Two Just Born Brands Celebrate Sweet Milestones

BETHLEHEM, Pa., March 3, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Two Just Born Quality Confections brands are celebrating momentous milestones in 2015. MIKE AND IKE^® is celebrating 75 years of fruit flavored fun, while HOT TAMALES^® marks 65 years of firing up fans with cinnamon-flavored heat. The iconic brands continue to be two of America's most enduring candies.

To honor these special occasions, both MIKE AND IKE^® and HOT TAMALES^® products will appear on shelves in vintage packaging – a throwback to when each brand was born. The brands will also celebrate their anniversaries with new product innovations, partnerships, and other announcements throughout the year.

The MIKE AND IKE^® Brand was founded in 1940 with the original variety consisting of Cherry, Orange, Lemon and Lime flavors – the Strawberry flavor found in the current Original Fruits mix was added in 2004. Over the course of the MIKE AND IKE® Brand's history, close to 40 varieties of the chewy fruit candy have been produced (the most popular collections of flavors include Original Fruits, TROPICAL TYPHOON®, BERRY BLAST® and ZOURS®).The MIKE AND IKE^® Brand has been a proud supporter of the Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation for Childhood Cancer since 2008, donating a portion of the sales of its limited edition MIKE AND IKE^® LEMONADE BLENDS^® variety to the charity.

HOT TAMALES^® were introduced in 1950 to meet the demands of customers with spicier taste palettes. HOT TAMALES^® is the No. 1 cinnamon candy brand in the U.S.[1], and continues to delight the taste buds of adoring fans with flavor varieties such as HOT TAMALES^® 3 ALARM, representing varying degrees of heat. A unique departure from cinnamon flavored candy, the new HOT TAMALES^® TROPICAL HEAT™ variety is a spicy tropical fruit flavored variety mix that delivers a burst of sweet heat with every fruity bite.

"We are proud to celebrate the anniversaries of MIKE AND IKE^® and HOT TAMALES^®, which underscore our rich candy heritage and ongoing commitment to providing great tasting treats for consumers," said Brian Bachrach, Marketing Director for MIKE AND IKE^® and HOT TAMALES^®. "We're excited that the enthusiasm for these brands continues to grow, and that new generations of fans experience the great flavors and unique experiences that only MIKE AND IKE^® and HOT TAMALES^® can deliver."

Both MIKE AND IKE^® and HOT TAMALES^® retro varieties are available in 5 ounce boxes with a suggested retail price of $1.00-$1.39. The MIKE AND IKE^® and HOT TAMALES^® Brands continue to lead dollar share in the non-chocolate theater box category, as the number one and number two products, respectively[2], but are available in many different pack types.

For more information on each brand and their retro products, please visit www.mikeandike.com and www.hottamalescom.  

About Just Born Quality Confections
Just Born Quality Confections is a privately owned company founded in 1923 and headquartered in Bethlehem, PA, where it manufactures PEEPS^®, HOT TAMALES^® and MIKE AND IKE^® Brand candies. GOLDENBERG'S^® PEANUT CHEWS^® Brand candies are produced in Philadelphia, PA. All Just Born candies are made in the U.S.A. 

[1] SOURCE: IRI Market Advantage, Total US MULO, 52 Weeks Ending 01/25/2015
[2] SOURCE: IRI Market Advantage, Mulo+C-Store; Non-Seasonal; 4 Weeks Ending 01/25/2015

Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150302/178880
Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150302/178879

SOURCE Just Born Quality Confections