Aran Candy: All hail the Gourmet Jelly Bean

Thursday, 01 January 2009

Suzanne Callander paid a visit to Dublin-based Aran Candy to find out more about the latest offerings from The Jelly Bean Factory brand of gourmet jelly beans, and finds out just how far this candy has come... Hundreds of years ago the ‘gummy’ interior of the jelly bean was an early version of Turkish Delight.  The outside shell used today is, essentially, the same as that developed in the late 17th century for Jordan Almond candies. Fast forward to the time of the American Civil War and the earliest known appearance of the modern jelly bean was when William Schrafft of Boston promoted the sending of candy to soldiers in the Union Army. It was not until the 1930s that jelly beans became an Easter candy, presumably from their resemblance to Easter eggs. Their egg-like shape was then associated with the Easter bunny, who gave out eggs on Easter. Presidential approval In the 1980s, when Ronald Reagan was President of the United States, he was known for keeping a jar of jelly beans on his desk, which was credited with helping to increase the candy's popularity in the U.S. From the trenches of war to the Oval office, the Jelly bean is by far one of the most popular and well known candies in the world today. Aran Candy has been producing its gourmet jelly beans under ‘The Jelly Bean Factory’ and ‘The Jelly Bean Planet’ brands since 1998.  When I visited the new factory, late in 2008, I had the pleasure of tasting these little delights and I challenge anyone to resist the temptation of a gourmet jelly bean from ‘The Jelly Bean Factory’! Aran Candy was established by Peter and Richard Cullen and is based on a foundation of high product quality, affordable consumer pricing and creative packaging concepts.  Continuing success The continuing success of Aran Candy’s ‘The Jelly Bean Factory’ branded goumet jelly beans required it to move into larger facilitites to keep up with demand in 2008.  The move gave the company the space to double production, with additional space available, if even this is not enough to meet the huge demand for these tasty flavoursome beans. The move to new premises has also allowed the company to set up its new production facility excusively for the production of jelly beans, so it has been able to optimse production efficiency too. The company currently exports to 46 countries around the globe and has sales offices in the UK and Middle East. Smaller than the traditional jelly bean, ‘The Jelly Bean Factory’ gourmet jelly beans taste better than many other jelly bean products because the flavour is embedded throughout the bean. This means that the centre of the bean has the same flavour as the shell, promising a long-lasting flavour experience. These jelly beans are virtually handmade and every one takes two weeks to produce. With 36 flavours available in all consumer packs, this makes ‘The Jelly Bean Factory’ products exceptionally versatile.   ‘The Jelly Bean Factory’ gourmet beans are 100% GMO-free and gelatine free and are produced in Ireland in one of the most modern jelly bean factories in the world.’ In 2006 an extra eight flavours were added to the range giving consumers a choice of 36 flavours in each consumer pack. The new flavours include mango, pomegranate, cranberry & apple, cola, café latte, French vanilla, mint sorbet and pink grapefruit, adding to the magic of ‘The Jelly Bean Factory’. In 2007 ongoing research and development saw the launch of a new jelly bean range under ‘The Jelly Bean Factory’ brand, using only natural colours and containing no artificial colours or flavours.  The range currently comprises of 17 flavours and has been successfully launched into Scandinavian and UK markets. The natural range will also be increased to include over 25 flavours in 2009. Other new product launches in 2007 included the 1.5kg re-usable spaghetti jar.  The majority of the products are available in a ‘ready to go’ shipper unit and a quarter pallet display unit. The latest additions In 2008 Aran Candy welcomed some new product lines to ‘The Jelly Bean Factory’ stable. Their ‘super long’ 410g tube was brought out in time for the 2008 Christmas market. They also have welcomed their ‘Mixes’ range, which is a selection of complimentary flavours brought together to create three new brands – Tropical Bonanza; Berry Burst and Fruit Cocktail. The end of 2008 also saw the company embark on a major re-branding initiative which will see them move away from their traditional red and yellow coat of arms to a more contemporary logo. When pushed further on the topic, Richard raised a grin and tapped his nose: “We will reveal all at ISM 2009’, he laughed... Just come looking in Hall 11.1 Stand J029, it will be something really special!” ‘The Jelly Bean Factory’ continues to notch up major retail success. As Peter said: “We have worked hard to build a close relationship with our valued customers ever since the start and what’s even more re-assuring is that their business has grown substantially alongside ours year on year.” While 2008 has been an excellent year for Aran Candy, Peter and Richard are not resting on their laurels just yet and they both agree that they still have a way to go yet! www.jellybeanfactory.com

 

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