Everyone, buy a package of Archway cookies if you can...

[lapfog_1]

http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/12/23/cookie.factory.reopens/index.html

The new owners did the right thing, big time.

From the article:
===============================================
When it promised to reopen the bakery, Lance gave all 300 former Archway workers a $1,500 prepaid debit card.

"I was crying," Devan says of the gift. "I am like, 'What are these people doing? They don't know me. They don't know us. They don't know any of the Archway people. And they are giving each and every one of us $1,500.' "

Sexton -- the woman who'd been preparing her kids for a meager holiday -- says of the $1,500 gift: "It was awesome. My first thought was, 'I can give my kids a Christmas.' "

David Singer, CEO of Lance, says the gift cards were a way of letting Ashland know the new owners are different. "We wouldn't do it willy-nilly," Singer says. "We do want to make money. But this is the pool of folks that we intend to hire. We just wanted to let them know who we were.
=================================================

Archway was a staple "store bought" cookie when I was younger, not the best, not the worst.

I say cheers to the new owners and the returning employees on this Christmas Eve.

(Edit to add a paragraph or two from the article)

[Skittles]

1. I'll fill up a box for the troops

:thumbsup:

[lapfog_1]

3. Great idea...

if you can, add an extra box for me. I've been laid off for three months now.

When I had extra money, I went in 50/50 to buy a G.I. (good friends neighbor's son) improved personal armor for Iraq. The total was $900 for everything, but I figured it was worth it. That was in 2004. At that time, the Army wasn't giving the troops anything, but they weren't prohibiting bringing your own. We also gave him some money to have steel plate welded to his humvee floor. Again, it wasn't really allowed but the troops were doing it. I heard later that the steel plate floor might have saved some of his buddies when it was involved in an IED attack. Everyone in it got out alive. That made me feel good.

We always sent a cookie care package at Xmas too.

[Skittles]

I'll send them a box beginning of January

when no one sends them anything :D

[lapfog_1]

7. Excellent. And good thinking. - n/t

[Kajsa]

40. That's a great idea, Skittles.

The gifts will be very appreciated by our troops,
especially after the holidays.

Thank you!

:hug:

[elocs]

90. I know for a fact that there are thousands of people sending the soldiers boxes all the time.

I am staying at my godson's home for Christmas and he is stationed in NE Afghanistan in the mountains near the border with Pakistan. I helped his mom prepare 10 boxes yesterday to send off to Afghanistan and only 1 box is going to her son. These soldiers get a lot of support from back home, lots of stuff that the Army should be providing because they are not camped out or an army on the move, but stationed in one place for up to a year at a time.

If anyone wants to learn more about sending packages to soldiers or adopting a soldier check out AnySoldier.com. Anything sent is much appreciated and the soldiers do share with each other. The Post Office has flat rate boxes with the biggest one able to be sent for $10.95 for everything you can fit into it. Just remember that it may take 4-6 weeks to arrive (like how you can send chocolate in the cold weather, but not when it gets warm).

[roguevalley]

45. excellent food bank item. dessert will please a lot of hungry kids.

[MichaelHarris]

2. very cool

my all time favorite cookie. I wondered why I couldn't find them anymore.

[Jane Austin]

4. Which one is your favorite?

I'd like to know which cookies they make for Target and buy those, too.

[lapfog_1]

5. Oatmeal raisin. Not bad at all. - n/t

[MichaelHarris]

17. I like

the oatmeal ones folded over with raspberry filling

[The Doctor.]

30. Oh, the apple-filled oatmeal cookies...

Oh... and dark molasses.

.... and frosty orange...

.... and.....

[Donnachaidh]

33. raspberry filled too! n/t

[elleng]

75. LANCE

varieties all over, I think.

[RoyGBiv]

6. Archway has always been a favorite ...

We didn't have big supplies of that brand around when I was a kid, but they showed up here and there.

I have fond memories of grocery shopping with Mom and Grandma and happening across the Archway cookies that had shown up since our last visit. The Oatmeal cookies were AMAZING to me. Damn ... just got the munchies.

I'm very glad I can associate that memory with such a thing now. Very cool.

[skooooo]

46. I always liked them because they were chewy...

..mmm oatmeal cookies.

