Russell Stover Candies, Inc. is a supplier of candy, chocolate, and confections in the United States. They are headquartered in Kansas City, Missouri.
In 1923, Russell and Clara Stover began a candy business in their home in Denver, Colorado. The original candy, marketed as "Mrs. Stover's Bungalow Candies," changed about 20 years later to Russell Stover Candies. The Stovers established principles that were successful then and are still carefully followed today. The three principles of quality, service and value allow Russell Stover Candies to remain "Only the Finest."
For 37 years, the Stover family and their partners operated the company. Russell Stover Candies became well known for quality candy sold on a regional level. In 1969, the partnership dissolved and the company was purchased by Mr. Louis Ward. At that time, the company had 35 retail stores and more than 2,000 agencies selling its candies. The company has grown from a quality producer on a regional scale, to an international company, that has sales in all 50 states and Canada. We are the largest producer of fine boxed chocolates in the United States.
What has evolved after more than half a century is an instinctive pride among Russell Stover employees for manufacturing and selling a quality candy.
The candy company born in a bungalow candy shop now sells in over 45 company-owned retail shops throughout the United States and Canada, and at over 70,000 drug stores, card and gift shops, grocery stores, department stores and retail stores throughout all 50 states and over 20 countries around the world.
So what makes Russell Stover Candies the finest place to work? Our aggressive growth, our policy to promote from within, our commitment to create a diverse workforce of outstanding people or perhaps our mutual respect for our people, their families and communities. The answer can be summed up in three words: "Only the Finest." We accept only the finest in our people, processes and final products.
Since our founding in 1923, Russell Stover Candies has continued to attract the finest people who have made our company a leader in the industry for decades. Our people are energetic, communicative, team-oriented, caring and motivated.
Russell Stover Candies offers you a generous program of benefits that include:
Medical insurance
Dental/vision insurance
Life insurance
Short and long term disability insurance
401(k) plan with company match
Paid vacation
Generous discounts on our products
Russell Stover Candies, life really is a box of chocolates. It is the largest maker of boxed chocolates in the US. Boxed chocolates, such as the Whitman Sampler, are its, well, bread and butter. However, the company also sells bagged and individually wrapped hard candies and jellies. It offers sugar-free candy, including a sugarless version of Pangburn's Millionaires. Russell Stover's candies are sold by more than 70,000 retail outlets in all 50 US states and Puerto Rico, and in more than 20 other countries, including Canada and the UK. The company also operates some 40 Russell Stover Candies retail candy shops and kiosks in the US and Canada. Co-presidents and brothers, Tom and Scott Ward, own the company.
Ice cream years
The Russell Stover Candy Company did not start with candy. In 1921, Russell Stover and his partner, Iowa schoolteacher Christian Nelson, invented the world's first chocolate-dipped ice cream bar. At a dinner party Russell's wife Clara suggested calling it an Eskimo Pie. The product was a success for them, making them quite a fortune in their first year.[1]
Chocolate candies
However, as other companies soon began to release similar chocolate-dipped ice cream products, Russel Stover were nearly forced out of business. The Stovers sold their share of the company for $25,000 and moved to Denver, Colorado. In 1923, Russell and Clara created the new eponymous company from their home, packaging and selling boxed chocolates.
Expansion
Russell Stover remained in the Stover family until 1969 when it was purchased by Louis Ward who transformed the Midwest regional brand into a world-wide brand. It is still owned by the Ward family.
Russell Stover Candies is the nation’s leading manufacturer of boxed chocolates and the third largest American chocolate manufacturer, trailing only Hershey and Mars. The company’s three brands – Russell Stover, Whitman's and Pangburn's – account for more than 60 percent of all boxed chocolate sales in the United States.[2] Russell Stover candies are sold in nearly 40 company-owned retail stores (famed for their mirrored violet pigmented structural glass storefronts)[3] and through 70,000 wholesale accounts in more than 20 countries, including the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom. The company manufacturers nearly 100 million pounds of chocolate annually.
The most notable Russell Stover product is its heart-shaped box of chocolates, commonly found in stores around Valentine's Day.
Pros
Good place to apply for work if you can't find a job anywhere. Nice fringe benefit of all you can eat chocolate candy.
Cons
Low pay with hardly any if no chance of advancement. Ridiculous ownership that have no idea of what the real world is like for people who make less than $40,000 a year. An annual employee firing season from January to around March. Don't make long-term plans to work here and expect a good retirement fund. I've seen good people who have worked 20+ years get cut loose at a moments notice.
