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We never thought we'd see the day, but Peeps has announced that it will not be releasing their beloved Halloween or holiday-themed treats [3] this year, leaving a marshmallow-sized hole in our hearts. That's right, seasonal favourites like their sugar-coated jack-'o-lanterns, Christmas trees, and hearts won't be hitting shelves for Halloween and Christmas this year and Valentine's Day early next year.
Just Born Quality Confections, the company that produces Peeps, said in a statement that they suspended production back in April [4] to protect the health and safety of their employees during the ongoing coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. While they resumed limited production in May, the company decided to "forego production" of seasonal candies for Halloween, Christmas, and Valentine's Day to focus on "meeting the expected overwhelming demand for Peeps for next Easter season, as well as our everyday candies." The company typically produces two billion marshmallow confections a year [5], and with a cut back in production, we won't be getting nearly as much marshmallow-goodness as years past.
Easter is classically the most popular time for Peeps, but we will definitely miss the purple cats and neon-green Frankensteins for Halloween, the adorable gingerbread man marshmallows and festive trees for Christmas, and of course, the heart-shaped filled marshmallow treats so often found in Valentine's Day goodie bags.
As a slight silver lining, Just Born said its seasonal treats are expected to return to store shelves [6] by Halloween 2021, and at the end of the day, the most important thing is the safety and health of everyone involved, particularly the employees in charge of Peeps' production. And this just means they'll taste even sweeter next Halloween!
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