[FloridaJudy]

8. Whoa!

I just bought a huge box today. They make the only sugar-free cookies I find palatable. Nice to know I'm supporting a decent company while assuaging my diabetic sweet tooth!

[sandnsea]

11. I've never found their sugar-free

Who carries them?

[ProdigalJunkMail]

9. saw this on CNN yesterday and thought to myself

well, at least SOMEONE gets it!

my kids will each get Archway cookies (oatmeal raisin!) and Lance crackers in their stockings as part of their Christmas...AND they'll be told why!

sP

[lapfog_1]

12. Way cool. These guys deserve a big round of applause.

I know I will be buying (and looking for) Lance snacks and Archway cookies in the future.

Say goodbye to my Oreo habit. I like Oatmeal Raisin better anyway.

[DAMANgoldberg]

13. Charlotte NC area

The company keeps a low profile here, but are good corporate citizens.
"I have Lance in my Pants!"

[ProdigalJunkMail]

14. lived in Charlotte for a few years and loved it there

out in Concord, actually...and that whole 'lance in my pants' commercial series was/is hilarious...don't here it down here in GA very much...i wonder if they are still doing it...

now i don't feel like such an idiot for going to ONE store for petrol and another for my crackers!

sP

[lapfog_1]

15. Yeah, I was just trying to dig up an email for them...

But I can't get their website to load. Still, I figured an email saying "Thank you" from a random person (me) not connected to Lance, Archway, or anyone in Ashland, OH, would be appreciated.

Good to hear some positive news. Quite the opposite of what you hear about Wall Street CEOs and the greed that has totally taken over our nation ("Pssst... want to buy a Senate seat? Huh? Hey, What's a $50 BILLION ponzi scheme? TARP money? what TARP money? we don't have to tell you people shit! and on and on).

[sandnsea]

10. And Lance cookies

They are sold to Target, Walmart, and the like, according to the article. I will definitely look for one or the other tomorrow, hopefully the Archway molasses because I didn't have time to make them this year. Thank you so much for posting this, that is one of the best stories I've read in a long long time.

[DainBramaged]

16. Wow

:toast:

[jdadd]

18. Ashland is about 20 miles N.E. of me

Heres more from our local paper
http://www.mansfieldnewsjournal.com/article/20081223/NEWS01/81222028&referrer=FRONTPAGECAROUSEL

[Tanuki]

19. Thanks for this...I hadn't heard!

And I will definitely be supporting them every chance I get from now on.

[WillyT]

20. Thank You For That !!! - K & R !!!

Gonna buy/order some today!

:yourock:

:hi:

[blue neen]

21. I always loved Archway cookies.

This is a great story...we'll be stocking up on them! :)

[myrna minx]

22. K&R n/t

[JNelson6563]

23. Really nice thing to do!

Bravo! :toast:

Julie

[greguganus]

24. I'm in NC and glad to see a southern company help out our northern friends.

Also buy Lance products, since they will be making some of their products at the Ohio plant. Nabs, Toastchee, etc. from vending machines and stores. Always loved the "big cookies" from Archway. Especially the oatmeal ones.

[BR_Parkway]

26. Big difference from the Southern car maker Senators huh?

[a kennedy]

25. Yeeehaaaa......I love the Archway wedding cakes!!!

Gonna go buy some today!!!

[Bluenorthwest]

27. So-THIS is Christmas.

And this is not just what business can be, but what it should be. Plus, I love those oatmeal apple cookies.
Returning employees is a wonderful phrase.

[greguganus]

28. A glimmer of hope for the American worker. n/t

[The Doctor.]

29. This is heartening;

Diversity & Inclusion

At Lance, Diversity and Inclusion is the process of leveraging the unique dimensions of diversity, and the ability to contribute, that all individuals bring to the organization.

We have a tremendous appreciation for people and what they are capable of achieving. As one of the largest producers of irresistible snack foods for people on the go, we encourage our employees to realize their true potential and use their talents to succeed. Our employees embrace diversity and inclusion in the truest sense of the word within our workplace, where performance is what really counts. Dedicated to the "Power of People", Lance encourages the diverse backgrounds, talent and ambitions of our people to come together and form a culture defined by energy, ideas and high performance teamwork.

