David Klein (businessman)

Last updated
David Klein
Born
NationalityAmerican
Alma mater University of California, Los Angeles, Southwestern Law School
Occupation Confectioner
Known forDeveloper of the Jelly Belly
SpouseRebecca (m 1970 died 2020)
ChildrenRoxanne and Bert

David Klein (born 1946) is the developer of the Jelly Belly brand of jelly beans. [1]

Contents

Early life

Klein was born in Syracuse, New York in 1946. [2] He moved to California at the age of three. Klein eventually attended the University of California, Los Angeles where he studied economics. Klein then went on to obtain a law degree from Southwestern Law School, but after taking the bar exam decided not to pursue a career as a lawyer. [3]

Career

In 1976, Klein lived in Temple City, California and started the distribution company, Garvey Nut & Candy. [4] [5] He came up with the idea for a new type of jelly bean, [5] later called "Jelly Belly", and asked the Herman Goelitz Candy Company to make a batch for him. [4] [6]

Klein then rented a corner of Fosselman's Ice Cream in Alhambra, California to sell the new type of jelly beans. [7] The first flavors were Very Cherry, Tangerine, Lemon, Green Apple, Grape Jelly, Licorice, Root Beer, and Cream Soda. Total sales for the first seven-day period was $44. The product was selling for $2 per pound, which was considered a very high price at the time. Klein convinced the Associated Press to write a story, arranging for friends and family to act as customers. The article caused sales to spike. [7]

In 1980, Klein and his partner sold their rights [8] in Jelly Belly® to the Herman Goelitz Candy Company, for $5 million, to be paid out over 20 years. [4] [5] [1] Klein and his partner each received about $10,000 per month for 20 years, in exchange for their share of the Jelly Belly brand, including the trademark of that name. [7]

David's Signature Beyond Gourmet Jelly Beans are named after David Klein. [9] [10] [11] [12] [13] [14]

In 2017 David Klein moved operations of Can You Imagine That and his new branded company Candyman Kitchens to Florida. They produce Sandy Candy as well as other new confections out of their factory in Largo, Florida.

Projects

In 2016 he launched a crowdfunding support page for 'THE ORIGINAL COFFEE HOUSE BEANS.' The combination of flavors delivers a taste mimicking gourmet coffee flavors. On its Kickstarter page, it is described as "a conventional jelly bean center texture surrounded by the most imaginative flavors on the outside of the bean." [15]

In 2019, he created a campaign for Polar Popcorn - described as "A Freeze and Eat Treat™ made up of puffy popcorn kernels coated in caramel and ice cream/birthday cake flavor; topped with sprinkles". [16]

Personal life

Klein's wife, Rebecca, who died in 2020, worked with him in their confectionery development business, Can You Imagine That Confections Inc.; his daughter, Roxanne, who studied business at the University of La Verne, also contributes to the business, such as coming up with the concept of 'Sandy Candy', which by October 2011 had made $1 million. [3] [17] [18] The company operates from a factory in California. [17] [19] [20]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Confectionery</span> Prepared foods rich in sugar and carbohydrates

Confectionery is the art of making confections, or sweet foods. Confections are items that are rich in sugar and carbohydrates although exact definitions are difficult. In general, however, confections are divided into two broad and somewhat overlapping categories: bakers' confections and sugar confections.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jelly bean</span> Small bean-shaped candy with many different flavors

Jelly beans are small bean-shaped sugar candies with soft candy shells and thick gel interiors. The confection is primarily made of sugar and sold in a wide variety of colors and flavors.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jelly Belly</span> US candy manufacturer

Jelly Belly Candy Company, formerly known as Herman Goelitz Candy Company and Goelitz Confectionery Company, is an American company that manufactures Jelly Belly jelly beans and other candy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Candy corn</span> Type of small, pyramid-shaped candy

Candy corn is a small, pyramid-shaped candy, typically divided into three sections of different colors, with a waxy texture and a flavor based on honey, sugar, butter, and vanilla. It is a staple candy of the fall season and Halloween in North America.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nerds (candy)</span> American confection launched in 1983

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Mike and Ike is an American brand of fruit-flavored candies that were first introduced in 1940 by the company Just Born, Inc. Despite conjecture, the origin of the candy's name remains unknown. Mike and Ike were originally all fruit flavored but now come in several different varieties.

