Peeping Rest: US Candy Pioneer Bob Bourne Dies at 98 | Food

Bob Bourne, who turned Pepys candy into an American phenomenon, has died. he was 98 years old.

Freshly made high quality sweets announced Bourne died on January 29, 100 years after his father, Sam Bourne. started company in New York before moving to Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.

Peeps are marshmallow-based, yellow, blue, and pink chick-shaped treats that are very popular with American children, especially at Easter.

Not everyone is convinced of its merits. for the guardianwriter Brian Moylan once labeled Pepys “gooey and sticky, like chewing on a really soft pencil eraser”, “almost inedible”, and “gross!”.

However, Peeps has proven to be very advantageous. 5.5m Produced daily in the United States, approximately 2 billion units are produced annually. Best sales are recorded in the spring when the sticky chick enters his baskets at Easter across the United States.

Bob Vaughn served in the U.S. Navy in World War II and then led his family business for over 30 years.

He was instrumental in the process of achieving mass production of Peeps.

In 2003, he told the Associated Press that he struggled to figure out how the marshmallows could be molded into Peeps’ signature chick-like shape.

“We made so many samples,” he said. So I had to try again. ”

But he mastered the process, designed a machine that the company said “became the foundation of the current marshmallow deposition system,” and Peeps ruled America. In 2019, in gratitude, Bethlehem made his February 15th an annual celebration of Bob’s birthday.

Just Born makes popular candies such as Mike and Ike, Peanut Chews, Just Born Jellybeans and Hot Tamales.

Announcing Bourne’s passing, David Shaffer, Chairman of the Board and Co-CEO of Just Bourne, said: Said: “Bob will be remembered as a tireless and passionate advocate for the candy industry and a great supporter of our community.”