Zingermanās Candy Manufactory is a member of the Zingermanās Community of Businesses. Although weāve been making candy at Zingermanās for several years, the Candy Manufactory became a reality in September of 2009. Whoopee! Thatās right, this is a candy business, and candy is fun!
How did we get started? Why candy bars? I arrived at Zingermanās Bakehouse in 2001 and had the hope that one day Iād start a Zingermanās business of my own. A year into my position as the manager of the pastry department I came up with a visionācandy bars, delicious candy bars! I’ve always loved candy. As a child I spent 50 cents a week on candy (change from my piano lessons) when I walked home from my teacher’s house. I still have vivid memories of carefully choosing the penny candies making sure I had just the right combination to enjoy until my next lesson.
After studying at the Culinary Institute of America and working as a pastry chef in many kitchens, I also recognized that I love working with sugarāthe basis of candy. Following the Zingermanās tradition of forming businesses based on personal passions, I started the work to create Zingermanās Candy Manufactory. Seven years later (yes, I’m a careful and patient man), my vision has finally become a reality. Yahoo!
Right now weāre making five candy bars; Zzang!Ā®, Ca$hew Cowā¢, Wowzaā¢, Peanut Butter Crushā¢, and What the Fudge?Ā®. Our bars are available in Zingermanās stores and all over the country.Ā Be a part of the continuing story of the Zzang! bars and Zingermanās Candy Manufactory. Contact us with the flavors and names youād like to enjoy. Enough reading, letās eat some candy!
Charlie Frank
Founder and Head Candy Maker
Press
Candy Craze, October/Nov 2014
Zingerman's Candy Manufactory managing Partner and Candy Man Charlie Frank was featured on the Food Network special "Candy Craze" hosted by Jeff Mauro ("The Sandwich King"). Charlie and Jeff cooked up a batch of our category-redefining and award winning peanut brittle and also our incredibly delicious and popular Halloween candy, Milk Chocolatey Karamel Krunch.
Oās (O, the Oprah Magazine) Circle of Friends, September 2014
Zingermanās Candy makes the O List! Slide #9, with the amazing Zingermanās Peanut Brittle.
Specialty Food Association, July 2014
Our peanut brittle was named a sofiā¢ Awards Finalist in the Confection Category. sofi Award Finalists represent the best of the best in specialty food and beverages. āsofiā stands for specialty outstanding food innovation.
Gourmet Retailer, April 2014
Plum Marketās airport store will open at McNamara Terminal at Metro. Among their offerings will be tasty comestibles from Zingermanās Coffee Company, Zingermanās Bakehouse, Zingermanās Creamery, and Zingermanās Candy Manufactory.
Concentrate, March 2014
Oscar nominees get taste of Zingermanās Zzang! candy bars
Zingermanās Candy Manufactory got their Original Zzang bar into the swag bags āoā gifts given to a bunch of high-level Oscars guests.
MLive, February 2014
Wild Swan hosts their annual āChocolate Crashā fundraiser, featuring Zingermanās Candy Manufactory, Mindo Chocolate makers, and Babsā Underground Lounge, among others. As the tagline says, āCharity Never Tasted So Good.ā
The Wife blog, January 2014
THE WIFE Guide: Valentineās Day Treats
Zingermanās Candy gets a shout out. From the comments: āFRESH taste of Zingermanās candy always gets raves. The bars, the brittleā¦ all so yummy I canāt pick a favorite. ā
Michigan Daily, December 2013
Nate Wood: Finding the hidden holiday treats of Ann Arbor
The awesome peanut brittle from Zingermanās Candy Manufactory gets a shout out in the student broadside.
"They [Zzang! bars] remind me of the 1930s bars that were hand-made, slab style with candy love. Although I never tasted a bar from that era, this is what I believe they would be."
—Beth Kimmerle, author of The History of Candy