There are six commitments we make in our diversity and inclusion process. They are:

1. We practice diversity by using inclusive recruitment, selection and promotion strategies to increase the diversity of staff at all levels and by ALWAYS hiring the best person for Lance.

2. We enhance the quality of life at work by using fair and consistent treatment and providing equal growth and development opportunities for ALL employees.

3. We leverage our employees’ different dimensions of diversity to encourage diversity of thought, allowing us to make better, more informed decisions.

4. We employ and leverage equal opportunity supplier diversity programs to partner with and support minority, women-owned, disabled and veteran business enterprises.

5. We develop specialized products and targeted marketing to attract ethnically diverse consumers.

6. We build relationships with and support the diverse communities in which we operate.

http://www.lance.com/html/about/about_diversity_inclusion.aspx

[JimboBillyBubbaBob]

31. Wonderful.................!

I will go out today, Christmas Eve, and buy some of their cookies. This was a great story and I caught it on CNN yesterday also. Happy Holidays everyone!
:fistbump: :headbang: :yourock: :applause:

[Donnachaidh]

32. we love Archway cookies -- Thank you Lance!

Raspberry filled cookies -- I'm drooling!

[Lisa0825]

34. Contact info for Lance:

http://www.lance.com/html/contact/contact.aspx


Thank you for posting this article! We really need to spread word about this wider so more people will buy the cookies and support hiring more workers. I added the article to my Facebook page and emailed it to friends. I am not a cookie person, but I am going to buy some to give out. I think the idea posted about sending them to the troops is a GREAT idea.

[lapfog_1]

48. Thanks, I sent them an "attaboy" email just now.

It's really the best story for Christmas Eve that I can think of.

[AnotherMother4Peace]

35. Oatmeal raisin - yummy! nt

[nuxvomica]

36. I will buy some of their molasses cookies at the next opportunity

They make the best molasses, which is the undisputed king of cookies, at least in my pantry.

[Catshrink]

37. I can't even find Archway cookies here in AZ.

I've been looking for them -- they always have a special display of Christmas cookies. None of the stores has them this year. I want Almond Crescents and Mexican Wedding Cakes -- and their molasses cookies are the best.

:cry:

[TommyO]

38. I love this quote from the article

And Devan says with a laugh: "I walked into the garage last night, and my husband says, 'You actually smell like a cookie again.' "

"He said, 'Boy, I missed that smell.' "

[Kajsa]

39. This is great!

What generous, humanitarian people the new owners are.

I'm going to buy their cookies for sure now.

The Vanilla Rings ( I'm not sure that's the name) are really good.

Thanks so much for sharing this great news, Lapfog.

:)

[lapfog_1]

51. A really good story to bring forward on this Christmas Eve.

One I hope everyone reads.

$1500 per person (laid off) for 300 people, 80 back at work already and more when they complete the setup of the bakery again.

I know my purchasing dollars are going to these guys. What few I have.

[cameron816]

41. A valued CEO--we need to reward his actions.

In a time when "CEO" is a bad 3 letter word, David Singer CEO of Lance Inc. needs to be recognized for his leadership by his example. This is the action that cannot go unrewarded. I am hoping there is a ground swell of action from America to come and support this company for what they have done. To show, that if you "do the right thing" you can be rewarded. I too will be ordering cases of Archway cookies to send out to the troops, hospitals, nursing homes, and schools. Enclosed within each shipment there will be an explanation why they are receiving these cookies; as part of an effort to reward a man and a company for "doing the right thing."

[sellitman]

42. Welcome to DU Cameron816

What a great first post!

What a great story!

[Lisa0825]

44. Great idea!

I also sent a note to the company through the contact page I linked above and said this:

"I just read the story about you buying Archway and rehiring laid-off workers, and giving them $1500 cards. It is so nice to see a company do right by workers for a change. I have been laid off as well, so I am on a tight budget, but you have just earned a new loyal customer. I will look for Lance brand and Archway brand products when I shop, knowing I am helping you to hire more people back. I have already emailed this all over the place and posted the article to Facebook. Companies with a heart deserve to be recognized. Thank you!"

