Evening star., 1933-04-02
PRODUCTION
SHOWS DECREASE
Shipments of Easter Wares
Are Smaller Than Those
of Last Year.
Special Dispe tch to The Star.

special DlSpet ten to The Star,
NEW YORK. April American
candy manufacturers-some 500 estab-
lishments whose business is not con-
fined to their immediate trade areas
today are preparing late shipments of
their Easter wares.
Easter, always one of the peaks in
the candy calendar, will not provide
either the poundage or the dollar vol
ume OF the same season a year ago.
This explains why manufacturers cur
tailed their purchases of such raw ma
terlals as corn sirup, sugar, chocolate,
essential oils. fiavors, nuts and pectin.
Lessened production for Easter was
forecast in Government tax receipts
2 per cent on total turnovers-which in
January, the start of the Easter manu-
featuring season, amounted TO $4,000
and in February to $3.50 Although
March tax receipts are not vet avail
able, the trade believes they will not
equal February receipts and that total
retail business for the year will be well
below S240, 900 900. the wholesale value
OF candy manufactures in bygone years.
Cautious Buying.
The cautious purchasing by retailers
Is explained by a less generous attitude
to returns. Retailers, like wholesalers
and jobbers, are trying to cut losses on
carryover stocks. Then, too, there has
been an increase in home candy max
ing. one of the phases of the depression.
One of the makers of Easter egg
flavors said today that manufacturers
had purchased less this year than In
1929, but from other sources he had
learned that flavoring demand on the
part of home candy makers increased.
The latter trade is largely confined to
Germans, being centered especially In
Pennsylvania and Maryland. where
10 pounds are not unusual. These eggs
are sliced of, just like ham, on the
festive day.
Vanilla, as usual, was the favorite
flavoring for this purpose, though COCO
nut, Roman punch-to produce frozen
pudding, fruit and nut centers- eggnog,
pistachio and other standard items were
In demand earlier by candy manufac-
turers.
The various essential oils, like anise,
lemon, orange, cassia, peppermint and
lines, were purchased only in mod
crate quantities, despite the furry early
In March as a result of the gyrations
in foreign exchange and the consequent
temporary mark-up Of imported prod
ucts.
Quality Is Stressed.
Candy manufacturers today are
stressing quality, so 1t Is natural that
the various types OF creams manufac-
tured sugars and similar ingredients are
much better than a year ago. Leaders
in the trade SHOW no disposition to in
troduce novelties. Rather they are cut
ting lines and items. Many OF them
continue to increase the size Of their
product rather than the quality.
Curtailment in candy production nat
products at low level. From 1920 to
1929 there were two significant trends
in candy machinery-toward higher
speed and greater efficiency in single
purpose machine and marked improve
ment in the adjustable machine. Now
edays candy makers buy only the ad
Unstable type, so If a product Is dropped
the machinery can be utilized elsewhere.
Price cutting, lack of cooperation
poverty of new goods, poor selling and
and other factors are re-
sponsible for candy poundage today be-
ing rs per cent less than in 1929. But
children still don't choose spinach be-
fore sweets. Lovers still quarrel-and
make up. There's lot more romance
to Dummies, Easter eggs and the like
than their mere ingredients. but trade
advertising does not so indicate.
Cincinnati at present Is the focal spot
of the candy trade. because that CEN
ter Is conducting three-month survey
of jobbing costs, with the aid of John
Bromell of the Department of Com
merce, assisted by committee Of the
Confectioners' Jobbing Survey, OF which
Malcolm Mcdonnell Of Cincinnati IS
chairman.
(Copyrieht, 1880