In Honor of Masterfoods USA Chicago Plant 75th Birthday
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD
SENATE
Sept. 21, 2004
IN HONOR OF MASTERFOODS USA CHICAGO PLANT 75TH BIRTHDAY
Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, today I offer congratulations to Masterfoods USA on the 75th birthday of their candy plant in Chicago, IL. Masterfoods is the U.S. division of Mars, Incorporated.
Chicago is America's candy capital. Since 1929, the hard-working folks at the Masterfoods plant in Chicago have been making our world sweeter.
The plant is the birthplace of the world's best-selling candy bar-the Snickers bar as well as home to other favorites, including the Milky Way and 3 Musketeers bars. Today, the Masterfoods USA Chicago plant produces 20 percent of all Masterfoods USA candy bars about 30 million bars a day.
Much like Chicago, the Masterfoods plant has been in a constant state of renewal and investment, and is as contemporary today as it was when it opened in 1929. Built on a site that was previously a golf course, the plant is unlike other factories, with a picturesque, high-windowed Spanish-style structure featuring a rich red tile roof and tinted walls.
When it opened in 1929, the plant employed about 200 workers. Today, the plant employs about 500 associates, 10 percent of whom have a relative who formerly worked there. There are even three people working at the plant today who are third-generation plant associates.
Beyond creating and retaining jobs, Masterfoods USA is committed to community involvement. Each year at Halloween, more than 500 costumed children from the surrounding neighborhood converge on the plant to trick-or-treat. The company also donates equipment to Chicago Shriners Hospital for Children and provides 25 district police stations with candy for community outreach. In all, the Masterfoods USA Chicago plant assists more than 100 community programs each year. This is a company that has not just been an employer, it has also been a good neighbor.
Today I wish to honor the 75th birthday of the Masterfoods USA Chicago Plant. Their success is a point of pride for Chicago and the State of Illinois. May their future be as sweet as their past.