Caramel Company (Fair Play Caramels, Inc.) started making the BB Bats and Kits taffy in 1924 in Johnson City, NY. After many years of production by Fair Play, Gilliam Candy bought the brands in 1990 and made them in Paducah, KY. The brands were subsequently licensed to Sophie Mae which made them in Atlanta, GA. Sophie Mae was sold to Georgia Nut which made them under their Family Brands label in Skokie, IL. Some were also sold under the Georgia's Confections name. When Georgia Nut stopped making them, the brands were licensed to Warrell in 2009 and they made the candy at their Warrell Classic plant in York, PA until the fall of 2010. Runk Candy acquired the equipment and brands in the summer of 2011 and re-commenced manufacturing in the spring of 2012 in Cincinnati, OH.
Marshmallow Products (Marpro) was founded in 1936 by John V. Arbino, a tailor. During the Great Depression, Mr. Arbino observed that while people did not always have money for tailor-made clothes, they did always seem to have pennies for candy! So, with that in mind, Mr. Arbino bought a beater and started into the marshmallow candy business ? making clothes during the day and marshmallow treats at night. He made everything he could think of out of marshmallow and on Saturdays he would load up his car and put his products onto city grocery store shelves on consignment. So long as an item sold, he continued to make it. In January of 1964, the founder was succeeded by his son, Jack. The business continued to grow and prosper. By the mid-1970's it was evident that the company's future was the Marshmallow-Filled Ice Cream Cone. All other items were discontinued as the company modernized its equipment and dedicated its resources to the manufacture of this unique item. After a long and successful run, Jack Arbino sold the business in 1999 to a local couple who were already involved in the candy business through Murray Bros. Old Time Stores, a small chain of retail candy stores, which have been operating in Cincinnati since 1858. From their experience in their stores, they knew the Marshmallow Cones were an excellent seller. Shortly thereafter the business moved just a couple miles down the road to a new, modern facility.
Every aspect of the Marshmallow Cone's production has always been done completely in-house at the company's plant -- everything from baking the cone on rotary gas-fired baking machines, to filling it with marshmallow made in a stainless steel kettle, to packing the cone and shipping it from the attached warehouse to its customers ? all made and done entirely in the U.S.A!
Marshmallow Cones continue to be sold by distributors and retailers throughout the United States. In the Cincinnati area they can always be found at Murray Bros. Old Time Stores.
To this day, the formulas and recipes for the marshmallow and the cone remain the same as they were in 1936 and many of the original customers who ate them as kids now enjoy sharing Marshmallow Cones ? and their memories ? with their grandchildren!