Jelly beans make flavorful comeback at Sarris
A chewy Easter favorite has made a sweet return to Sarris Candies.
“Jelly beans are back,” said Bill Sarris, CEO of Sarris Candies, the regionally iconic emporium for chocolates, ice cream, gifts and novelties that sits along Adams Avenue in Canonsburg.
Jelly beans were not available at the store in February and March 2023, traditionally a two-month stretch during which consumers, retailers and kids revel in holiday goodies. The jellies, in fact, were not on Sarris shelves again until August.
Bill Sarris blamed the eventual absence of jelly beans at the store on an unfortunate triumvirate of factors: the COVID-19 pandemic, supply chain delays and the Russia-Ukraine war.
“The pandemic started the ball rolling,” he said during a telephone interview Tuesday. “It caused supply-chain problems,” which, for the company, eventually were exacerbated by the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
“One important ingredient in our jelly beans – pectin – came from Ukraine. Then, what little there was went to Europe. We couldn’t get pectin until last July.”
Sarris Candies makes its mountains of chocolates in-house, on Adams Avenue, but gets its jelly beans from a separate producer. But because the pectin shortage also affected that jelly bean maker, Sarris turned to still another company, which did not go well.
“In general, people want jelly beans,” Sarris’ CEO said. “We tried to find a substitute and customers went nuts because it was not quite the same.”
Pectin finally arrived in July, and jelly bean production resumed a month later. “But we have so many different colors and flavors, and it took at least eight weeks from beginning to end.”
Jelly beans are again coloring the world at Sarris Candies, which is preparing for another endeavor in the borough: erecting a 130,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art manufacturing facility on Meadow Lane, a short distance from the store. All production and packaging of Sarris products eventually will take place there.
“We hope to start moving in equipment the first part of April and be up and running on the first phase by September. We’ll then go to phase II, with the plan to reach full production by September 2025.
Banking
Jon Kowalski, a corporate banking executive at First Commonwealth Bank, was promoted to Metro PA regional president, effective Feb. 1. He will report to Corporate Banking executive vice president Mike McCuen.
Kowalski joined the bank in December 2022 as a corporate banking group manager. He has an extensive background in corporate banking and credit administration, spanning more than two decades. Kowalski had previously spent seven years at S&T Bank.
He resides in Pittsburgh with his wife, Jackie, and their children.
The Metro PA region encompasses Washington, Allegheny, Beaver, Butler and Lawrence counties, and portions of Armstrong and Westmoreland.
Kowalski is a graduate of Allegheny College with a bachelor’s degree in economics. He resides in Pittsburgh with his wife, Jackie, and three children.
On the move
Musuneggi Financial Group opened its new Southpointe offices at 4600 J Barry Court, Suite 410, Canonsburg 15317.
“It is the next step in our evolution as a premier financial planning firm,” company president Christopher Musuneggi said in a statement. “As we continue to grow both our offerings and staff, this move provides a better work environment, as well as excellent facilities for client meetings.”
Mary Grace Musuneggi, the group’s chair and CEO, said “as a family-owned and oriented firm, our journey has taken us through hills and valleys, but we’ve stayed true to our belief that success comes from perseverance, commitment and hard work.”