"Between January and mid-February, the stores are stacked to the brim with heart-shaped, pink-and-red chocolate boxes from various different brands, all vying for our attention (and dollars). As a matter of fact, Americans consume millions of chocolates every year on Valentine's Day. But there are two brands in particular that have been a trusted staple among the grocery store selection of Valentine's Day boxed chocolates for decades: Russell Stover and Whitman's."
"In 2014, Russell Stover (and with it, Whitman's) lost American ownership when it was purchased by Lindt & Sprüngli - the popular Swiss brand that changed the chocolate industry forever. This sale put Lindt in the third spot of the American chocolate market, behind Hershey and Mars. Russell Stover sold for over a billion dollars, giving Lindt a stronger footing in the holiday market, as it owns two of the most recognizable seasonal brands of chocolates."
Stores fill with heart-shaped, pink-and-red boxed chocolates each year between January and mid-February, and Americans consume millions of chocolates on Valentine's Day. Whitman's originated in 1842 and earned product recognition by 1878. In 1993 Pet Inc. sold Whitman's brand and assets to Russell Stover for $35 million, consolidating two major boxed-chocolate competitors. In 2014 Lindt & Sprüngli purchased Russell Stover (and Whitman's) for over a billion dollars, moving Lindt into the third position in the U.S. chocolate market and strengthening its holiday-market presence with two recognizable seasonal brands.
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