Russell Stover Candies
| Company type | Subsidiary |
|---|---|
| Industry | Confectionery |
| Founded | 1923 |
| Founder | Russell Stover, Clara Stover |
| Headquarters | Kansas City , United States |
Area served | North America |
Key people | Scott H. Ward, Thomas Ward (former management) |
| Products | Candy, chocolate, confectionery products |
| Owner | Lindt & Sprüngli |
| Parent | Lindt & Sprüngli |
| Website | www |
Russell Stover Chocolates, Inc. is an American producer specializing in candy, chocolate, and confectionery products. Established in 1923 by American chemist and businessman Russell Stover alongside his wife Clara Stover, the enterprise functions as a standalone subsidiary under the Swiss chocolatier Lindt & Sprüngli. The company’s headquarters are situated in Kansas City, Missouri, and it was purchased from the Ward family in July 2014 for $1.6 billion.
Manufacturing operations are based in Iola, Kansas, Abilene, Kansas, and Corsicana, Texas. The brand’s offerings include high-quality chocolate confections sold under the Russell Stover name, as well as through its acquired brands such as Whitman's and Pangburn's Chocolates. This acquisition bolstered Lindt & Sprüngli’s presence in the North American chocolate market, strengthening its global footprint and competitive positioning.
History
In 1921, businessman Russell Stover partnered with Christian Kent Nelson, a schoolteacher who invented the Eskimo Pie, to develop a chocolate-coated ice cream sandwich. Although licensed to various manufacturers, the product quickly faced stiff competition, nearly driving Stover out of business. Subsequently, the Stovers sold their interest for $25,000 and moved to Denver, Colorado. By 1923, they launched Mrs. Stover's Bungalow Candies, concentrating on boxed chocolates; the company was renamed Russell Stover Candies in 1943.
Expansion
The company changed hands in 1960 when Louis Ward and a partner purchased it for $7.5 million. Ward acted as chairman and president until retiring in 1993 due to health reasons, after which his sons Scott H. and Thomas Ward took over management. Under their guidance, Russell Stover broadened its market reach by acquiring Whitman's in 1993 and Pangburn's in 1999, thereby enhancing its portfolio of chocolate brands.
Acquisition by Lindt & Sprüngli and restructuring
On July 14, 2014, Swiss chocolatier Lindt & Sprüngli completed the acquisition of Russell Stover Chocolates from the Ward family. This transition triggered organizational restructuring that included tripling the size of the marketing department and reducing emphasis on seasonal product lines.
The company also grew its sugar-free offerings by replacing artificial sweetener sucralose with natural stevia by 2019. Packaging underwent redesigns aimed at attracting a wider consumer base and reversing a three-year decline in sales. By 2020, Russell Stover had become the top sugar-free chocolate brand in the United States.
Following robust sales performance in 2019, Russell Stover announced plans to expand its production facilities located in Iola and Abilene, Kansas, as well as Corsicana, Texas. Simultaneously, it scheduled closures of its Montrose, Colorado plant along with several retail outlets and distribution centers nationwide during 2021.
2020–present
In July 2020, amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Russell Stover took part in a virtual job fair organized by Kansas’s public workforce program to assist jobseekers while maintaining social distancing protocols.
Nonetheless, in September 2020, the company reduced its workforce by laying off 300 employees due to pandemic-related challenges; this coincided with shutting down its Montrose facility which accounted for those positions.
In April 2021, responding to labor shortages caused by the pandemic, Russell Stover initiated a work release collaboration with Topeka Correctional Facility. This program involved employing 150 inmates at its Kansas plants as part of its adaptive workforce strategy during ongoing operational challenges.
External links
- Articles with short description
- Chocolate manufacturers in the United States
- Food and beverage enterprises founded in 1923
- Manufacturing firms located in Kansas City, Missouri
- U.S. companies established in 1923
- 1923 establishments in Colorado
- Effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the food sector
- Mergers and acquisitions completed in 2014
- American branches of international corporations
- Food retail companies in the United States
- Food and beverage businesses based in Missouri
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- American companies established in 1923
- Companies of the United States by year of establishment