Just Born Quality Confections Statement Concerning Coronavirus
Updated 4/13/2020
As a third generation family owned business since 1923 and the maker of PEEPS®, we hope you and your family had a healthy and happy Easter. The COVID-19 virus has brought unprecedented hardships and challenges to all of us. Although deemed an “essential business” by state and federal authorities, we made the difficult decision to temporarily suspend production at the end of March to help “flatten the curve” while helping ensure the health and safety of our associates, which is our top priority. In an effort to support our community, we donated almost 15,000 plastic gloves, 120 N95 masks, and candy to our local hospitals. Additionally, we have partnered with our local United Way on a COVID-19 Community Response Fund which provides a rapid, informed and coordinated approach to assessing community need and getting dollars where they are needed most.
Our state health officials are predicting this coming week to be the worst, so we are extending the temporary suspension of our production facilities through 5/3/20 and will continue to pay all of our Just Born associates during this time. Our internal COVID-19 task force will continue to regularly monitor the impact of the virus and unless the situation worsens, we plan to get back to producing our iconic candy on 5/4/20. We have already been making changes to processes and procedures in our facilities to help optimize our associates’ health and safety when they return. We will also provide a temporary increase in pay for those plant associates who return to work. These actions will enable us to get back to business, service our customers, and bring sweetness to the lives of our loyal fans.
It is likely that our everyday brands – MIKE AND IKE®, HOT TAMALES®, and GOLDENBERG’S® PEANUT CHEWS®, will be out of stock on shelves before we are able to ramp up production and begin shipping to our retailers. We ask for your patience and understanding during this period of time. Just Born Quality Confections has been bringing sweetness to people’s lives for almost 100 years and we will continue to do so for many years to come.
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About Just Born Quality Confections:
Just Born Quality Confections is a third-generation family-owned company that has grown into the 10th largest candy company in the U.S. [*] Just Born is the maker of some of America’s most beloved and iconic brands – PEEPS®, MIKE AND IKE®, HOT TAMALES® and GOLDENBERG’S® PEANUT CHEWS®. In 1923, the founder, Sam Born, opened a small candy-making and retail store in Brooklyn, New York, where he marketed the freshness of his daily-made candy with a sign that declared, “Just Born.” Together with Born’s brothers-in-law, Irv and Jack Shaffer, the company thrived in spite of the economic depression of the 1930s and, in 1932, moved its operations to Bethlehem, PA, which is still home to their iconic candy brands. All Just Born candies are proudly made in the U.S.A. For more information, please visit www.justborn.com Follow us: facebook.com/JustBornInc, twitter.com/JustBornInc.
* IRI Market Advantage Easter 2019 (11 WE 04/28/19), Total Multi-Outlet; Includes Non-Seasonal Jelly Beans