Gardners Candies expands into airport markets
The markets are located in 11 major U.S. and Canadian CIBO Express locations.
Courtesy of Gardners Candies
Sweet treats from Pennsylvania chocolatier Gardners Candies are now available to travelers at CIBO Express Gourmet Markets in 11 major U.S. and Canadian airports. The new retail locations are part of Gardners’ strategy to become a national brand.
CIBO Express operates more than 100 airport locations, offering on-the-go food items and travel necessities. This month it began selling Gardners’ Original Peanut Butter Meltaway Bars, S’mores, and O’s, which are Oreo cookies covered with milk chocolate.
The candies can be found at these locations:
- Chicago O’Hare International Airport
- Denver International Airport
- George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston
- John F. Kennedy Airport in New York
- LaGuardia Airport in New York
- Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport
- Newark Liberty International Airport
- Orlando International Airport
- Philadelphia International Airport
- Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport
- Toronto Pearson International Airport
Mid Atlantic Foods Brokers, a division of Wilshe Enterprises, is responsible for the new distribution deal. Last fall it reached agreements with Little General, Kwik Fill, and Seasons Corner Market to carry Gardners Candies. It also secured an agreement for Gardners’ products to be distributed by b.a. Sweetie Candy Company. The Cleveland, OH-based wholesale distributor operates the nation’s largest retail candy store and now features Gardners products on its shelves.
Also last fall, Mountain/Service Distributors began making Gardners’ products available to its more than 1,000 convenience and travel stores in the Northeast. In addition, Gardners products are sold by retailers including Sheetz, Giant Eagle, GetGo, Giant Food Stores, and CVS. Sales in those outlets surged by more than 7% last year.
“In less than a year, we’ve added more than 550 locations to our convenience store footprint,” says Jim Westover, Gardners’ chief operating officer. “We’re equally as enthusiastic about the brand’s potential to expand in the supermarket space, which is a strategic target.”
Related: Gardners Candies releases Peanut Butter Meltaway Grahams
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