[lapfog_1]

52. Same here, laid off 3 months ago. No nibbles from anyone.

And dwindling budget. But I will hunt down some Lance products and buy them.

And will continue buying them.

Their CEO (Lance that is) makes $550,000 salary, and runs a pretty good sized company ($762 Million in revenue for 2007).

I bet he makes only about 10 X to at most 15 X the line worker (but I won't swear to that, it's just a guess), and that's a lot more in line with what CEOs should be paid, imho. And if he makes more money for the shareholders and they want to give him a stock bonus, that's great.

The $1500 per laid off Archway worker is about $450,000, roughly the same as his salary. As a gift, and not to employees, but former employees of a bankrupt company they bought.

[rucognizant]

91. Good now I can stop making my own!

I have boycotted Archway cookies for 20 years!
Once, my favorite cookie purchased from my local 7/11 store, Ruth's Cashew Supremes..a light merangue cookie with cashews folded in.
After the '89 recession, they sold out and used cheaper ingredients....... not butter, not sugar. HFCS ? (I don't remember that far back, didn't know about it, but discovery of it's use came from my taste buds, not reading the ingredients label) At the same time the self righteous demigraphic buyers who wanted it all.............diet weight loss AND COOKIES.
I will write a letter to the company, and start buying them again!
I have eaten Lance products for 20 years or more no problem.
If you can buy Archway at other than Walmart please do. My supermarket carries them.
( And if you buy your food from Walmart... you are only 1/2 on board!)

[lapfog_1]

49. Welcome to DU.

I think your idea and that of others (sending care packages to our troops with Lance snacks and Archway cookies) is simply the best.

We are a cantankerous lot, but our hearts are all in the right place.

I hope you enjoy a long stay here at DU.

[njlib]

54. Anyone sent this to Keith yet?

Or Rachel? This is definitely worth a few minutes of time on both shows.

[OhioBlue]

63. Welcome to DU

and thank you!!

[tilsammans]

43. What a wonderful story!

Thanks for posting.

Love those Archway molasses cookies -- will definitely look for them.

[rateyes]

47. Hey, I'm now glad I buy Lance products, too...

Some of my favorites.

[Lisa0825]

50. kick

:kick:

[Captain Hilts]

53. Will do!

[earth mom]

55. This is a great story especially because it's so rare to see a company do right by employees. nt

[donheld]

56. Very Heartwarming

[Grinchie]

57. Not so fast... Can someone please post the ingrediant list of their cookies.

I'm happy about the Capra-esque gesture, being Christmas and all, but my only concern is that the Cookie is healthy.

The gesture is meaningless if it is loaded with questionable ingrediants, GMO Flours, HFCS and Hydrogentated Fats or oils i.e. the cheapest ingrediants they can get away with, which is usually the case with low cost junk food.

If they are healthy cookies, then all the better, but until then, I will neither recommend nor seek out their cookies until I see the ingrediant list.

[Lex]

58. I'm sure the OP is only suggesting that people eat them only if they want to

and it's not compulsory

[lapfog_1]

67. Buy a box and leave them on a plate with a glass of milk tonight...

I'll be along shortly to eat'em up!

[1]

59. "but my only concern is that the Cookie is healthy."

a healthy cookie?

:rofl:

yeah, lacking a "healthy cookie" as opposed to employing people and taking care of them when the works are shut down would be a deal breaker for me too.

:rofl:

how dare these fuckers! producers of non-healthy cookies...

[HarukaTheTrophyWife]

60. Here, have a cookie, it's good for you

I've never looked at the ingredients on Archway cookies. I have no idea how much fat they have. How many calories, etc...all I know is that they are delicious, and that is good enough for me.

I eat mostly organic, and some Archway cookies once in awhile won't kill me.

[LostinVA]

61. OMFG, Ebenezer -- "my only concern is that the Cookie is healthy"

Not the 300 employees who not only have a job, but can have a holiday -- and a future.

Please, get over yourself just a teeny bit.

And, as someone else said: IT'S A COOKIE -- COOKIES AREN'T HEALTHY. Even organic cookies are still JUNK food.

Jeebus.

