Chicago Is Hot Dog City

No city loves its hot dogs as much as Chicago, “hog butcher for the world” as Carl Sandburg wrote in his poem “Chicago.” Though the go-to frank there is the Vienna Beef wiener.
On a recent trip back to Chicago, I visited two famous hot dog joints in the northern neighborhoods of Chicago: Superdawg Chicago in Norwood Park East and Wolfy’s in West Ridge.
In August, I stopped by another famous Chicagoland hot dog restaurant, Gene & June’s in River Grove, Ill.
The experience for each was unique but all of them offered delicious meals with their own twist on the Chicago-style hot dog.
The traditional Chicago-style hot dog features an all-beef frankfurter on a poppy seed bun, topped with yellow mustard, chopped white onions, bright green sweet pickle relish, a dill pickle spear, tomato slices or wedges, pickled sport peppers and a dash of celery salt.
One of the quintessential downtown Chicago hot dog joints is The Weiners Circle in Lincoln Park. It’s known more for its sass and satirical promotions than its food. The late night crowd can get pretty rowdy, according to locals.
Chicago is known for other meaty fast-food delicacies as well including the Italian beef sandwich, Maxwell Street Polish sausage and the gyro sandwich.

Lunch today at the famous Gene & Jude’s hot dog stand in River Grove, Illinois. Delicious Vienna Beef franks and fresh-made fries. I got the double dog with fries and a Coke. pic.twitter.com/TRKUStn4l2

— Patrick Seitz (@PatrickSeitz) August 22, 2025

Yummy lunch today at @Superdawg in Chicago. pic.twitter.com/Wz5xl9KhaT

— Patrick Seitz (@PatrickSeitz) October 3, 2025

Made a stop at popular Chicago-style hotdog restaurant Wolfy’s on the North Side. I wolfed down two Vienna Beef franks with all the fixings plus fries. pic.twitter.com/2sZwkwbQP4

— Patrick Seitz (@PatrickSeitz) October 5, 2025

Related article:

Ode to Chicago-style hot dogs (Aug. 31, 2025)

Ode to Chicago-style hot dogs

Thanks to the expansion of the Portillo’s restaurant chain outside of Chicago, people across the country can now enjoy Chicago-style hot dogs without having to venture to the Windy City. I love those “dragged through the garden” franks.
When I was living in Wilmette, Ill., my go-to hot dog joint was Irving’s For Red Hot Lovers. It’s got the traditional Chicago-style beef hot dog topped with yellow mustard, bright green sweet pickle relish, chopped white onion, tomato slices, a dill pickle spear, pickled sport peppers, and a dash of celery salt on a steamed poppy seed bun.
On my regular visits to Chicagoland, I like to stop for a dog and fries at Superdawg in Wheeling, Ill.
On my most recent visit this month, I decided to go to one of the most storied hot dog stands in all of Chicago – Gene & June’s in River Grove, Ill. I was not disappointed.
I ordered the double-dog with fries. Gene & June’s tops its franks with mustard, relish, onion and sport peppers. It’s a good hot dog, but the fresh cut and made French fries are the true standout here.

Chicago mobster grave tour

The Chicago mobsters of the last century continue to fascinate the public. You can take guided bus tours of their neighborhoods and haunts to this day.
Why is it that people want to learn more about old-time gangsters like Al Capone and John Dillinger? I suppose it’s because they had a sense of style and celebrity that ordinary criminals today lack. Plus, they weren’t known for killing civilians just rival gang members and those who wronged them.
There was also the dichotomy of Italian and Irish mobsters being church-going Catholics and yet still committing crimes. Plus, some like Capone gave to the poor and needy. You don’t see inner city gangs today helping widows and orphans.
On a recent trip to Chicago, I visited Mt. Carmel Cemetery in Hillside, Illinois. It’s the final resting place for many notorious criminals.
I stopped by the graves of Al Capone (Alphonse Capone, 1899-1947), Frank Nitto (aka Frank “The Enforcer” Nitti, 1888-1943), Vincent Gebardi (aka Jack “Machine Gun Jack” McGurn, 1902-1936) and Sam Giancana (1908-1975).
Some “fan” even left a .45-caliber bullet on Machine Gun Jack’s grave.
Also buried at Mt. Carmel Cemetery is actor Dennis Farina, 1944-2013).

