COMPANY ORIGINS

         In 1925 Emmert Brooks was driving out from Iowa to visit his sweetheart Corrinne in California with a car full of patented pruning saws he meant to sell to farms along the way. He picked up a hitching, seventeen-year-old Paul Adams, who, for the next few days, traveled with Emmert. While Emmert was visiting friends in Denver, Paul surprised Emmert by selling the remaining saws; their friendship was forged but their business relationship would not fully materialize for several more years. After marrying Corrinne in 1928, Emmert sold flying lessons for Bauck aircraft until it burned down in 1931.

         Emmert found himself, like so many other Americans during the depression, without a job. Paul knew a recipe from a friend in Cincinnati

for the best caramel corn he had ever known, and with the depression in full swing, Emmert and Paul went into business together and founded Adams & Brooks in 1932. They sold their caramel corn, which was made in the window of their one-product retail store on famous Hill Street, opposite Pershing Square, in Los Angeles.
         Although the depression put restraints on people's spending money, somehow there was room and a market for a distinctive, quality product that simply made people happy.

         Caramel Corn sales were quite successful; so much so that during Prohibition the Department of the Treasury raided the store on suspicion of alcohol distribution! In order to increase sales, Paul and Emmert sold popcorn to patrons in line outside movie theaters. This tactic was enormously successful until movie theater managers decided to sell popcorn within their buildings. Some give Paul and Emmert credit for starting the tradition of eating popcorn at the movies!

DEVELOPMENT

         After the second world war, the Los Angeles County Fair re-opened in 1948 and Adams & Brooks started its association with one of the largest fairs in the country. One can still go to the Pomona Fairgrounds and see the location of the original booth at the corner of Broadway and Palm. Pushcarts traveling the entire fairgrounds offering samples helped build recognition (and appetite!) for P-Nuttles brand Toffee Peanuts.

         When the first major amusement park opened in southern California in 1955, Adams & Brooks acquired the candy concession for the park. Adams & Brooks employees ran a total of four separate candy stores on the park premises. These stores sold a wide range of confections including several kinds of fudge, English Toffee, chews, brittles, rocky road, and a variety of hand-dipped chocolates. This major park assumed all retail outlets in park in 1970. However, this park and the associated parks in Florida and France still remain important customers.

THE COMPANY TODAY

         The economic situation today is not as it was during the depression, but Adams & Brooks still produces distinctive, unique, quality candy. The company still relies upon its ability to create a differentiated product. No other company makes such high quality toffee coated Peanuts, Cashews, Almonds, or Sunflower Kernels as does Adams & Brooks for its P-Nuttles brand.

         Coffee Rio is the only coffee candy made with real, fresh cream. Fairtime Taffy, Cup-O-Gold chocolate bars, and specialized lollipops round out the product lines. The company's products are sold to customers in every class of trade in the confectionery industry--wholesalers, distributors, mass merchandisers, jobbers, vendors, and retailers.

         The primary market for its products is the eleven Western states, but Adams & Brooks distributes throughout the United States as well as in England, France, Germany, Italy, Israel, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Australia, and Singapore. A network of domestic and an international sales broker augment Adams & Brooks' internal sales personnel. The majority of manufacturing takes place at the Hoover Street location in Los Angeles; some lollipop items are made by our affiliate company, CandyColor, located in Tijuana, Mexico.

A TRUE FAMILY BUSINESS

         John Brooks, Sr., the son of the founder, Emmert, started working full-time for Adams & Brooks in 1964. He serves as company President. Tempe Brooks, John's wife, became involved with the company in the late 1960's by typing John's dictated letters at home. During the mid 1970's she worked part-time performing administrative duties. Tempe is hopelessly organized; in the early 1980's she developed spec sheets, numbered the corrugated cartons, and soon coordinated all material details. In 1987 Tempe continued to work part-time but as Office Manager. Tempe is currently working full-time as Human Resources manager and Corporate Secretary/Treasurer. She attends major trade shows, is a member of the National Confectioners Association, and is active with export accounts.

         As did her older sister and younger brother, Cindy Brooks first became involved with the company by working on the lines packing product. Cindy started working full-time in 1994 as Product Manager. Cindy performs customer service, coordinates manufacturing with sales requests, and has primary responsibility for package design, new product development, and private label sales.

         John Brooks, Jr, as his sister, is the third generation to work at Adams & Brooks. He recently completed the Master of Business Administration program at the University of Southern California. He joined the company full-time in June, 1997 and serves as Business Development Manager.


Adams & Brooks, Inc.

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