Just Born Quality Confections Statement on Restarting Production Facilities
5/12/2020
At the end of March, Just Born Quality Confections made the difficult decision to temporarily suspend production at our manufacturing facilities in Bethlehem and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Despite being designated an “essential business” by state and federal authorities, we took this step to help “flatten the curve” while helping ensure the health and safety of our associates, which is our top priority.
We officially restarted our two production facilities on Monday, May 4 in accordance with local, state and CDC health and safety guidelines. Since the end of March, we have instituted a series of changes to processes and procedures in our facilities to help optimize our associates’ health and safety. These include daily temperature checks, staggered start times, appropriate PPE, frequent hand washing, enhanced routine cleaning and re-engineered rooms, traffic flow and production processes for 6 foot social distancing. We paid all of our associates while production was suspended and are also providing a temporary increase in pay for those plant associates who chose to return to work.
Collectively, these actions will enable us to get back to business safely, service our retail customers, and bring sweetness to the lives of our loyal fans during this unprecedented time in our lives.
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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