Worthwhile websites on journalism, tech industry and Chicago

I regularly spotlight websites that I find interesting, useful or entertaining. Here’s the latest batch.

Press Gazette

The U.K.-based Press Gazette provides great coverage of the media industry. Its tagline is “Fighting for quality news media in the digital age.”
Of interest to me is the excellent job it does casting a critical eye on the impact of Google search algorithms and, more recently, AI summaries on news publishers.

Ed Zitron’s Where’s Your Ed At

Ed Zitron’s Where’s Your Ed At is a blog run by PR person and writer Ed Zitron. He isn’t afraid to call out bullshit when he sees it in the tech industry, especially when it comes to the recent AI boom.
“I've been railing against bullshit bubbles since 2021,” he said in a recent post. That includes the anti-remote work push, the NFT bubble, the made-up quiet quitting panic and problems with FTX several months before it imploded.
“I believe the AI bubble is deeply unstable, built on vibes and blind faith,” Zitron said.

Layoffs.fyi

Layoffs.fyi has been tracking tech industry layoffs since the Covid-19 pandemic. It is a personal project of Roger Lee, an internet entrepreneur based in San Francisco.
He also tracks government employees laid off by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). So far this year, DOGE has laid off 67,749 government employees

HeyJackass!

HeyJackass! Illustrates the violent crime problem in Chicago with charts and graphics showing shootings and homicides. It also sells funny Chicago-themed T-shirts and other merchandise.

Photo: Chicago Chalkie (HeyJackass!)

Chicago X accounts to see the good and bad of the Windy City

As a native of the Chicagoland area, I still keep track of goings-on in the Windy City, even though I live on the East Coast now.
I follow several accounts on X, formerly Twitter, to get different raw takes on Chicago, beyond the local news outlets. Some show the fun, nostalgic and touristy side of the city, while other show the grim reality of problems facing the nation’s third most populous city.
For positive views of Chicago, check out these X accounts:

Barry Butler Photography, @barrybutler9

Barry Butler is a professional landscape photographer who takes beautiful shots of the Chicago skyline, its parks, waterfront, etc.

Chicago History, @Chicago_History

Chicago History describes itself as “Chicken Soup For The Chicago Soul.” It features Chicago nostalgia and takes on its culture.

Given all the problems the city has due to poor governance, there are a lot of critical Chicago X accounts. What follows are just a few.

Chicago Critter, @ChicagoCritter

Chicago Critter provides independent news coverage across the city, highlighting crime and disturbances that go unreported or are downplayed elsewhere.

SubX.News, @SubxNews

SubX.News is a news aggregator that spotlights violent crime, teen takeovers and other problems in Chicago.

Chicago Contrarian, @ChicagoContrar1

Chicago Contrarian provides commentary on urban affairs in Chicago. It shines a light on the ineptness of Chicago politicians and the crooked Chicago Teachers Union.

Mark Weyermuller, @publicpolicyman

Mark Weyermuller is a taxpayer advocate and conservative citizen journalist in Chicago.
One of his initiatives is the “Empty Chicago Storefront Project,” where he documents all the vacant businesses in the city. He blames high taxes, high crime, over-regulation, government corruption and incompetence.

Libs of Chicago, @Libs_OfChicago

Libs of Chicago critiques Chicago’s liberal and progressive politics and the problems they have caused.

Goofies of Chicago, @Chicago_Goofies

Goofies of Chicago provides a look at the dark side of living in Chicago. That includes crime, social disruptions and other negative aspects of the city.

Let me know if I missed any good ones.

Physical halls of fame for sports gambling, poker, 16-inch softball

Here’s a look at some of the latest physical halls of fame I’ve found that you can visit. Some are just plaques on walls but that’s still a shrine to the best of the best in whatever field.
In North America, there are at least 550 halls and walks of fame that you can see in person.

