CHATSWORTH, Calif. - HOTT Products has relaunched its best-selling Dick Tarts and Tit Tarts with new packaging and flavors, and switched manufacturers in response to complaints about the candy line's quality.
"Everyone knows the cost of manufacturing here in the U.S., and [using a foreign manufacturer] finally caught up with us," HOTT Products Vice President Chris Post said. "In trying to be competitive with all of the copycats out there, we took the manufacturing of the product over to China. This was really something we wished to avoid but, unfortunately, had to be done.
"We started to receive stock that appeared to be fine visually and taste-wise, but we soon started to experience breakage problems with the candy itself, and also discoloration."
After receiving several complaints, Post said, he decided to "put the brakes on the whole thing."
"We ceased production to revamp the taste and quality of the candy, as well as the image," he said. "It took a long time to find the right factory."
Post said the reworked Dick Tarts and Tit Tarts have gotten off to a good start.
"We've been shipping the newly revamped product for about two weeks, and so far, reaction has been great," he said. "We hope to really bring back the shine to this item, which once truly did take the market by storm."
Dick Tarts and Tit Tarts premiered in 1999-2000, after Post and Chief Executive Officer Moris Abdelsayed had come up with the idea of "doing some unique candy lines." The two created the initial design, but had to find a company willing to make adult-oriented candy.
"It was surely an uphill battle," Post said. "It took months to launch and a lot of financial investment. Once we released the product, it was an instant superstar: Sales of this item went through the roof almost overnight. ... We could not keep it in stock."