In 1923, Russell and Clara Stover began a candy business in their home in Denver, Colorado. The original candy, marketed as "Mrs. Stover's Bungalow Candies," changed about 20 years later to Russell Stover Candies. The Stovers established principles that were successful then and are still carefully followed today. The three principles of quality, service and value allow Russell Stover Candies to remain "Only the Finest."
For 37 years, the Stover family and their partners operated the company. Russell Stover Candies became well known for quality candy sold on a regional level. In 1969, the partnership dissolved and the company was purchased by Mr. Louis Ward. At that time, the company had 35 retail stores and more than 2,000 agencies selling its candies. The company has grown from a quality producer on a regional scale, to an international company, that has sales in all 50 states and Canada. We are the largest producer of fine boxed chocolates in the United States.
What has evolved after more than half a century is an instinctive pride among Russell Stover employees for manufacturing and selling a quality candy.
The candy company born in a bungalow candy shop now sells in over 45 company-owned retail shops throughout the United States and Canada, and at over 70,000 drug stores, card and gift shops, grocery stores, department stores and retail stores throughout all 50 states and over 20 countries around the world.
So what makes Russell Stover Candies the finest place to work? Our aggressive growth, our policy to promote from within, our commitment to create a diverse workforce of outstanding people or perhaps our mutual respect for our people, their families and communities. The answer can be summed up in three words: "Only the Finest." We accept only the finest in our people, processes and final products.
Since our founding in 1923, Russell Stover Candies has continued to attract the finest people who have made our company a leader in the industry for decades. Our people are energetic, communicative, team-oriented, caring and motivated.
Russell Stover Candies offers you a generous program of benefits that include:
Medical insurance
Dental/vision insurance
Life insurance
Short and long term disability insurance
401(k) plan with company match
Paid vacation
Generous discounts on our products
Russell Stover Candies, life really is a box of chocolates. It is the largest maker of boxed chocolates in the US. Boxed chocolates, such as the Whitman Sampler, are its, well, bread and butter. However, the company also sells bagged and individually wrapped hard candies and jellies. It offers sugar-free candy, including a sugarless version of Pangburn's Millionaires. Russell Stover's candies are sold by more than 70,000 retail outlets in all 50 US states and Puerto Rico, and in more than 20 other countries, including Canada and the UK. The company also operates some 40 Russell Stover Candies retail candy shops and kiosks in the US and Canada. Co-presidents and brothers, Tom and Scott Ward, own the company.
Ice cream years
The Russell Stover Candy Company did not start with candy. In 1921, Russell Stover and his partner, Iowa schoolteacher Christian Nelson, invented the world's first chocolate-dipped ice cream bar. At a dinner party Russell's wife Clara suggested calling it an Eskimo Pie. The product was a success for them, making them quite a fortune in their first year.[1]
Chocolate candies
However, as other companies soon began to release similar chocolate-dipped ice cream products, Russel Stover were nearly forced out of business. The Stovers sold their share of the company for $25,000 and moved to Denver, Colorado. In 1923, Russell and Clara created the new eponymous company from their home, packaging and selling boxed chocolates.
Expansion
Russell Stover remained in the Stover family until 1969 when it was purchased by Louis Ward who transformed the Midwest regional brand into a world-wide brand. It is still owned by the Ward family.
Russell Stover Candies is the nation’s leading manufacturer of boxed chocolates and the third largest American chocolate manufacturer, trailing only Hershey and Mars. The company’s three brands – Russell Stover, Whitman's and Pangburn's – account for more than 60 percent of all boxed chocolate sales in the United States.[2] Russell Stover candies are sold in nearly 40 company-owned retail stores (famed for their mirrored violet pigmented structural glass storefronts)[3] and through 70,000 wholesale accounts in more than 20 countries, including the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom. The company manufacturers nearly 100 million pounds of chocolate annually.
The most notable Russell Stover product is its heart-shaped box of chocolates, commonly found in stores around Valentine's Day.
Pros
Good place to apply for work if you can't find a job anywhere. Nice fringe benefit of all you can eat chocolate candy.
Cons
Low pay with hardly any if no chance of advancement. Ridiculous ownership that have no idea of what the real world is like for people who make less than $40,000 a year. An annual employee firing season from January to around March. Don't make long-term plans to work here and expect a good retirement fund. I've seen good people who have worked 20+ years get cut loose at a moments notice.