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Marinus van Dam was one of the first employees at The Herman Goelitz Candy Company. He is considered by some sources to have been the inventor of the jelly belly jelly bean.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marich Confectionery</span> U.S.-based confectioner

Marich Confectionery is a U.S.-based confectioner that was established in 1983 by Marinus van Dam, creator of the Jelly Belly brand of jelly beans. The company's operations are located in Hollister, California. The company is Fair Trade certified.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chinese desserts</span> Sweet dishes in Chinese cuisine

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Turkish delight</span> Gelatinous candy

Turkish delight, or lokum (/lɔ.kʊm/) is a family of confections based on a gel of starch and sugar. Premium varieties consist largely of chopped dates, pistachios, hazelnuts or walnuts bound by the gel; traditional varieties are often flavored with rosewater, mastic gum, bergamot orange, or lemon. Other common flavors include cinnamon and mint. The confection is often packaged and eaten in small cubes dusted with icing sugar, copra, or powdered cream of tartar to prevent clinging. In the production process, soapwort may be used as an emulsifying additive.

Can You Imagine That Confections is a candy manufacturer based in Covina, California. It is involved in the production of a number of products including Sandy Candy, an internationally distributed dextrose based powder. It is owned by serial candy designer David Klein. His daughter, Roxanne Klein, is in charge of new product creation and development. The company has been featured heavily in television shows such as Candyman: the David Klein Story.

<i>Candyman</i> (2010 film) 2010 film

Candyman is a documentary film by director Costa Botes about the rise and fall of David Klein, the man who developed and was the original copyright owner of Jelly Belly jelly beans. Klein went on to adopt the title of Candyman in his Candyman Kitchens business once his non-compete clause was up following sale of the Jelly Belly copyright.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fosselman's Ice Cream Company</span> American ice cream company

Fosselman's Ice Cream Company is a historic ice cream company based in Alhambra, California, located at 1824 W. Main Street, that has been owned and operated by the same family for three generations. Although the present company was started in 1937, the company can trace it roots to a related family business founded in 1919.

References

  1. 1 2 Rogers, John (October 30, 2011). "David Klein, Former Mr. Jelly Belly, Looks For A Comeback". The Huffington Post . Retrieved April 16, 2015.
  2. "Former Mr. Jelly Belly Recalls Decision to Sell Name, Family Says 'It Caused a Lot of Pain'". Hollywood Reporter. 30 October 2011. Retrieved 2020-09-16.
  3. 1 2 "Sweet Inspiration". Los Angeles Times . 18 January 2000.
  4. 1 2 3 Pendleton, Jennifer (14 September 1999). "Brother and Sister Determined to Keep Good Company". Los Angeles Times . Retrieved 28 February 2023.
  5. 1 2 3 "Leaf Appoints Garvey Nut & Candy Distributor for Initial Products Launch". CSP Daily News. January 7, 2012. Retrieved 28 February 2023.
  6. "Not-so-sweet story of original 'Mr. Jelly Belly'". Daily Republic . 29 March 2013. Retrieved 28 February 2023.
  7. 1 2 3 Knoll, Corina (June 22, 2011). "Jelly Belly creator sour over lost legacy but sees sweet future". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved April 16, 2015.
  8. "Q & A With Jelly Belly Inventor David Klein: On Getting His Jelly Belly Due, His New Line of Jelly Beans + The Astro Pop Connection". LA Weekly. 9 July 2012. Retrieved 28 February 2023.
  9. "David's Signature Beyond Gourmet Jelly Beans Sales Outpace Supply". PRWeb. Retrieved 28 February 2023.
  10. Saab, Elizabeth (22 November 2016). "Watch as we eat a jelly bean as hot as a spoonful of Tabasco". Fox News . Retrieved 28 February 2023.
  11. "Former Mr. Jelly Belly tries for sweet comeback". NBC News . Archived from the original on June 21, 2021. Retrieved 28 February 2023.
  12. Hutsell, Melissa (8 March 2019). "Creator of Jelly Belly Has Developed CBD Jelly Beans". Cannabis Aficionado. Retrieved 28 February 2023.
  13. Groth, Aimee. "Meet The Man Who Invented Jelly Bellys And Then Sold The Rights For A Song". Business Insider. Retrieved 28 February 2023.
  14. Knoll, Corina (22 June 2011). "Jelly Belly creator sour over lost legacy but sees sweet future". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 28 February 2023.
  15. "Help the Candyman make his comeback!!". Kickstarter.
  16. "Polar Popcorn™ - from the Creator of Jelly Belly". Kickstarter.
  17. 1 2 "Company & Contact". Archived from the original on 2015-05-10. Retrieved 2015-05-21.
  18. "Nifty Candy is a sweet success for Roxy and David Klein - Oct. 19, 2011". CNNMoney.
  19. Alyson Shontell (22 October 2010). "The Trials And Tribulations Of The Real Candy Man, The Inventor Of Jelly Bellies". Business Insider.
  20. "Former Mr. Jelly Belly Hopes To Regain Candy Crown". Manufacturing.net. 31 October 2011. Retrieved 28 February 2023.