[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 63 (Monday, April 17, 2023)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E312-E313]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




     CELEBRATING THE 100TH ANNIVERSARY OF RUSSELL STOVER CHOCOLATES

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                          HON. EMANUEL CLEAVER

                              of missouri

                    in the house of representatives

                         Monday, April 17, 2023

  Mr. CLEAVER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the 100th 
anniversary of Russell Stover Chocolates, a beloved American company 
that has become synonymous with quality and tradition. Founded in 1923 
by Russell and Clara Stover, this Kansas City-based business has been 
delighting taste buds and warming hearts for generations. On this 
special occasion, let us take a moment to reflect on the last one 
hundred years.
  The history of Russell Stover Chocolates began in Denver, Colorado, 
when Russell and Clara Stover began making candy in their bungalow 
home. The newfound company, originally employing just seven 
individuals, was first known as Mrs. Stover's Bungalow Candies. Within 
one year, the Stovers were operating five stores in Denver along with 
locations in Kansas City, Missouri, Lincoln, Nebraska, Omaha, Nebraska, 
and St. Louis, Missouri. In 1928, with business rapidly expanding, the 
Stovers opened their first factory in Kansas City, where all company 
operations would be moved in 1932. Committed to using only the finest 
ingredients in their exquisite confections, Russell Stover was already 
setting the standard for excellence in the chocolate world.
  Business continued to grow in 1934, when the Stovers opened a drive-
in store, ice cream parlor, and ice cream factory in Kansas City. Nine 
years later, in 1943, Russell Stover led the Committee for the National 
Confectioners Association in Washington, DC, the same year that the 
company officially changed its name to Russell Stover Candies.
  While Russell and Clara Stover passed away in 1954 and 1975, 
respectively, the chocolate company they had built from scratch honored 
their memory by continuing to bring joy and sweetness to millions of 
Americans. Having grown to one of the largest and most respected candy 
makers in the United States, with chocolates sold in thousands of 
stores nationwide, Russell Stover acquired Whitman's Candies in 1993. 
The following year,

[[Page E313]]

the company received further attention when a box of Russell Stover 
chocolates was featured in the Academy Award-winning film Forrest Gump, 
in which the title character quotes his mother as having said, ``life 
is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you're gonna get.'' 
Offering a piece of candy to a stranger sitting next to him on a park 
bench, Forrest Gump declared, ``I could eat about a million and a half 
of these,'' and viewers around the world agreed with the sentiment.
  In 1998, Russell Stover launched a line of sugar free chocolates and 
quickly became the leading producer of sugar free candies in the United 
States. In 2002, Russell Stover was recognized for having the best-
tasting toffee, chocolate covered cherries, fudge, truffles, nut bars, 
and sugar-free chocolates when the company was awarded six Gold Taste 
Awards by the prestigious American Culinary Institute. Wanting to 
ensure that all people could enjoy their delicacies, Russell Stover 
launched product lines for consumers with diabetes and those leading 
low-carb lifestyles in the early 2000s.
  In 2014, Lindt & Sprungli--a manufacturer of premium chocolates 
worldwide--acquired Russell Stover Chocolates and Whitman's Candies. 
Since then, the company has remained dedicated to its founding 
principles of quality and craftsmanship, ensuring that each piece of 
candy is a testament to the Stovers' commitment to excellence.
  On behalf of the 118th Congress, I would like to extend my warmest 
congratulations to Russell Stover Chocolates for having reached their 
centennial anniversary. Hand-crafting the finest chocolates in the 
heart of America, Russell Stover is an American success story worth 
celebrating on this historic milestone. Here's to another hundred years 
of delicious chocolates and sweet memories.

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