QUIRKY STORY BEHIND THAT NAME THAT IS NOT A TYPO, BY THE WAY,
AND IT GIVES A WHOLE NEW MEANING
TO THIS ICONIC FALL SNACK.
>> SO WE CALL IT AFFY TAPPLE
SEASON, IT’S NOT FALL IN
CHICAGO.
IT’S AFFY TAPPLE SEASON.
>> TO MILLIONS OF AMERICANS, THE
CARAMEL APPLE MARKS A
QUINTESSENTIAL SIGN OF FALL.
>> YOUR BASKET IS FULL.
>> WHEN I WAS LITTLE AT OUR
SCHOOL, WE HAD FUNDRAISERS SO WE
HAD CASES OF THIS STUFF, BRINGS
BACK GOOD MEMORIES.
>> THE IRRESISTIBLE AUTUMN TREAT
DATING BACK TO 1948, WHEN THE
CASTER FAMILY FOUNDED THE
BELOVED BRAND, AFFY TAPPLE.
>> THE ORIGINAL CAR MEL, SHE’S
THE ONE THAT STARTED THE PROCESS
OF DIPPING CARAMEL APPLES.
>> THESE ARE THE SAME QUALITY
THAT YOU WOULD BUY AT A FARM
STAND.
>> NOW OWNER AND CEO BRANDON
BEAVERS SAYS BACK THEN,
MARKETING WAS TOP OF MIND.
>> YOUR NAME SOUNDS A LITTLE
SILLY.
>> THAT’S RIGHT.
IT IS.
>> IT’S NOT A TYPO, THOUGH.
>> IT’S NOT A TYPO, AND STILL
GET TONGUE TWISTED, WE’RE GOING
BACK TO THE DAYS PEOPLE USE THE
PHONE BACK.
AFFY TAPPLE, AS OPPOSED TO TAFFY
APPLE, STARTS WITH AN A.
>> THEY WANTED TO BE FIRST IN
THE PHONE BOOK.
>> THAT’S RIGHT.
AND WHAT’S AS STREET AS THE
COMPANY ITSELF IS THE CORE
COMMITMENT TO EDUCATION.
FOR MORE THAN 60 YEARS, AFFY
TAPPLE HAVE PARTNERED WITH LOCAL
SCHOOLS AND CHARITIES, HELPING
RAISE MILLIONS OF DOLLARS
THROUGH THEIR FUNDRAISING
PROGRAMS.
>> WE TRY TO PROMOTE TEACHING
AND EDUCATION.
YOU KNOW, THE YOUTH IS REALLY
WHAT CARRIES OUR BRAND.
>> EVEN HOSTING AN ANNUAL FAMILY
FUN DAY TO RAISE MONEY FOR AREA
FOOD BANKS.
>> THIS BUSINESS IS HOME GROWN
IN CHICAGO, IS THAT PART OF THE
REASON YOU FEEL SO PASSIONATELY
ABOUT GETTING BACK TO CHICAGO
STILL?
>> ABSOLUTELY.
WE DO TAKE GREAT PRIDE IN THAT.
>> THE CODED CONFECTIONS ALL
MADE AT 100,000 SQUARE FOOT
STATE OF THE ART FACTORY.
IN SUBURBAN, NILES, ILLINOIS.
>> HERE WE ARE.
>> THIS IS IT.
>> THIS IS HUGE.
IN PEAK SEASON, 250 FULL-TIME
EMPLOYEES USE THE FRESHEST
PRODUCE, CAREFULLY PLACED WOODEN
STICKS AND STILL THAT HOME MADE
CARAMEL.
>> THIS IS AFFY TAPPLE, WHAT
YOU’RE SPELLING IS OUR BRAND.
>> WHAT I’M SMELLING SHOULD BE
ILLEGAL.
IT SMELLS SO GOOD.
UP TO 350,000 CARAMEL APPLES A
DAY, 20 MILLION A YEAR.
EVERY JOB REQUIRES PRECISION,
PATIENCE AND CLEARLY PRACTICE.
