News

Clinton Twp, Mich., March 11, 2020 – The health and safety of our customers, colleagues and communities is our utmost priority. In response to the continued spread of COVID-19, Sanders Candy announced that it will temporarily close all its owned retail stores effective immediately through at least March 31, 2020.

Sanders will continue to operate and serve customers through its website, sanderscandy.com. We know many customers celebrate Easter with Sanders confections and may do so with friends and family from a distance this year. In order to best support our customers, we’ve reduced Free Shipping minimums on orders placed through Easter.

We will continue to work within government provided guidelines to assess when we will reopen our stores and safely bring our colleagues back to work. Please visit sanderscandy.com to place online orders and find the latest updates on our store closures.

Clinton Twp, Mich., March 11, 2020 – Sanders values the health and wellness of all our employees and customers. In light of ongoing news regarding the Coronavirus (COVID-19), we want to communicate that we are taking proactive precautions to ensure the safety of our stakeholders and products.

Sanders operates under a very stringent Food Safety/Quality System and FDA surveillance. Although at this time, the FDA does not have evidence that COVID-19 can be transmitted by food or food packaging, we have elevated awareness among the factory personnel on Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP’s) and hygiene practices as preventive measures. We are also educating team members on the Covid-19 Virus and sharing information as it becomes available from Center for Disease Control. Currently, Sanders has not experienced any supply issues with raw materials for our products nor has our labor force been affected. We will continue to provide updated information as it becomes available.

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Snacking Detroit: Beloved Local Brands Kar’s Nuts and Sanders Merge

Madison Heights, Mich., October 24, 2018 – KNPC Holdco, LLC (“Kar’s Nuts”), a leading manufacturer of nut and trail mix snacks sold under the Kar’s® and Second Nature® brands, announced today the completion of its merger with Morley Candy Makers, LLC (“Sanders”), a maker of premium confectionary products sold under the Sanders Fine Chocolatiers® brand.

The merger brings together two iconic brands with deep roots in the Detroit area. Kar’s Nuts was founded in Detroit in 1933 by Sue Kar, who roasted peanuts in her home to sell outside nearby Navin Field, which later became Tiger Stadium. Similarly, Sanders was founded in 1875 when Fred Sanders Schmidt opened his first Sanders candy shop in Detroit.

The combination of Kar’s Nuts and Sanders creates a leading platform within the snacking industry, offering a range of premium trail mix, nuts and confectionary products across three brands. The merger will provide Sanders with expanded national distribution opportunities and offer Kar’s Nuts additional production and product innovation capabilities. Sanders will operate as its own division within the combined company, and the workforces of both companies will remain in place.

Sanders CEO Brian Jefferson said, “As we explored strategic opportunities for Sanders®, it was critical to identify a partner who truly understood and valued our brand and our employees. We are extremely excited about this merger as we feel confident that it will preserve cherished Sanders products, bring a new level of creativity to our offerings that is sure to delight customers, and continue to take care of our employees.”

Kar’s Nuts’ acquisition of Sanders represents its first acquisition following the investment in Kar’s Nuts in March 2017 by an affiliate of Palladium Equity Partners, LLC (along with its affiliates, “Palladium”), a middle market private equity firm with approximately $2.7 billion in assets under management. Palladium and other Kar’s Nuts equity holders made follow-on investments to support the acquisition and the future growth of the combined company.

“Sanders is a successful company with a legacy of customer loyalty and quality products. As we consistently evaluate growth opportunities, this merger is ideal for Kar’s Nuts as we expand our reach in the snacking industry,” commented Kar’s Nuts President Nick Nicolay. “We look forward to the Sanders family joining the Kar’s Nuts family and continuing to offer products that consumers across the country appreciate and enjoy.”

Nick Nicolay will serve as CEO of the combined company which will be headquartered in Madison Heights, Michigan. Brian Jefferson will remain in place through the transition with plans to retire once the two companies are fully integrated.

KPMG Corporate Finance LLC served as financial advisor to Sanders on the transaction. Giarmarco, Mullins & Horton, P.C. served as Sanders’ legal advisor. Jaffe Raitt Heuer & Weiss, P.C. served as legal advisor to Kar’s Nuts.

About Kar’s Nuts
Kar’s Nuts has been changing the way people snack for nearly a century. Since it was founded by Sue Kar in 1933 who sold home-roasted peanuts outside Tiger Stadium in Detroit, the company’s brands, Kar’s® and Second Nature®, have become two of the best-selling trail mix brands in the country including the #1 selling Kar’s Sweet ‘n Salty Mix. The products are available nearly anywhere snacks are sold across the United States. Visit www.karsnuts.com or follow the company on Facebook or Twitter at @KarsNuts.

About Sanders
Sanders was founded in 1875 when Fred Sanders Schmidt opened his first Sanders candy shop in Detroit. Today, Sanders has grown into a nationally recognized producer of premium confections, artisanal chocolates, baked goods, dessert toppings and ice cream. Sanders® products are currently sold in leading retailers nationally and online at sanderscandy.com. It also operates nine Sanders Chocolate & Ice Cream Shoppes, with seven locations in Metro Detroit and two on Mackinac Island. Follow the company on Facebook or Twitter @SandersCandy.

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Sanders makes a successful first appearance on QVC

Clinton Township, Mich., October 17, 2018 – Sanders announced today that it has already been invited back to QVC for a second appearance only days after making its debut on the shopping network.

On Sunday, October 14th, Sanders products were first featured on QVC's "In the Kitchen with David" program. After achieving an impressive amount of sales, the candy maker was invited to return to QVC for an additional appearance this Thursday, October 18th.

“We are very excited for our products to receive this national spotlight,” said Nakia Mills, spokesperson for Sanders Candy. “We have fans all over the country who just rediscovered our brand after seeing our product on QVC.”

Shoppers can order the featured Sanders Caramel Mini Bites at qvc.com at a price of $24.82 per carton while inventory lasts. The in the 3.75oz/8-count cartons contain two resealable bags of four different flavors: Milk Chocolate Crunchy Peanut Butter Caramel, Milk Chocolate Cherry Almond Caramel, Milk Chocolate Sea Salt Caramel and Dark Chocolate Sea Salt Caramel.

Sanders also offers its individual packages of its caramel mini bites, along with its other products for mail order on its own website, sanderscandy.com.


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