Barton's Candy Corporation Explained

Barton's Candy Corporation,[1] was a Chocolatier and candy company founded in 1940 by Stephen Klein[2] and his five[3] brothers a year after they arrived in the United States from Austria. Its original name was Barton's Bonbonnieres, and as of 1960 operated 3,000 stores across America.[1] [4]

Few of their stores were in "specifically Jewish neighborhoods." All of their stores were closed on Saturday (Shomer Shabbos).[5] In 1981[6] a controlling share of Barton's was acquired by another firm.[7]

In 2011, the entire company was purchased by Bazzini, an 1886-founded nut, fruit and chocolate company;[8] a 2022 Jerusalem Post item wrote of "the now gone Barton's confectioners."[9] [10]

Centuries

The Jewish Chronicle newspaper wrote about Barton's in 2021 and added that "Jewish entrepreneurs had been involved in the chocolate trade for centuries."[11] Klein's family developed some of its expertise in an Austrian company named Altmann & Kühne,[12] much of which relocated from pre-World War II Europe to the United States.[13] By 1952 they had seven stores in Detroit.[5]

Part of the company's 1950s and 1960s[14] growth[15] was due to competitions in Jewish schools among classes, competing for prizes for selling the most Barton's products.[16] "Generations of Jewish children sold Barton's candies as fundraisers," which was in part fueled by Klein's involvement with "philanthropic activities ... promoting Orthodox Jewish education."[1]

It also helped that Barton's refused to water down the "mouth feel of chocolate" even as other companies were incorporating the use of synthetic ingredients in their products.[17]

Promotional Book of Esther scroll

A cylinder containing a 4.5 inch scroll 1953-copyrighted Megillas Esther was distributed "throughout the 1950s and 60s with the same copyright date" with the container saying:

Recall

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) praised the company's quick reaction in recalling about 4,000 two pound tins of fruitcakes when "a few samples" were found to have a problem; "most Barton's fruitcakes on the market were not contaminated."[19]

Kashrut

While all Barton's products are kosher,[20] not all of them are kosher for passover: some of them have flour ingredients.[21] The Orthodox Union certification covers chocolate and candy items that are Pareve and dairy chocolate; they also supervise kosher-for-passover offerings.[22] [23] A 2-part article noted that"even its Easter chocolates were kosher for Passover."[24]

The Atlantic magazine wrote in 2009 that Barton's initially "rejected OU certification"but yielded when faced with competition from Barricini.[25]

Corporation

Former 2-term Congressman Herbert Tenzer was instrumental in helping the former Barton's Bonbonnieres expand,[5] and served as chairman of the board of directors for two decades.[26] [27] Founder Stephen Klein's son George Klein became President/CEO in 1972.[28]

The company founders' real estate interests and community involvement led to the company's pair of large buildings benefitting the City of New York's attempts[29] to "emancipate Brooklyn from its commercial bondage to Manhattan."[30] [31] [32] [33]