Sports Gambling Hall of Fame

The Sports Gambling Hall of Fame honors individuals who have notably transformed the sports gambling industry.
The Sports Gambling Hall of Fame is located in the sportsbook of the Circa Resort & Casino in Las Vegas. It opened in August 2023.
Each inductee receives a plaque featuring their name, induction class year, and biography. The hall has had two induction classes so far – in 2023 and 2024.
The SGHOF induction ceremony takes place every August at Circa Las Vegas as the capstone event of Bet Bash.

Poker Hall of Fame

Elsewhere in Las Vegas is the Poker Hall of Fame. It is located in the Horseshoe Las Vegas, owned by Caesar’s Entertainment.
The current Poker Hall of Fame exhibit opened in July 2023 and features displays on inductees along with World Series of Poker (WSOP) bracelets and rings. WSOP manages the hall of fame.
The hall of fame exhibit previously was in the former Binion’s Gambling Hall and Hotel in Las Vegas.

16-Inch Softball Hall of Fame

The 16-Inch Softball Hall of Fame is located in Forest Park, Ill. The hall-of-fame museum tells the history of the Chicago-created sport of 16-inch softball and honors the best players, umpires, managers, organizers and teams. The museum opened in July 2014.
The sport is traditionally played without fielder’s gloves.

Space Camp Hall of Fame

The U.S. Space & Rocket Center education foundation established the Space Camp Hall of Fame to recognize the accomplishments of its Space Camp graduates and former employees.
The inductees are honored at the Hall of Fame Dinner, which marks the beginning of Space Camp Alumni Reunion Weekend.
Plaques featuring the inductees and their accomplishments are located in the U.S. Space & Rocket Center in Huntsville, Ala.

Greater Buffalo Sports Hall of Fame

The Greater Buffalo Sports Hall of Fame was established in 1991 to honor sports greats from the western New York region. Recent inductees include NFL football player Rob Gronkowski and NHL hockey player Richard Brooks Orpik.
The Greater Buffalo Sports Hall of Fame collection is located inside Dave & Adam’s Card World retail store in Williamsville, N.Y.

Related resources:

Halls of Fame in North America

Mascot Hall of Fame closing its doors (July 28, 2024)

Halls of fame for rhythm and blues, gospel music and more still hoping for physical homes (July 8, 2024)

Song of Summer 2024: ‘I Had Some Help’; Breakout artist: Chappell Roan

As is customary for Labor Day weekend and the unofficial end of summer, it’s time to crown the song of summer. This year’s honoree, based on Billboard charts, is “I Had Some Help” by Post Malone and featuring Morgan Wallen.
It currently is the No. 1 song on Billboard’s Song of Summer chart and has been the top song for 13 weeks. The rowdy country party song debuted on May 10.
Featured artist Morgan Wallen had last year’s song of summer with “Last Night.”
An early contender for 2024 song of summer was Sabrina Carpenter’s “Espresso.” The hit pop tune premiered on April 11 but peaked too soon in the season.
Meanwhile, my choice for artist of summer 2024 is Chappell Roan. She exploded onto the scene from seemingly nowhere and has ruled the charts with songs like “Good Luck, Babe!” and “Hot To Go!”
Her set at the Lollapalooza music festival in Chicago on Aug. 1 drew a massive crowd, worthy of a headliner. (See articles by Yahoo Entertainment, WGN TV and Rolling Stone.)
Runners-up for artist of summer include Sabrina Carpenter and Charli XCX.
Taylor Swift dubbed the season the “Summer of Sabrina” in reference to the younger artist’s hit songs and sold-out tour. (See article by the Daily Mail.)
Meanwhile, Charli XCX’s “Brat” album had “an undeniable cultural moment,” Rolling Stone said. Vice President Kamala Harris even coopted the aesthetic for her presidential campaign. (See article by Today.)

