Peeps halts seasonal marshmallow production due to COVID-19 to meet Easter demand

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Just Born Quality ConfectionsBy KELLY MCCARTHY, ABC News

(NEW YORK) — Peeps holiday marshmallows won’t be on store shelves this season.

Fans of the sugar-coated marshmallow candies in the shapes of pumpkins, ghosts, Christmas trees and more will have to wait until next year to enjoy the holiday-themed candies.

Just Born Quality Confections confirmed to ABC News’ Good Morning America that the fun shapes and packaging sizes for both Halloween and the holiday seasons “will not be in stores again until 2021.”

“Due to the unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic, we temporarily suspended production of our candy brands to ensure the health and safety of our associates,” a spokesperson said.

In early May, the Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, confection company resumed limited production after “making extensive changes in our plant that ensure the safety of our associates.”

As a result, the candymaker said it had to make “the difficult decision to forego production of our seasonal candies for Halloween, Christmas and Valentine’s Day in order to focus on meeting the expected overwhelming demand for Peeps for next Easter season.”

The halt in production will also impact seasonal varieties of Mike and Ike and Hot Tamales.

“We look forward to offering our fun seasonal shapes and packaging at all major seasons again beginning with Halloween of 2021,” the spokesperson told GMA. “We look forward to being a part of seasonal traditions again next year. We have been bringing sweetness to people’s lives since 1923, and we hope to continue to do so for many years to come.”

Copyright © 2020, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

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