It's a good thing Marley didn't come to YOU, or Tiny Tim would have died.

[lapfog_1]

66. I have no idea... and it's likely not on the website

I just checked and the Archway cookies are not listed yet, however Lance has some other cookies that it makes and here is the list of ingredients from their website:

This is for the Lance Choc-o-lunch cookies, sold in vending machines (I think).

Enriched Wheat Flour (containing Niacin, Reduced Iron, Thiamine Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Folic Acid), Sugar, Vegetable Oil (Contains one or more of the following Vegetable Oils: Canola Oil, Corn Oil, Palm Oil, Soybean Oil), Dextrose, Dutched Cocoa (Processed with Alkali), Corn Syrup, Caramel Color, High Fructose Corn Syrup, Soy Lecithin, Salt, Chocolate Liquor, Leavening (Sodium Bicarbonate), Artificial Flavor, Peanuts. CONTAINS: WHEAT, SOY, PEANUTS.

Other than the High Fructose Corn Syrup in addition to regular Corn Syrup, I don't see anything that just leaps out and says "I'm poison!"... the healthiest choice?... no, probably not. But then you can always grab an organically (and locally) grown apple to counter balance.

The big thing these days would be to make sure that the Flour, Sugar, Vegetable Oil, etc are not coming from China. But there isn't a country of origin requirement on this stuff yet. But if I were them, I wouldn't be buying my bulk ingredients from China right now. But that's just me.

I'm not trying to promote them because the cookie is so great, I am promoting them because the management team has shown that they give a damn. Perhaps if they give a damn about their PROSPECTIVE employees, they might also give a damn about their consumers too. Just a thought.

Anyway, if you don't want to buy Archway cookies, that's fine... I was just highlighting the story of a company can did something "right"... which is, I'm sure you'd agree, a rare thing these days.

[Donnachaidh]

68. oh fer criminey's sake -- always has to be someone peeing in the wheaties

Uhh, they SAVED jobs. People are WORKING again?

People are not going to be buying cases of the stuff. They are not going to crush them up, liquify them and shoot them into a vein.

COOKIES are NOT healthy, even WITH organic ingredients! they contain FAT, and SUGAR, and FLOUR. And a little more sugar, and FAT....

unbelievable. :eyes:

[elleng]

82. Healthier Cookies

'In the late 1980s, as Americans grew increasingly health-conscious, Archway responded to concerns about saturated fat by removing the ingredient from all of the company's products. Studies showing that oat bran was an especially beneficial dietary fiber were also published around this time, and sales of Archway's oatmeal cookies grew as a result. In 1988 the company's date-oatmeal cookies were lauded as the most healthful cookies on the market by a consumer watchdog organization, and four other Archway varieties finished near the top of the ranking of 250 cookie brands.

Over the next several years Archway also rolled out a line of fat-free cookies, as a wave of studies that exposed the harmful effects of fat in the diet were published. Annual sales, which were not disclosed by the privately held company, reached an estimated $68 million in 1993, and grew an astounding 138 percent the following year with the success of Archway's fat-free cookies.'

http://www.fundinguniverse.com/company-histories/Archway-Cookies-Inc-Company-History.html


http://caloriecount.about.com/archway-cookies-llc-nutrition-m12

[OhioBlue]

62. Thank you for posting this!!

I work in Ashland and have talked to a few former Archway. I grew up in the area and one thing I always loved was smelling cookies as I drove out on Claremont Avenue. The sudden and harsh closing was a heartbreak to the community and especially to the employees and their families.

I wasn't at the meeting where they handed out the gift cards, but I was told there was not a dry eye in the house. The employees, the Lance management team the Ashland Mayor, etc. all had tears in their eyes. It was truly wonderful of Lance.

I attended a Chamber of Commerce Luncheon recently and Senator Sherrod Brown spoke (Sherrod is a very progressive and hardworking Dem from nearby Mansfield... Ashland has a strong Conservative base for just a little insight) Anyway, Senator Brown told us that he had called the CEO of Lance the night before and the CEO told him a story of how his first job as a young boy in PA was delivering Archway cookies. It gave me chills. (Oh - Senator Brown is also one of the best at telling stories)

Thank you all for the wonderful responses on this thread. The workers have been through a lot - some found out the former Archway management stopped health insurance benefits and didn't tell them - they were and are in debt for many health care bills that they were led to believe were in some part paid for by insurance - insurance that they helped pay for out of deduction for their paychecks. It has been a tough road for them and the Lance news and actions have been such a wonderful thing to them and the entire community.