AS I LEARNED FIRSTHAND.
>> OH, MY GOSH.
WAIT, THIS IS REALLY STRESSFUL.
WHY ARE THEY GOING SO FAST?
THIS IS GOING TO GIVE ME
NIGHTMARES FOR QUITE SOME TIME.
WISH ME LUCK.
IT’S NOT PERFECT.
MINE LOOKS LIKE THE ZOMBIE
VERSION.
>> WHEN YOU MEET NEW PEOPLE,
THEY GET REALLY EXCITED.
FY TAPPLES.
>> SOME EMPLOYEES HAVE BEEN
HONING THEIR SKILLS FOR A DECADE
OR MORE.
>> YOU HAVE WORKED FOR AFFY
TAPPLE FOR HOW LONG?
>> THIS IS MY 20th YEAR.
>> THIS IS YOUR 20th YEAR?
>> YES.
>> HAPPY ANNIVERSARY.
>> THANK YOU.
>> TODAY, AFFY TAPPLE BOASTS
SALES ACROSS 36 STATES AND CAN
BE FOUND IN MAJOR GROCERY
CHAINS.
>> DO PEOPLE CALL YOU WILLIE
WONKA?
>> NO, BUT I’M STARTING TO FEEL
LIKE IT.
>> A SIMPLE, SWEET TREAT
INVENTED BY A WOMAN, NOW THE
CORE OF A SUCCESSFUL BLACK-OWNED
COMPANY, GROWING WAY BEYOND ITS
WINDY CITY ROOTS.
WHAT DOES THAT MEAN TO YOU?
>> SOME OF MY FAMILY HERITAGE,
YOU KNOW, IS ABOUT KIND OF
COMING FROM NOTHING.
IT’S ONE OF THE MAIN REASONS I
LOVE TO GIVE BACK TO THE
COMMUNITY AND SHOW THE KIDS
THAT, YOU KNOW, THEY CAN MAKE
SOMETHING OF THEIR DREAMS.
>> DREAMS STEMMING FROM AN
ICONIC TREAT THAT FOR SO MANY
MARKS A SWEET SYMBOL OF FALL.
>> SO GOOD.
SO GOOD.
>> SO GLAD WE USED THAT SHOT, BY
THE WAY, I HAVE SMALLER BITES
TODAY.
I LEARNED MY LESSON.
GUYS, AFFY TAPPLE DAY IS POPULAR
FOR REFERENCE IN CHICAGO SCHOOLS
THAT IT HAS ITS OWN DEDICATED
FUNDRAISING DAY ON THE SCHOOL
CALENDAR.
THE TEAM IS DEDICATED TO
RESEARCH, WE HAVE LOTS OF
PRODUCTS TO TRY.
THEY’RE GOING TO LOSE THEIR
MINDS BECAUSE I HEAR JEFF
GOLDBLUM WANTED TO TRY AFFY
TAPPLE, IS THAT CORRECT?
>> HE JOINED US SO HE COULD TRY
IT.
WE HAVE A SELECTION HERE.
>> ME, REALLY?
AREN’T YOU GOING TO GO FIRST?
>> JEFF’S FIRST.
>> MAY I OFFER --
>> JEFF, ARE YOU A CARAMEL OR
CARAMEL?
>> YOU MEAN PRONUNCIATION.
>> CARAMEL, CARAMEL, HEY, HAVE A
CARAMEL.
I DON’T KNOW.
HAVE A CARAMEL, HAVE A CARAMEL.
CARAMEL, CARAMEL.
>> I’M A CARAMEL, LIKE MAGGIE.
>> SO GOOD.
>> WELL DONE.
>> AND CLINT EASTWOOD WAS THE
MAYOR OF WHAT CITY?
>> CARAMEL.
>> AND WHAT DOES HORMEL MAKE?
>> SAUSAGES?
CHEESE?
>> HAM, I BELIEVE, IS THAT
CORRECT?
>> MAGGIE, I KNOW IT’S BEEN
STRANGE, BUT THANK YOU.