Recent songs of summer

2018   “In My Feelings” by Drake
2019   “Old Town Road” by Lil Nas X featuring Billy Ray Cyrus
2020   “Rockstar” by DaBaby featuring Roddy Ricch
2021   “Good 4 U” by Olivia Rodrigo
2022   “As It Was” by Harry Styles
2023   “Last Night” by Morgan Wallen
2024   “I Had Some Help” by Post Malone and featuring Morgan Wallen

Music artist of summer

2018   Cardi B
2019   Billie Eilish
2020   Doja Cat
2021   Olivia Rodrigo
2022   Harry Styles
2023   Taylor Swift
2024   Chappell Roan

Other opinions on Song of Summer 2024:

8 Correct Answers to ‘What Was the Song of the Summer?’ (New York Times; Aug. 23, 2024)

‘Song of the summer’ may be dead, but 2024 was the summer of song (Midia Research; Aug. 22, 2024)

‘It invites the listener to join in’: How Sabrina Carpenter’s Espresso became the song of the summer (Aug. 21, 2024)

What’s 2024’s “song of the summer”? (Vox; July 29, 2024)

What’s the Song of the Summer? Let’s Do the Math (Rolling Stone; July 28, 2024)

Who will have the 2024 song of the summer? We offer some predictions (AP; June 18, 2024)

The Musical History Lesson Buried Beneath the Song of the Summer (Slate; June 4, 2024)

Sweets & Snacks Expo 2022 provides look at fun eating trends

The Sweets & Snacks Expo, held May 23-26 in Chicago, offered a glimpse into the types of treats consumers are ingesting these days.
Candymakers like Hershey, Jelly Belly, Mars, and Tootsie Roll showed off new products that offered twists on fan favorites. Smaller companies at the show brought out edgier eats.
Trends at the 2022 show included more s’mores-flavored confections and greater varieties of spicy chips and snacks. Plant-based products included carrot bacon jerky, non-dairy chocolate, and vegan gummies. Two candy brands introduced drinks: Jelly Belly Sparkling Water and Warheads sour soda.
The 2022 show attracted about 700 exhibitors and 16,000 attendees. Other major exhibitors included General Mills, Hostess Brands, Kellogg, Mondelez, and PepsiCo. The Sweets & Snacks Expo boasted 4.5 acres of candy and snack innovation at the McCormick Place Convention Center.
Next year’s show is the last planned for Chicago. Future shows will alternate between Indianapolis and Las Vegas.

Related article:

Sweets And Snacks Get Boost From Economic, Societal Trends (Investor’s Business Daily; June 17, 2022)

Photos: Sweets & Snacks Expo 2022 in Chicago (Patrick Seitz)

How the conference industry sees the reopening of the economy post-Covid

The conference industry took a major hit when the Covid-19 pandemic shut down in-person business gatherings beginning in early 2020. Now a year-plus later, the industry is struggling to get back to normal.
Some conferences are still planning virtual shows for this year while others are gambling on a comeback for in-person meetings.
Physical shows are problematic because of the slow rollout of Covid-19 vaccines as well as corporate restrictions on business travel still in place. State and city government restrictions on gatherings also are a roadblock.

National Restaurant Association Show canceled

Organizers of the National Restaurant Association Show were forced to cancel the event for the second straight year because of limits on gatherings of more than 50 people in the state of Illinois. The in-person event had been scheduled for May 22-25 at McCormick Place in Chicago. (See article by Restaurant Business and Feb. 26 press release.)

Sweets & Snacks Expo holding physical show

Indianapolis apparently has less restrictive requirements for business events amid the Covid-19 pandemic than Chicago. Two conferences I’ve attended in the past are planning in-person events in Indianapolis this summer and fall.
The Sweets & Snacks Expo has scheduled its latest show for June 23-25 at the Indiana Convention Center in Indianapolis. The event, sponsored by the National Confectioners Association, is for confectionery and snack retailers, manufacturers and suppliers. The show is moving from Chicago for the first time in its history this year. The 2020 show was canceled because of the coronavirus pandemic.

