Marich Confectionery founder Marinus van Dam had every reason to open his own candy company in 1983. He was still basking in the success of one of America's newest candy sensations, the Jelly Belly jelly bean, made famous when President Ronald Reagan noted his staff's dependence on them. Naturally, Marich Confectionery produces jelly beans. Why would the inventor of the world's most famous jelly bean leave behind what he knows best? Yet Marich focuses on a different kind of confection, namely chocolate-covered fruits and nuts. Their chocolate-covered fruits in particular stand out and are incredibly popular, especially their blueberries, which were a sensation when released in 1992. They received the International Fancy Food Shows award in 2001 for a chocolate-covered dried cherry. Other popular varieties include raisins, while their jordan almonds are perpetually big sellers for events such as showers and weddings.
