Oct. 4, 2006                                                                              Contact:  Dave Scoville

For immediate release                                                                              217-638-9602

 Peanuts kick competitors in national food contest

Capturing first and second place at a national food industry contest, Pick-A-Pepper Candy, Inc., showed a little kick goes a long way. 

The Chatham, Illinois-based company’s Party Time peanuts and Lemon-Kissed Onion and Garlic peanuts came in first and second place, respectively, in the snack food-nuts category at the America’s Best Food Show held in Anaheim, CA.  The Lemon-Kissed Onion and Garlic peanuts are from the company’s Death Wish heat level line, while the Party Time peanuts, with their candy coating and cinnamon finish, are rated a medium heat.    

“We’ve always known we had a great product, and these awards confirm that,” said Ed Harmeyer, founder and co-owner of Pick-A-Pepper Candy, Inc.  “We’re dedicated to keeping our product content simple and understandable, so we use fresh ingredients to make intensely-flavored snacks.  Our flavors don’t fade before the snack does. 

More than 900 products were entered in this year’s contest, according to America’s Best Food Show, and the event is considered the largest food competition in the country.  

Products were judged on appearance, aroma, texture, flavor and overall impression.  Each entry was judged in a blind tasting using a numbered cup method.  Judges were not allowed to see any indication of the brand, owner or the manufacturer of the products.

The judging panel was made up of food industry professionals, including chefs, restaurant owners, culinary instructors, food writers, food manufactures not entered in the contest, and other industry leaders and professionals.

Pick-A-Pepper Candy, Inc.’s signature made-from-scratch chile pepper flavoring wakes up the senses, said Harmeyer.

“We’re a gourmet food snack company specializing in snacks with a kick,” said Harmeyer, who creates the recipes that flavor the premium Virginia peanuts and old-fashioned hard candy that are the company’s hallmarks. “We make snacks that appeal to everyone.” 

Harmeyer, an admitted “finance guy” with nearly 20 years experience in state finance, a love of creative cooking and hot foods, partnered with friend and fellow “finance guy” Dave Scoville to open Pick-A-Pepper Candy, Inc.  Harmeyer, who long dreamed of owning a company that “makes” something - like the steel plants of the Chicago of his childhood - said Pick-A-Pepper Candy, Inc.’s snacks are flavorful, fun and unique.

“You don’t have to love hot food to like our peanuts and candy,” said Harmeyer.  “I love hot food, but Dave doesn’t and yet he’s found his own favorites among our products.  I can’t even tease him anymore about being a Scoville scale in reverse” (a reference to the Scoville scale used to determine the heat of peppers). 

To learn more about Pick-A-Pepper Candy, Inc., and its award-winning products or to order, please visit the web at www.pick-a-peppercandy.com.  The website also contains information on wholesale orders to food establishments and distributors.