CEDIA Expo planning in-person show

CEDIA Expo will hold this year’s conference Sept. 1-3 at the Indiana Convention Center. CEDIA Expo is for installers of high-end residential technology, including home theaters and smart home devices. Organizers canceled last year’s show in Denver because of Covid-19 concerns. It offered a virtual show instead.

E3 switches to virtual show

On April 6, the Entertainment Software Association unveiled plans for an all-virtual E3 2021 to be held June 12-15. Last year’s annual video game industry conference in Los Angeles was canceled because of the coronavirus pandemic and was not replaced with a virtual show.
Nintendo, Microsoft Xbox, Capcom, Konami, Ubisoft, Take-Two Interactive Software and Warner Bros. Games are among the companies that have committed to participate in E3 2021. (See press release.)

GDC schedules online show

Meanwhile, the Game Developers Conference will again take place online this year. The week-long education- and business-focused event is set to run July 19-23. GDC was online in 2020 as well. (See article by the Hollywood Reporter.)

Google, Microsoft, Apple events staying virtual

The annual Google I/O conference for developers will be held online this year. It will run May 18-20. The 2020 show set for Shoreline Amphitheater in Mountain View, Calif., was canceled because of public health concerns.
Microsoft's annual developers conference, Build, will be a virtual event again this year because of the pandemic. Microsoft Build will run May 25-27.
Apple is holding its annual Worldwide Developers Conference as an online conference for the second straight year. It is set for June 7-11.

Hybrid tech events scheduled

Organizers of MWC Barcelona, formerly known as Mobile World Congress, are pressing ahead with an in-person event in Spain on June 28 through July 1. MWC Barcelona will be a hybrid event with an online component for those who are unable to attend in person. (See article by Fierce Wireless.)
Semi, the global industry association representing the electronics manufacturing and design supply chain, is planning a hybrid event for its Semicon Southeast Asia conference, scheduled for Aug. 23-27. An on-site conference will be held in Singapore at a venue to be announced soon, Semi said in a March 23 press release.

Related articles:

CES bargain: This year’s show is half off (Jan. 27, 2021)

Conference industry not coming back soon as Covid-19 pandemic lingers (Jan. 23, 2021)

E3 2021: Will there be a video game conference this year? (Jan. 20, 2021)

CES 2021 final thoughts: Virtual show comes up short (Jan. 18, 2021)

Physical halls of fame on the way for U.S. Olympic athletes, Illinois rockers, more

There are at least 459 halls of fame you can visit in the U.S. and Canada. And more are on the way. (Check out this Google map of the halls of fame in North America.) They include halls of fame for athletes, musicians, inventors, aviation, fishing and toys, to name a few.
The newest physical halls of fame are the Nevada Boxing Hall of Fame, University of Texas Athletics Hall of Fame and the National Comedy Hall of Fame Museum.

Nevada Boxing Hall of Fame

The Nevada Boxing Hall of Fame partnered with HeadzUp Vegas to create an interactive boxing exhibit and museum. The NVBHOF Interactive Boxing Exhibit and Museum is located inside the Boulevard Mall. It held its grand opening on June 22, 2019.

University of Texas Athletics Hall of Fame

The University of Texas Athletics Hall of Fame opened a brick-and-mortar facility in Austin, Texas, on Aug. 30, 2019.
The Frank Denius Family University of Texas Athletics Hall of Fame is a $17.1 million project housed in the 24,713-square-foot Red McCombs Red Zone in the North End Zone of Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium.

National Comedy Hall of Fame

The National Comedy Hall of Fame Museum opened its new facility in Holiday, Fla., on Nov. 12, 2019. The museum features material and memorabilia documenting the U.S. comedy industry.

Here’s a look at some more that are on the way:

U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Hall of Fame

The United States Olympic & Paralympic Hall of Fame will be hosted at the United States Olympic & Paralympic Museum. The museum is scheduled to open early 2020 in Colorado Springs, Colorado.
The 60,000 square-foot museum is dedicated to U.S. Olympic and Paralympic athletes and their compelling stories. It will feature artifacts, interactive exhibits and videos.