[lapfog_1]

64. Are they also a union shop?

That never factored into my recommendation to support Lance, but if they are, then it's just the cookie icing to the story.

Also, I don't happen to have a list of ingredients handy for Archway cookies. As I recall from my misspent youth, most of my favorites were chewy and remained so for a long time, which speaks to me of preservatives and probably trans-fats. Again, I eat healthy for almost every meal, but a cookie now and then (or a hotdog or a pizza) isn't going to kill me... Ok, maybe it will, but not until I've had a nice long life already.

If they are union and "natural" (organic or not, it would be a help) that would be a big plus.

[OhioBlue]

65. Archway isn't Union

But I can tell you a side story -

They closed on a Friday - sent their workers home and told them not to come back. On the next Monday - they weren't giving out any info to the employees on checks they had coming to them for the previous week's work, vacation pay, sick pay, etc. they also violated the WARN notice. The workers organized in the parking lot to look for answers (John King from CNN was there that day). The President of our Central Labor Union reached out to them and helped them form a committee to help each other and wade through paperwork etc. (Other community leaders were also there and the community had a wonderful response in latter days to organize non-profits, governmental agencies, etc. to help the workers).

But - anyway - now they have a communication structure and leaders set up - and I am pretty sure that is b/c the Central Labor Union helped them do this. I heard some people critical of the Central Labor Union's help b/c they were afraid it would be a deterrent to a possible buyer for Archway - I never bought into it. I'm so happy that Lance was the successful bidder and I'm so happy that the Union people didn't fall for it and continued with their support and assistance.

I honestly can't think of any natural or organic lines that they have. Lance does sound like a fairly progressive company and hopefully they will see the tide in U.S. purchasing and develop a few.

[Waiting For Everyman]

69. Thanks, I hadn't heard this, way to go Archway!

I'm not a cookie eater but I will be now. You know what? That CEO is a smart businessman too. Money "invested" the way he did pays off. I saw that as a former small business owner myself. Being a tightwad is a losing strategy.

I hope this catches on.

[waiting for hope]

70. Lance should get some kudos too -

But then Lance Inc., a Charlotte, North Carolina-based snack food company, purchased Archway at a bankruptcy auction. And last week 60 workers were asked to return immediately, with perhaps more coming back in the months ahead.

Thanks for the warm and fuzzy Christmas cheer!

[lapfog_1]

71. Lance was who I was directing our appreciation toward.

They bought the company, gave all the laid off workers $1500, rehired 60 to 80 of them to restart things and bake Lance cookies until they could get the old Archway suppliers back, and plan on hiring more workers soon.

They apparently are keeping the brand, so I was suggesting that when Archway cookies re-appear, we buy them and show support for the Archway bakery and their employees. That way, Lance can hire more of them back much earlier.

But Lance doing the right thing is what this thread was about.

[BrklynLiberal]

72. It is nice to read about some people who do have some kindness

left in them.

That amounts to almost $500,000.

[Kablooie]

73. They also make Mother's cookies.

[elleng]

74. and LANCE!

This is a GREAT story!!!!

[FloridaJudy]

76. My supermarket was sold out!

I guess the word is getting around. So I bought a bunch of Lance crackers instead.

[lapfog_1]

78. Awesome!

Let the store know that you want MORE Lance products, especially Archway cookies.

They will tell their distributor and they will tell Lance,Inc.

Nothing like a little viral internet happening to let a corporation know it did the right thing and encourage it to do more.

And it will be an example to others. Carrot AND stick.

[elleng]

77. Archway story

Don't know what happened to them!

'Key to the company's success was the quality of its soft-baked cookies. These were much less common in the cookie market, but at the same time were perceived to be closer to homemade than other cookies. Soft-baked cookies had higher moisture content than ones that were dry and relatively hard, and thus had a much shorter shelf life. To compensate for this, the company developed a system of baking cookies only after orders for them were received, allowing it to keep store stocks fresh and minimize waste. Archway's goal was for stores to sell half of the cookies on display each week, ensuring that the vast majority would be purchased well before the six-week "sell-by" date was reached.

