There were many magic moments working at the “cookie factory”. Grasshopper No.4 and No.5 got to say that their Dad made cookies.
We had many unique products. The factory made what was called “wire cut” sandwich cookies. Chocolate chip sandwich cookies. Butter pecan sandwich cookies. Macaroon sandwich cookies Nobody else including Nabisco or Keebler could produce an equivalent “sandwich”. Did I mention we developed a chocolate sandwich cookie that “blew Oreo away”. Alas, the Nabisco marketing machine crushed us (yes I said “crushed”).
And then there was chocolate coating (enrobed). Chocolate marshmallow, mint wafers coated with chocolate and chocolate covered creme filled wafers.
For several years our cookie company held the record according to Guiness for making the largest chocolate chip cookie. I think it was 30 feet in diameter and weighed 3 tons. It had over 1 million chocolate chips.
Grasshopper No. 5 would do “taste tests” on new cookies I’d bring home with her friend Shea. They would have to rate taste, texture and color. The more sugar they ate, the sillier they became.
Grasshopper No. 4 took a case of creme filled wafers (I think they were coated with chocolate) as a treat when Xavier made a bus trip to Florida. No.4 said the wafers were gone by the time they reached Chicago.
It has been 15 years since I changed my occupation to “doing nothing”. We sold the cookie company to Ralcorp, a spin-off company from Ralston Purina. Ralcorp was a big company with multiple plants and our cookies fit into their product offerings. Ralcorp never really put energy into building the cookie business. Several years ago Ralcorp sold their business to ConAgra. To ConAgra, the cookie plant was just another piece of the puzzle and it got lost.
Yesterday, ConAgra announced they were closing the Ripon cookie factory. 85 years of producing cookies will become a memory. It is equivalent to Charlie closing the Chocolate Factory. There were a lot of proud people that made a living producing cookies. Over 320 people will be looking for new jobs. It is a sad day for the employees. It is sad for the City of Ripon.
I can only say that “making cookies” was a fun ride. The continual smell of baking cookies, good people and did I mention delightful fringe benefits. I’m surprised I don’t weight 300 pounds. You can’t “close” the memories.
Love,
Dad