The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1917-06-08
FACTS ABOUT SWEET TOOTH.
Americans Are Far From EXtravagant
in Consumption of Factory Made
Candy at Least.

New York Sun: Americans have been
called extravagant, yet a recently issued
commerce report shows
them to be far from extravagant, at
least in the consumption of candy. The
statistics for the last year show that
the per capita consumption of confec-
tionery products was only $3.50. This,
though, without estimating the amount
of home made candy consumed, for
which no statistics are available.
That figure is little enough, but even
that is much greater than the per
capita consumption sixty-five years ago.
Then 1t was but 13 cents, though most
likely the use Of home made candy was
much greater than it is now. Sixty-five
years ago less than 400 establishments
were needed to supply the American de-
mand for factory made sweets. Their
aggregate capital was little more than
81 100000, the value of their products
not much over 100000.
Today, assuming that the industry
has maintained during the last two
years the same rate of growth as in the
five-year period 19O9-14, the industry
embraces over, $500 establishments,
represents the Investment Of $11OOOO,-
600 capital and turns out confections of
various sorts having a total value Of
$lS5 ,OOO,0 900.
On the basis of population OF 1922
100000 this means a net expenditure of
$3.50 a year for every man, woman and
child in continental United States
These figures are perhaps little too
large, for no account is taken Of the
amount of candy exported. In the fiscal
year ended June 30, 1914, before wal
upset trade conditions the exports OF
| this product were almost five times the
/ imports.
Between $175 100000 and s200000,0O(
worth of factory made confectionery II
addition to the vast amounts Of cocoa
and chocolate other than confectionery
that were consumed and to the hom'
production Of taffy, fudge and othel
bonbons, was produced in the UniteC
States last year TO satisfy the Amer
ican demand for sweets.
The figures i'm the report reveal al
increase Of 524 per cent in the numbe
Of establishments from 1849 TO 1914, on
Of 1886 per cent in the average nun
Der of wage earners, 9,312 per cent il
the capital invested, 4579 per cent II
wages, 5,S71 per cent in the cost O
materials, and one OF 5.519 per cent +
the value Of the products.
In the census returns the classific;
. tlon OF confectionery covers the mani
facture Of all kinds Of candy and cor
, fections cake ornaments, popcorn ball
for cake, chewing gum, salted nut
stuffed dates, etc, but not the operi
tions Of establishments making pr
, marfly chocolate. cocoa and simila
. products. which are classified under III
3 census designation of chocolate an
! cocoa products.
q Unlike American consumers Of 9th,
, lproducts, the candy eater much prefer
!. fhis own American made candy TO Il
confections Of other lands. Imports
foreign confectionery have never bee
y large. and with few exceptions hay
! been overshadowed by the exports.
!. The small amount that is import,
4 came from many different countrie
4 including Austria-Hungary. Finlan
Q France, Germany. Italy, the Nethe
/. lands, Russia, Spain, Switzerland, Unit
[ Kingdom, Canada, Mexico. Cuba. Chin
d Hongkong, Japan and Turkey In Asi
q American manufacturers export can,
e to almost every nation in the world.