Since 1913, Ford Gum has been an independent Akron, New York, confectionery maker with deep roots in Western New York. It is best known for Big League Chew, the shredded bubble gum invented by former minor-league pitcher Rob Nelson, and it also co-manufactures gum for American brands. The company has supplied functional gum for U.S. military MREs for more than two decades.
New York State Food License
Registration
Kosher Certified
Safe Quality Foods (SQF) Level 2
Bazooka BrandsFounded in Brooklyn in 1938 as the family-owned Topps Chewing Gum Company, Bazooka Brands now makes and markets interactive candy and gum, including the iconic Bazooka Bubble Gum, Ring Pop and Juicy Drop. Its signature idea is “Edible Entertainment”: treats designed to be played with as well as eaten, from wearable lollipops to candy in playful containers. Apax Partners-advised funds acquired the company in 2023, and its brands continue to build on a history that includes the 1947 launch of Bazooka Bubble Gum and the 1977 debut of Ring Pop.NEW YORK, NY
Frankford CandyFounded in Philadelphia in 1947 by Sam Himmelstein, Frankford Candy is a fourth-generation, family-owned U.S. confectionery company that makes seasonal and everyday candy and gifts. It began with hand-filled candy molds and became known for its hollow chocolate Easter bunnies; the company later pioneered licensed confections and is now the #1 marketer of licensed confectionery in the United States, according to its site.PHILADELPHIA, PA
Roses BrandsRoses Brands makes artisanal confections and related food products from its headquarters in New York’s Mohawk River Valley. Its roots reach back more than 140 years, including Thomas D. Richardson’s 1893 pillow-soft sugar mints and the Dryden & Palmer rock-candy tradition, while the company today is also associated with products such as gourmet mints, rock candy, and GravyMaster sauce. Roses Brands carries those old candy-making traditions into contemporary offerings, including licensed Dad’s® Root Beer Barrels.CANAJOHARIE, NY
C. Howard Company IncBorn in a small Broadway loft in the early 1930s, C. Howard Company Inc. makes the distinctive violet mints and scented gum that gave Choward’s its New York identity. Founded by Charles Howard, the company still manufactures his original line, including the classic Violet confection, and now sells it across the United States and around the world. Michael Pratz and Ian Kessler lead the company today.NEW YORK, NY