Notes and References

  1. News: The New York Times. Stephan Klein, at 71; Helped Start Barton's, The Candy Company . December 18, 1978. October 30, 2022.
  2. Web site: JTA.org (Jewish Telegraphic Agency). Stephen Klein Dead at 71 . was buried today in Israel.. December 19, 1978 . November 2, 2022.
  3. News: . Martin Klein Dead; A Barton's Founder . February 26, 1973 . October 30, 2022.
  4. Book: Szogyi, Alex . Chocolate: Food for the Gods. limited . Greenwood Press. December 30, 1997 . 0-313-30506-4 . 193].
  5. Commentary Magazine. From the American Scene: Orthodox Sweets for Heterodox New York. Morris Freedman . March 1952 . October 31, 2022.
  6. News: . Condos Plus. Shawn G. Kennedy . June 9, 1985 . October 30, 2022.
  7. News: . Barton's Candy . May 6, 1981 . October 30, 2022.
  8. News: . New Law Forces Bazzini Nuts to PA – Bronx Times . Weisbrod . Bill . August 15, 2021 . en-US . August 15, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210815221128/https://www.bxtimes.com/new-law-forces-bazzini-nuts-to-pa . live.
  9. News: The Jerusalem Post. A defense of a kitniyot-free Passover. the now gone Barton’s confectioners (distributors of the 'Passover chocolate of choice').. Barry Newman . April 2, 2022 . November 2, 2022.
  10. News: . The Story Of An Iconic Store . 1970s and 80s .. Many businesses from these decades, .. Barton’s .. no longer exist. . Avigayil Perry . August 25, 2022 . November 2, 2022.
  11. News: . Chocolate guilt, chocolate Gelt . Michael Leventhal . November 26, 2021 . October 30, 2022.
  12. News: . Kuhne, Hotel, Store and Apartment Properties . December 3, 1939.
  13. News: The New York Times. Altmann & Kuhne Open Novel Candy Store Here . December 12, 1939.
  14. News: . Barton's Candy Studying Shift Of Stores to a Franchise Basis. April 17, 1962 . October 30, 2022.
  15. News: . Barton's Sweetens Downtown Plan . David C. Berliner . January 7, 1973 . October 30, 2022.
  16. Web site: JTA.org (Jewish Telegraphic Agency). Heckled By An Old Jewish Lady. as a kid, I sold Barton’s Candy door-to-door .. to raise money for my Jewish day school. Joel Chasnoff . October 1, 2013 . November 1, 2022.
  17. News: . Beating the High Cost of Cocoa Beans. Nadine Brozan . July 22, 1974 . October 30, 2022.
  18. News: The Jewish Press. A Vintage Matzah Box & A Barton's Megillah. Tsadik Kaplan . Herman Lurie . August 12, 2022 . November 1, 2022.
  19. News: . Fruitcakes Are Recalled Because a Few Are Unfit. December 23, 1971 . October 30, 2022.
  20. News: . Calling It Kosher: How to and Why . Leonard Sloane . May 18, 1975 . November 2, 2022.
  21. News: The New York Times. Metropolitan Briefs . bags of flour used by the company. March 13, 1976 . November 2, 2022.
  22. Web site: PUBLICATIONS THE OU-P WHAT'S NEW FOR '03?.
  23. Web site: JTA.org (Jewish Telegraphic Agency). Go on, treat your Passover seder host. Here's how.. Lisa Keys . April 17, 2016 . November 1, 2022.
  24. . A Seder Different From All Other Seders . Jeffrey Yoskowitz . April 8, 2009 . November 2, 2022.
  25. Atlantic magazine. The Kosher Chocolate Wars. Jeffrey Yoskowitz . April 15, 2009 . November 2, 2022.
  26. News: . Herbert Tenzer, Ex-Congressman And Philanthropist, Is Dead at 87 . Wolfgang Saxon . March 25, 1993 . October 31, 2022.
  27. By 1964, "Former" Chairman: News: The New York Times. Businessman Seeks to Upset Aide to Carlino in 5th . former board chairman of Barton's Candy Corporation. Clarence Dean . October 12, 1964 . November 2, 2022.
  28. News: . Executive changes . February 23, 1972 . November 2, 2022.
  29. News: . Brooklyn Renewal Slowly Advances . Robert E. Tomasson . June 17, 1973 . November 2, 2022.
  30. News: The New York Times. Mall Stands Alone in Brooklyn 'Renaissance'. Frank J. Prial . April 9, 1982 . November 2, 2022.
  31. News: . Brooklyn Renewal: Urban Cinderella? . George and Stephen Klein ... The Kleins .. to develop the remaining corners of Fulton and Flatbush . Steven R. Weisman . April 25, 1971 . November 2, 2022.
  32. News: The New York Times. For Brooklyn Industry, a Mixed Report . But I happen to think it is going to work.. David E. Shipler . April 9, 1972 . November 2, 2022.
  33. News: . Renewal Project Nears Approval . July 16, 1970.

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