Pittsburgh Pirates Hall of Fame

The Pittsburgh Pirates Hall of Fame was announced last year and the inaugural class will be revealed this year. There will be a permanent display in PNC Park recognizing those selected for the honor.

Memphis Sports Hall of Fame

The Memphis Sports Hall of Fame is scheduled to open an exhibit at the AutoZone Park baseball stadium in Memphis this spring. The Memphis Sports Experience & Hall of Fame is a collaboration between Memphis Tourism and the Memphis Redbirds organization.

Illinois Rock & Roll Hall of Fame

The planned Illinois Rock & Roll Museum on Route 66 this week announced its first class of inductees. They include Chicago, REO Speedwagon, Cheap Trick and others. The organization behind the hall has purchased a building in Joliet, Illinois, for a future museum. The first floor of the museum is scheduled to open later this year, the Herald-News reported.

Montana Cowboy Hall of Fame

The Montana Cowboy Hall of Fame is establishing its inaugural exhibit within the Charles M. Russell Museum in Great Falls, Montana. It is currently raising funds for the project.

Character Hall of Fame

Last July, Comic-Con created the Character Hall of Fame with Batman as the first inductee. The inductees will be on display at the physical Comic-Con Museum, which is due to open in 2021 in San Diego’s Balboa Park.
The museum is described as “a year-round pop-culture wonderland featuring rotating immersive exhibits, theaters of varying sizes and extensive educational programming.”

Photos: Exterior of United States Olympic & Paralympic Museum (top); and logo for Illinois Rock & Roll Museum Hall of Fame.

Memories of growing up in Libertyville, Illinois, shared on Facebook

As much as I’d like to quit Facebook entirely because of the company’s horrendous record with user privacy, there are some things for which the social network is still very useful.
In addition to connecting long-lost friends, Facebook is very good for people who want to share special interests.
I don’t use Facebook to share personal information, but I do like to check out some groups that share memories of growing up in my hometown of Libertyville, Ill., and the Chicagoland area. I also belong to a group for my high school graduating class.
I subscribe to three Libertyville groups on Facebook, two of which are closed groups. They are: Vintage Libertyville (Illinois), Libertyville Memories of the 70’s and “You know you grew up in Libertyville, IL because you remember...”, of which the first two are private.
I also subscribe to Vanished Chicagoland on Facebook.
I especially like it when members share photos from the past in Libertyville, including pictures of distinctly Chicago or Libertyville things.
I’ve included some sample photos here. They include Glen Rock soda pop from Waukegan, a staple of my childhood; Highland Hornets button from Highland Middle School; postcard from the Hitch Inn Post Motel, where my family stayed when we moved to Libertyville from Minnesota; Jays Potato Chips from Chicago; advertisement from Chicago rock radio station The Loop FM 98; and a weekly top singles and albums list from pop music station WLS.

Remembering Sears, the one-time retail giant

One-time retail leader Sears doesn’t look like it’s going to be in business much longer. The struggling company recently announced another round of store closings.
One of the stores set to close is an anchor at the Hawthorn Mall in Vernon Hills, Illinois. I worked at that store in the catalog department in 1979 and 1980. I still have my Sears name tag somewhere.
Sears built its brand as a catalog firm. What products it didn’t have available in its retail stores you could probably find in its thick-book catalog.
In the part of the store I worked people would pick up the products they ordered by phone, mail or in person. I’d retrieve their packages and check them out at the register. I’d also call customers at home to let them know that their orders had arrived.
Sears missed a huge opportunity to dominate online when the commercial internet arrived. It had much of the physical infrastructure in place. Instead, Amazon and Walmart rose up to grab that business.
Chicago-based Sears ended its catalog business in 1993 because of sinking sales and profits, just before the consumer internet took off. Jeff Bezos founded Amazon.com in July 1994.
Sears wasted away because it failed to adapt to changing consumer tastes and technology. No enterprise can rest on past accomplishments. It must be willing to embrace change.