In October 1998 Archway was sold to Specialty Foods Corporation of Deerfield, Illinois, in a deal reportedly worth close to $100 million. Archway thus joined the Oakland, California-based Mother's Cake & Cookie Co. in the Specialty Foods portfolio, making Specialty Foods the third largest cookie baker in the United States. Archway management remained the same, and the company did not announce any major changes in direction.

After more than 60 years Archway cookies were still an American favorite, and the company that produced them was solidly ensconced in the top ranks of cookie makers.'

http://www.foodlocker.com/brands-a-archway.html

SEE MORE, NEXT POST!

[lapfog_1]

80. Doesn't say how they went bankrupt sometime in the late summer

and or early fall of 2008. Lance got them at auction of some sort (a bidding process). The management of Archway simply announced some Friday that that's it, don't show up next week and even (apparently) stiffed the workers for back pay and benefits.

Lance came in shortly after winning the bid, called all of the laid of workers and handed each one a debit card with $1500 loaded on it and then told some 80 of them (out of 300) that they would be back at work very shortly. And the rest they hope to re-hire in early 2009.

But how the heck did they go from being sold for $100M in 1998 to being bankrupt 10 years later.

And, oh yeah, macaroons... Iced oatmeal cookies... (drool).

[elleng]

79. MORE: Archway's demise:

'Several former employees claim that accounting irregularities led to the loss of operating funds. According to a corporate employee at the Battle Creek office, both Ernst & Young and Price Waterhouse accounting firms had been at the company offices earlier this year, and their main bank, Wachovia, also put in a surprise visit to ask for verification of data.' >>>


http://minnieapolis.newsvine.com/_news/2008/10/10/1978456-archway-cookies-business-crumbles-into-chapter-11-creative-bookkeeping-at-fault

[lapfog_1]

81. Ahh... oops.

Never good when banks and accounting firms pull surprise audits. Me thinks someone had their hands in the cookie jar. :)

(Sorry, couldn't help it!)

[elleng]

84. Yes, indeed!

Keep reading!

And thanks to you!!!, at 4:15 CHRISTMAS MORNING, I JUST had a NON-ARCHWAY/LANCE cookie!

[lapfog_1]

85. Well, Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays.

it's just now 2:00am and I'm feeling like Santa. I think there is a plate of cookies (homemade oatmeal scotchies!) and a glass of milk waiting in the dining room.

[Rhythm]

83. I grew up in Charlotte, and had an aunt who worked for Lance for several years...

They're good folks, and i couldn't be happier than to see them helping to pull Archway out of the tar-pits.

*will be stocking up next payday as a way of saying 'thanks' to a good corporate citizen*

[lapfog_1]

86. Cool. I hope we can make a positive impact.

Now that would be a story!

[LostinVA]

87. I lived in NC for 17 years, and I consider it my semi-home

Whenever I go to back "Nabs," etc., I ALWAYS make sure they are Lance and nor Nabisco, etc. The OP will make me make sure Haruka does the same from nowo.

My mother always got Archway as a special treat when I was growing up-- because they tasted almost like homemade and cost more money. We always left out two Archway sugar cookies for Santa, and a Molasses one for his reindeer.

Good for the Lance CEO! So many CEOs are nothing but selfish, greedy jerks. I'll make sure I email the company this weekend.

Thanks for posting!

[paparush]

88. Every time I buy Archway Molasses Cookies...

They are stale and hard as a rock.

Maybe I'll try another kind of Archway.

[Sarah Ibarruri]

89. I'm buying Archway cookies from now on nt

[Phred42]

92. K & R - Stories of Corporations doing the RIGHT thing are rare indeed - Thanks!

:applause:

[Honeycombe8]

93. If I ever see them, I will. I've never seen, or heard of, Archway cookies. Sold only some places?

[RayStar]

94. Great post

I love their cookies. I am so happy for the employees.

:) MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL

[rucky]

95. I recommend the Iced Lemon cookies.

yum

[Bravo Zulu]

96. I'll look for them at the grocery,

thanks!

[MarianJack]

97. WOW!

Hopefully, this is a preview of Obama's America!

PEACE!

[Raksha]

99. Hopefully, this is a preview of OUR America!

If we really want to, we can re-industrialize America just by doing what everyone is doing on this thread. We can support the companies that do the right thing by their employees by making a point of buying their products. If we spread the word about Archway, I bet it won't be too long before they are selling enough cookies to rehire ALL the laid-off workers.

YES WE CAN!!!

[cameron816]

101. RE: Hopefully, this is a preview of OUR America!

Raksha,

I totally agree with you! I feel this is the grass roots effort it will take to get our manufacturing base back. Only THE PEOPLE have this power and can make it happen. I hope this is a turning point and this story will do nothing but EXPLODE to get this movement started. How can we get more attention to this cause? I have an assignment, to first get cases of Archway ordered and sent out with a message. What this CEO and this company have chosen to do MUST NOT go unrewarded. He has stepped forward. He has stepped up to the plate. The rest is now up to us.

[lapfog_1]

102. Going Viral!

That was my idea... to flog this so hard that Lance will think it's the smartest $450K they ever spent.

Maybe that was their plan all along, maybe not. I'd like to think that they did it because they want the employees back.

Doesn't matter, I'm flogging this as hard as I can. Want everyone here to x-post this in all your social networking and blogging sites.

If we boost sales of Archway by 10 percent or more, they will notice... just as soon as they get the cookies back in store shelves. And we all write them quick emails of support for their move.

There isn't much good economic news right now and, possibly, for a long time to come. So we grab onto any little bit that's out there.

[Raksha]

107. I bet Lance already knows that.

Re That was my idea... to flog this so hard that Lance will think it's the smartest $450K they ever spent.

And they are going to know it even more in the weeks to come, as the word gets around.

Re Maybe that was their plan all along, maybe not. I'd like to think that they did it because they want the employees back.

Doesn't matter, I'm flogging this as hard as I can. Want everyone here to x-post this in all your social networking and blogging sites.

I'm trying to help you flog it. I already posted an OP yesterday with a link to the CNN article on two discussion boards I frequent, and I'm also going to send it to everyone on my e-mail list. Thank you for bringing it to my attention.

With just a little bit of help, I think this story will go viral.

[Raksha]

106. Thank you!!! I'm so glad you see my point.

Re I totally agree with you! I feel this is the grass roots effort it will take to get our manufacturing base back. Only THE PEOPLE have this power and can make it happen.

EXACTLY! And welcome to DU!!! :toast:

[Raksha]

98. Too late to recommend, but kicking anyway.

What a wonderful story! Now there's a company that knows what good corporate citizenship is all about.

[lapfog_1]

103. Thank you to everyone that K&R'd this thread.

It got 60 recs before time expired. That's awesome!

Made it to number 2 on the list for a time. I was humbled.

Thanks to everyone that posted that they are going to support this company (Lance and Archway) by buying some cookies. It's what corporate America understands best... but an email to them wouldn't hurt.

http://ir.lance.com/contactus.cfm

[LaydeeBug]

100. kick.

[cameron816]

104. Food Banks

Another great way of supporting Archway is to order cases of Archway cookies and take them to your local food banks. Better yet, some sort of arrangement through a national food bank such as "Feed the Children" to explode this cause. Although, I'm sure organizations such as "Feed the Children" get food donated to them from food companies, but it there is some way of getting the funding from people like us to purchase the cookies for "Feed the Children"...... these are just some thoughts on how we can reward this company for "Doing the Right Thing." We cannot let this die. The message behind what this company has done cannot go without praise and support.

[jesus_of_suburbia]

105. I used to always eat their strawberry jam oatmeal cookies when I was little

I will buy a box or 2 this week. Thanks for posting this.


Kick and Rec

[Bravo Zulu]

108. I bought two packages of cookies,

today, at Giant Eagle, they are pretty good and I'll be buying some more, the display area for the cookies looked brand new and it looked like about half the cookies were already sold, I'd like to see all three hundred people get their job back!