CRISIS! CRISIS! Mother's Cookies goes under!

[Jenise]

I am famously uninterested in most sweets, and less famously the very few that interest me are decidedly low-brow. One of those is the pink-and-white animal cookies made by a West Coast American company called Mother's, a company that's been around--and always there for me--since childhood.

So many of you won't know what I'm talking about, but Chris (who sent me the article), Karen, Ines, Mike F and a few others might join me in mourning.

Thursday, October 9, 2008 (SF Chronicle)
Mother's Cookies abruptly shut down
George Raine, Chronicle Staff Writer

(10-08) 17:21 PDT -- Mother's Cookies, an Oakland institution for 92
years, has been shuttered, its owner seeking bankruptcy protection for the
company.
The ending was abrupt: Workers for the company, which shifted its baking
and distribution operations to plants in Ohio and Canada in 2006, told
workers Friday that operations would cease and cookies would no longer be
made as of Monday.
The company cited rising prices for raw materials and fuel, and on Monday
filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District
of Delaware.
The company that made Mother's cookies at the end was the Archway &
Mother's Cake and Cookie Co. of Battle Creek, Mich. It was owned by
Catterton Partners, a private-equity firm in Greenwich, Conn., which in
2005 purchased it from an Italian firm, Parmalat Finanziaria, which was
plagued by scandals at home.
In 2006, Mother's Cake & Cookie Co. was uprooted from its plant on 81st
Avenue in Oakland and relocated. About 230 employees lost their jobs.
According to industry lore, the company was founded in 1914 by a newspaper
vendor, N.M. Wheatley, as a one-person shop. It expanded and moved to the
81st Avenue location in 1949.

I know the company well, but not sure if I ever ate anything of theirs. I'm not big on store bought cookies, cakes, etc. But it is sad on how fast our world is changing, and the domino effect is moving right along. I feel that in 2009 many companies will go down, not to mention people's retirements, savings, and jobs.
I seem to recall eating Hostess Twinkies and some sort of chocolate bar thing that had white stuff in the middle. I vaguely remember those pink and white cookies, Jenise.

[Jenise]

I know the company well, but not sure if I ever ate anything of theirs. I'm not big on store bought cookies, cakes, etc. But it is sad on how fast our world is changing, and the domino effect is moving right along. I feel that in 2009 many companies will go down, not to mention people's retirements, savings, and jobs.
I seem to recall eating Hostess Twinkies and some sort of chocolate bar thing that had white stuff in the middle. I vaguely remember those pink and white cookies, Jenise.

They're the only store-bought cookie I've ever bought. It's a childhood love I can't seem to get over and succomb to about twice a year. I even fall for the special holiday colors--no doubt, they're orange and white this month. Oh woe....

Jenise,

I'm sorry Jenise, but these guys had to go. This is so overdue. I'm surprised they were still around thirty years ago. Product alway stale. Bags sat forever on the shelf when I did night stock work in grocery nearly forty years ago. Heavy crappy icing. Yuch. Someone could use this case for an MBA thesis to detail out this bottom quality business surviving so long, even with a history of crummy product. I wonder what finally did them in. But I am sorry you will be affected.

[Jenise]

Jenise,

I'm sorry Jenise, but these guys had to go. This is so overdue. I'm surprised they were still around thirty years ago. Product alway stale. Bags sat forever on the shelf when I did night stock work in grocery nearly forty years ago. Heavy crappy icing. Yuch. Someone could use this case for an MBA thesis to detail out this bottom quality business surviving so long, even with a history of crummy product. I wonder what finally did them in. But I am sorry you will be affected.

No sympathy really needed--it's only a twice yearly, if that, indulgence that wouldn't even be that if end-cap displays weren't there to remind me they exist (since I otherwise avoid packaged food and rarely go down interior aisles).

No more taffy cookies????!!!


GAAAAHHHH!!!

Jenise,

I know that the world holds meager consolation in this time of sadness for you.

Would a Mallo Cup or a Zagnut Bar help at all?


Jeff

[Jenise]

Jenise,

I know that the world holds meager consolation in this time of sadness for you.

Would a Mallo Cup or a Zagnut Bar help at all?

Jeff

Oh thank god, YOU get it.

Can I have two Mallo cups? I'll probably need one tomorrow, too.

...Mallo Cup...

I remember being in Cub Scouts. After the meetings we would go to the corner store, buy Mallo Cups (5 cents) and have fights with them. During winter they would freeze in your hair.

