Does SDC make all of their own taffy, or do they have a company they buy it from? Because I just bought a bag of taffy from a gas station (having withdrawals) and it looks identical to SDC's and taste pretty darn close (anything with an SDC label always tastes better. Trust me, it really does ;) ). I Googled it, but of course, couldn't find anything about it...
Rube could probably answer better than anyone, but I think it is a combination of some taffy is made on park, other taffy is purchased wholesale from a candy company that uses similar traditional methods of making it. Problem is, the taffy is so popular, they can't keep up with demand...either that or they are attempting to cut corners to increase profit.
I'm pretty sure most of it is purchased. After the original red taffy machine was broken, it sat unused quite awhile before it was replaced by the current, rather mundane looking machine. One of the workers at the shop told us it was made somewhere else.
we have discussed this before.. the majority of taffy is purchased from an outside source.. At 1 time the wholesaler was based in utah.
The gas station is where I saw the same brand of taffy for sale. If you look at the boxes in the taffy store window they say " Sweets" I am fairly sure this is the brand name of the taffy they use and the same brand you will see on the bag available elseware. As an added anecdote when I saw the taffy it was in a gas station in Harrison Arkansas, they were charging $3 for a 1 lb bag of it. They were also charging $3 for a can of campbells soup. If you equate the markup the gas station has used with the soup and then consider what SDC is charging for a pound they are doing quite well on that taffy.
...and the taffy shop is always crowded.
I think, as mhguy stated, its' produced by this company:
http://www.sweetcandy.com/candies/taffy.html
although I don't see good ol' wildfire flavor there.
3.30 per LB sold at a retail level. I am betting they are using this taffy at all the parks and getting it for somewhere around 2.25 per lb. Maybe less.
Taffy shop was also redecorated this season. They felt that with it being "saltwater" it needed a beachy coastal theme. So be prepared for starfish, and pastels when entering.
I haven't seen samples in the last 3 visits either...
I did get a chance to try an "outlaw" taffy, it was a vanilla, chocolate, caramel, and sea salt right off of the machine, it was pretty tasty.
Oh well. I'll still pretend the stuff sold at SDC is made there ;) ...makes it taste better lol
Too bad you have to pretend. I remember a time when I didn't have to, it was the real thing!
I don't think they are doing free samples this year. I even mentioned to my family that nothing about getting your prize from the train ride for being the loudest in the tunnel, which was a free taffy sample, was mentioned.
Wildfire is made on park. I've seen them do it as of last year. Not sure about the rest.
thats right parson, it and the other "special" flavors they do onsite...special mixes for special "customers"// LOL
The Wildfire and Outlaw Run are made on park, dunno about any other flavors. They only do samples when they do a taffy run. Last time we were there they had a slate on the back wall stating when they would be doing demonstrations (and therefore free taffy!).
I am sure the "free" taffy samples was stopped due to "customers" taking advantage of the offer...
I dont know how many times i would see a family or group of people in there, 1 person shopping with a buckets, choosing a few pieces here and there, while the others were "sampling"... Probably eating more for free, than they were buying.
I always feel guilty if i eat 1 or 2 pieces, and i might buy 2, maybe 3 pounds of the stuff..!!
The mark up on the taffy easily would factor in the loss of profit from the samples...hypothetically they would lose several thousand pieces a day...BUT think how the sample roped in the customers!
I haven't seen samples of pork rinds the last few times I was there either.
Pork rind samples were out on Sunday...maybe just for Fathers Day!
Pork rind samples were out during our visits over Memorial Day weekend.
Quote from: U Smell Smoke on June 18, 2013, 05:29:44 PM
Pork rind samples were out during our visits over Memorial Day weekend.
Oh, good! Granted I don't buy them each trip, but I've bought my fair share. It's not the same without my ONE sample.
And, it's best to wash it down with Sarsaparilla
And buying them at home just ain't the same
LOL!!! okie!! your so right.. it AINT the same
I found out that some taffy is made on park! There were 5 or 6 flavors with this sticker.
(http://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z436/tiffanylynnt1/KidsFest2013094_zps2e128f34.jpg) (http://s1189.photobucket.com/user/tiffanylynnt1/media/KidsFest2013094_zps2e128f34.jpg.html)
Strawberry Kiwi sounds.... uh.... interesting. I guess.
Don't see too many kiwi (plants? trees? bushes?) growing around Branson though
Quote from: Ozarks Gal on June 18, 2013, 09:54:15 AM
The Wildfire and Outlaw Run are made on park, dunno about any other flavors. They only do samples when they do a taffy run. Last time we were there they had a slate on the back wall stating when they would be doing demonstrations (and therefore free taffy!).
So I am a little late to this party, but they have an Outlaw Run taffy now? What does it taste like? ;D
The outlaw taffy I had was vanilla sea salt caramel I think...
And BTW...to sample pork rinds now, you must germ-x your hands BEFORE you use the tongs now!!!!!!
I had a piece of Outlaw Run taffy yesterday. It's like the ice cream, Vanilla with a Caramel swirl (and I think it had flecks of sea salt in it). It was ok. The ladies in the shop said it was their best-seller this season (no surprise!).
Very neat! Well, I am a huge fan of Wildfire taffy, so hopefully Outlaw Run taffy won't disappoint! I suppose being such a sucker for taffy in general helps. :P
Next time I am there I might go in and check it out. Haven't gone in there much since they quit giving away the samples.
Love the SDC taffy shop! But I will say that I did not enjoy the outlaw run taffy. It starts out ok, but the sea salt at the end is a little much for me personally. Most people must like it, however, if it is a top seller.
Quote from: Preachin_Bill on July 10, 2013, 02:24:19 PM
Love the SDC taffy shop! But I will say that I did not enjoy the outlaw run taffy. It starts out ok, but the sea salt at the end is a little much for me personally. Most people must like it, however, if it is a top seller.
Preachin Bill, I'm with you. Love the Taffy Shop, but salted caramel...not so much. It's sort of a fad right now. Hubs once mistakenly ordered me a salted caramel hot chocolate. YUCK!!!!!!!!!!
Fad, yes, but I just had a big bowl of a salted caramel ice cream at at local creamery for the second time this week... I love it more than chocolate covered pretzels...salty, sweet, creamy, gooey...yes please!
Sounds like kettle korn flavored ice cream. Not sure I'm in favor but it sound good.
I have yet to try any flavor with "sea salt." Sounds interesting enough to try at least! :)
One of my coworkers went to Silver Dollar City, and I bribed her into getting my favorite flavor of taffy - popcorn, and caramel popcorn. Yum-Yum! :D