Press Releases
WORLD'S FINEST® CHOCOLATE PURCHASES QUEEN ANNE® CANDY
Market Leading Chocolate Covered Cordial Cherries to be Produced in Chicago.
Chicago, IL, January 13, 2006 – The leading brand of chocolate covered cherries is returning to Chicago. World’s Finest® Chocolate (WFC) has purchased the Queen Anne® candy brand and cordial cherry production assets from Gray and Co. The Queen Anne® brand was originally founded in Chicago in 1921 and moved to Hammond, IN in 1924. It is now the leading brand of chocolate covered cordial cherries and one of the top five boxed chocolate brands sold during the holidays with over $30 million in sales annually. The cordials will continue to be sold at retail under the Queen Anne® brand name.
“World’s Finest® Chocolate is proud to bring this great brand back to Chicago,” says Ed Opler, Chairman and CEO. “The addition of the Queen Anne® brand and its production will bring candy industry jobs back to Chicago. WFC has been a Chicago based, family owned, company since the 1920’s and we’re delighted to help strengthen Chicago’s claim as the candy capital.”
All production of the chocolate covered cordials will be moved to WFC’s state of the art 500,000 square foot production facility by March 1, 2006 and is likely to create 80 to 100 jobs. The leading manufacturer of chocolate for the fund raising industry, WFC is one of 10 remaining companies in North America that produces chocolate directly from the cocoa bean. WFC entered into the holiday retail market with its well-known Continental® Almonds, Mint Meltaways® and Caramel Whirls® in 2003. The acquisition of Queen Anne® further strengthens the company’s holiday retail operations.
“This acquisition fits well with our growth strategy,” says Tyler Jeffrey, Vice President of Sales and Marketing. “The addition of the Queen Anne brand gives WFC a strong position in the holiday retail market and the cordial manufacturing line can be easily added to our Chicago facility.”
The purchase includes a long-term cherry supply agreement with Gray & Co., the worlds leading maker of maraschino cherries, ensuring WFC a low cost, reliable, long-term source of maraschino cherries. The cherry supply agreement, the ultra-fast production and WFC’s chocolate manufacturing capabilities will make World’s Finest® the leading producer of chocolate covered cherry cordials.
For Additional Information Contact:
Tyler Jeffrey, Vice President
(800) 366-2462 ext. 6422
tjeffrey@wfchocolate.com
World's Finest Chocolate, Inc.
4801 S. Lawndale Avenue
Chicago, IL 60632