That's a great candy link. I'm ever so grateful that Bonomo Turkish Taffy is no longer around. It's responsible for the childhood state of my teeth - that and the all day suckers I used to get at the movie theatre when you could spend the entire afternoon there, repeatedly watching movies.

I took Jenise a bag of orange and white frosted animal cookies last night. I never knew they had holiday colors until we moved here 2 years ago. Jenise and I were hanging out at the Lynden Safeway, waiting to get a flu shot, and she bought some to lessen the pain.

[Jenise]

Jenise and I were hanging out at the Lynden Safeway, waiting to get a flu shot, and she bought some to lessen the pain.

I take you to the best places, don't I?

Yep, you and me, hanging with the geriatric set.

I figured it was a preview for a couple of decades from now.

Just bought three bags of Mother's Taffy Cookies. My plan is to eat all three bags over the course of one hour, get violently ill, and never want to see the things again.

If it works for tequila....

That's a great candy link.

You're welcome. I'm especially fond of the index of candy by decade. I didn't know that many of my faves are from the 1920's and earlier!

We should take note that, in addition to the Mother's brand, the company also did Archway cookies.

They weren't, but they always appeared to be a little less bad for you than other cookies.

I think Archway was the pioneer of the 'soft cookie' trend. And they were always huge thick slabs of cookie, so you get that satisfaction...sorta like a 'manwich'. And, of course, the Windmill was a classic spice cookie.

Jeff G,

What a great candy link, thanks. My all-time favorite Caravelle bar (Mars) didn't make the cut, being neither on the site nor in the marketplace. I've moved on, thankfully with Snickers therapy...

That's a great candy link. I'm ever so grateful that Bonomo Turkish Taffy is no longer around. It's responsible for the childhood state of my teeth - that and the all day suckers I used to get at the movie theatre when you could spend the entire afternoon there, repeatedly watching movies.

I took Jenise a bag of orange and white frosted animal cookies last night. I never knew they had holiday colors until we moved here 2 years ago. Jenise and I were hanging out at the Lynden Safeway, waiting to get a flu shot, and she bought some to lessen the pain.

It pulled out fillings, too. You might be interested in a Turkish Taffy substitute: http://www.candyfavorites.com/shop/bonomos-turkish-taffy.php

[Jenise]

It pulled out fillings, too. You might be interested in a Turkish Taffy substitute: http://www.candyfavorites.com/shop/bonomos-turkish-taffy.php

Oh no worries, Chris can still get her fillings pulled out with another favorite of hers which IS still around, Abba Zabba!

[Jenise]

Just bought three bags of Mother's Taffy Cookies. My plan is to eat all three bags over the course of one hour, get violently ill, and never want to see the things again.

If it works for tequila....

Tequila Remorse lasts longer.

Crowns, fillings, permanent bridges - I got 'em all...but no caps or veneers.

I REALLY want to thank whoever posted that link to the Bonomo replacement. I'm going to fight the urge. I loved the vanilla taffy. My Italian mother-in-law loves torrone. She bought the friable type when we were in Verona, told me it would soften up, and was oh so wrong. We found the morbido (soft) torrone in Florence.

I, too, loved Caravelles and another favorite was Milkshake candy bars.

[Jenise]

I REALLY want to thank whoever posted that link to the Bonomo replacement...I, too, loved Caravelles and another favorite was Milkshake candy bars.

I've never heard of any of these. Did anybody but me love Cherry-a-Lets?

We found the morbido (soft) torrone in Florence.

Ooh, now you've reminded me of panforte and panpepato. Yum!

My all-time favorite Caravelle bar (Mars) didn't make the cut, being neither on the site nor in the marketplace. I've moved on, thankfully with Snickers therapy...

With a bit of Googling, I have found that, indeed, the Caravelle bar is no more. It was discontinued when Cadbury bought Peter Paul Candies in 1978.

Its reputation lingers on, though: there are a lot of people out there who say the 100 Grand bar just doesn't even come close.

Jeff G,

What a great candy link, thanks. My all-time favorite Caravelle bar (Mars) didn't make the cut, being neither on the site nor in the marketplace. I've moved on, thankfully with Snickers therapy...

The Mars Bar was my favorite. What ever happened to them? Snickers, Milky Way and 3 Musketeers were a nickel, but the Mars bar cost a dime. Loved 'em. I always thought that the Mars company should package an assortment of their miniatures and package them for Valentines Day.