Dive Brief:
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Bazooka Brands has recently unveiled a new manufacturing facility for Ring Pops, capable of producing 1.5 million candies per day.
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The new 120,000 square foot plant in Moosic, Pennsylvania, is four times larger than its predecessor and represents a multimillion-dollar investment to meet the increasing demand for Ring Pops.
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This new facility replaces the original Ring Pop factory in Scranton, Pennsylvania, which closed last year due to structural issues.
Dive Insight:
Tony Jacobs, CEO of Bazooka, expressed his surprise at the quick turnaround in getting the supply chain back on track after the closure of the previous factory. Thanks to the hard work of the employees, a new location was secured within weeks.
The funding for the new facility came from private equity firm Apax Partners, who acquired Bazooka in 2023. The company’s sales are expected to exceed $100 million in 2025.
Ring Pops, first introduced in 1979, have remained popular over the years, with Bazooka leveraging nostalgia to appeal to consumers. Other candy makers are also investing in their facilities to meet the growing demand for sweets.
The candy market in the U.S. is projected to reach $22.9 billion by 2030, with a steady growth rate of 4.9% annually.