March 09, 2023
Amit Lahav/Unsplash
Bethlehem-based candy company Just Born will not be making jelly beans this Easter season.
The Easter season may taste a bit different this year, as a local candymaker won't be making some of its popular sweets.
Just Born, the Bethlehem-based company that also produces Peeps marshmallows, will not be making its jelly beans — which come in original fruit, spice and licorice flavors — this spring.
"Please note, our jelly beans are not being sold for the 2023 Easter season," reads a note on the Just Born website.
Along with Peeps, the Lehigh Valley confectioner also makes Mike and Ike, Hot Tamale and Goldenberg's Peanut Chews.
The halt is due to an unprecedented demand for some of these other treats — specifically Mike and Ike and Hot Tamale candies — according to the company's customer service department.
“We’re sorry for any disappointment this may cause to our loyal fans, but please know that we are making every effort to ensure that our jelly beans will be back on shelves in the future,” Just Born customer service said in an email to PennLive.
Just Born was established 100 years ago, and relocated from New York City to Bethlehem in 1932. They acquired Lancaster-based Rodda Candy Company in 1953, which led to the creation of Peeps as well as the company's Teenee Beanee gourmet jelly beans, which launched in 1977.
This isn't the first time candy production has been halted at Just Born. The company had to temporarily suspend operations at its Bethlehem and Philadelphia facilities in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
All hope is not lost for die-hard Just Born jelly bean fans who'd rather not turn to Jelly Belly or Brach's. While new Just Born jelly beans won't roll out this year, some lucky customers have spied stray bags in grocery stores across the region. There are also some multi-packs still available to purchase online on Amazon and Walmart.
In the meantime, there's always Just Born's latest collaboration: Peeps marshmallow-flavored soda.
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