Russ Asaro, Rob Kowitt exemplify everything I love about the confectionery industry.
It's hard to spend time with Russ Asaro and Rob Kowitt of Healthy Food Brands and not leave with a smile on your face.
The two have become the dynamic duo behind Healthy Food Brands, a company probably best known for being the first to sell Angry Birds gummies and fruit snacks.
I recently was able to visit their Long Island facility, where I interviewed them for this month's cover story, and I had so much fun that for a half-second I almost thought about moving out there. I mean, what's not to love about being so close to the ocean and the Hamptons?
I first met Russ at an ECRM show almost four years ago now, back when I had just been hired at Candy Industry Magazine. He was among the first in the confectionery world to make me feel like I belonged.
Of course, that was before everyone and their daughter's dog had download- ed Angry Birds on their smart phones, and Healthy Food Brands was still mainly hawking Sunkist gummies and sugar-free chocolate.
Within a year though, everything changed for the candy maker. Russ was smart enough to realize that a random app involving furious fowl was going to be huge, and he had gotten the license to Angry Birds before anyone else even had time to consider making candy related to the smartphone game. Then BAM! The orders came flying in (pun intended).
All of a sudden "Russ" became "Russ and Rob," and anytime you saw the two of them, there was a group of 30 people circling around. Their down-to-earth style mixed with the amazing success of Angry Birds gummies and fruit snacks made them the kind of friends everyone wanted.
I was genuinely happy to see their success, but I thought for sure I would fall off their radar. Or at least be rel- egated to that dreaded "press" category, where companies only call you when they need you to run a release.
I should have known better. Not only did Russ continue to make sure I had something fun to do at every candy show I attended, he also introduced me around to others in the industry, vouching for me the way only a New Yorker could.
So, of course, interviewing him and his partner in "candy" for the cover story was a true joy.
And even though those Angry Birds aren't quite what they used to be, Healthy Foods Brands has continued to navigate the changes in the market with ease, most recently coming out with Candy Crush Saga candy, so all those virtual players can get their real-life fix.
Of course, they also have a few more tricks up their sleeve, which are men- tioned in the cover story, and I'm sure their next line of products will bring them even more of the prosperity they so richly deserve.
It's the kind of success story that truly couldn't happen to a nicer couple of guys.