Ingram's May 2024

Russell Stover: It Doesn’t Get Any Sweeter Than This

It was a classic display of 20th-century entrepreneurship when Clara and Russell Stover began mak ing candy in the kitchen of their Den ver bungalow just over 100 years ago. And with those first batches of Mrs. Stover’s Bungalow Candies, a proud history of making delicious chocolate confections took root. the value of producing Russell Stover chocolates with the same at tention to quality and innovativeness Clara did when she was hand-craft ing her original recipes in small Over that span, we’ve learned

batches. For decades, our boxed chocolates have been part of Ameri ca’s family traditions and gift-giving, whether they’re marking the holi days, milestone life celebrations, or simply as every-day indulgences. It didn’t take long for Russell Stover treats to resonate throughout the Midwest. Just a year after those first batches were produced, the Stovers had five stores in Denver, and had expanded to Kansas City, Missouri, as well as Lincoln and Omaha in Nebraska, and as far east as St. Louis, Missouri. In 1928, with their business ex panding rapidly, the Stovers opened their first factory in Kansas City. By 1932, they decided it made perfect business sense to relocate all oper ations here. This has been our home ever since. We officially became Russell Sto ver Candies in 1943 and continued our growth right through 1960, when one of our packaging vendors, Louis Ward, bought controlling interest in the com pany. After adding the Whitman’s and

Today, three production facilities in Kansas and Texas produce hun dreds of Russell Stover chocolates varieties available in our 13 Russell Stover shops and hundreds of retail outlets across the nation. Over time, some things have changed; we now produce Amer ica’s favorite sugar-free candies, we offer unique assortments and selections to match consumer tastes, and we have extended our reach with award-winning online shopping services. What hasn’t changed? The same commitment to quality that Clara and Russell poured into their very first batch of hand-made treats just over a century ago. Just as they did, we still blend delicious ingredients before finishing with a coating of mouthwatering chocolate. Our promise to you is that their commitment, entrusted to us today, will always be our guiding principle. l

Address: 4900 Oak St., Kansas City, MO 64112

Phone: 816.842.9240

Website: www.russellstover.com

Product or Service: Confection manufacturing

Pangburn brands to our family of products, we became part of a global confections brand in 2014 when Swiss-based Lindt & Sprüngli acquired Russell Stover from the Ward family.

No. of Employees: 2,300

Head of Company: Niccolo Starace, President and CEO

Year Founded: 1923

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