Related articles:

Sears, Kmart parent company to close another 63 stores as sales crisis continues (USA Today; May 31, 2018)

It was once the biggest retailer in the US. 125 years later, Sears looks a lot different (CNBC; May 18, 2018)

Photo: Store-closing sale at the Sears in the Dover Mall in Dover, Delaware, in May 2018. (Photo on Creative Commons from Dough4872 on Wikipedia entry on Sears.)

Trump Hair Cotton Candy and other unusual items at the Sweets & Snacks Expo

The annual Sweets & Snacks Expo in Chicago this week had its share of unusual products. Here are a few of them.

Chocolate Storybrook of West Des Moines, Iowa, has made Trump Hair Cotton Candy. The butterscotch-flavored candy was inspired by the 45th president of the United States, Donald Trump.

Treat Street has made Lolli-Poops Lollipops, which are fruity lollipops shaped like the poop emoji character. Treat Street is a brand owned by My Favorite Company of Los Angeles.

Jelly Belly Candy Company of Fairfield, Calif., showed off the latest weird flavors in its Bean Boozled line of jelly beans. The candy challenges users to eat such jelly bean flavors as stinky socks, lawn clippings, canned dog food, booger and barf.

Bebeto of Turkey has made Crayola Gummies, which hopefully won’t encourage kids to eat crayons. What’s next? Tide Pod gummies?

HotLix of Grover Beach, Calif., showed off its latest line of edible insects, including crickets and earthworms. The company’s crispy crickets come flavored with bacon and cheese, salt and vinegar, and sour cream and onion.

Thanks, but I’ll stick with chocolate.

Hershey, Hostess Brands make a splash at Sweets & Snacks Expo

Keeping up with changing consumer tastes can be a daunting challenge for food companies. That was evident this week at the Sweets & Snacks Expo in Chicago.
Candy giant Hershey and sweet baked goods maker Hostess Brands were among the many companies at the show discussing how they are evolving their product lineups for today’s picky consumers.

Hershey a snacking powerhouse

Hershey is diversifying its product lineup and becoming more focused on snacks as opposed to just sweets.
“Hershey’s vision is to be an innovative snacking powerhouse,” Laura Renaud, Hershey corporate spokesperson said.
Hershey CEO Michele Buck oversaw the acquisitions of jerky maker Krave Pure Foods in 2015 and Amplify Snack Brands, maker of SkinnyPop popcorn, in January.
Hershey also has blurred the lines between candy and snacks with such products as Hershey’s and Reese’s Popped Snack Mix and Dipped Pretzels.
Its products are being found increasingly in the same grocery store aisle as nuts, chips and other snacks instead of just the candy aisle, Renaud said.
Hershey also is focused on filling consumer needs for energy boosts throughout the day with protein snacks, she said.
It is repositioning its Payday candy bar as a snacking product because it is salty and sweet and packed with peanuts for protein.
“They’re really great for energy, that afternoon pick-me-up,” Renaud said. “People traditionally don’t think of a candy bar that way.”
At this year’s Sweets & Snacks Expo, Hershey’s touted products launched earlier in the year. They include Hershey’s Gold and Reese’s Outrageous.
Launched with the Winter Olympics, Hershey’s Gold is a proprietary blend of caramelized creme with peanuts and pretzels.
Reese’s Outrageous features caramel and crunchy Reese’s Pieces candy surrounded by creamy peanut butter and covered in smooth milk chocolate.

Hostess success story

Hostess Brands is writing its turnaround story thanks to product innovation in the sweet bakery goods market.
After the original Hostess was liquidated in bankruptcy proceedings in 2013, a private equity firm purchased the company’s snack cake business. It restarted the business with a clean slate five years ago. It went from no sales to $1.2 billion in sales since then.
“It really is a great comeback story,” said Andy Jacobs, executive vice president and chief operating officer, Hostess Brands.
Hostess simplified the company’s manufacturing and distribution structure and began developing new products, he said.
“The category was sleepy,” he said. “We’re going to drive innovation. We are going to shake up the category.”
Take the company’s well-known Twinkie snack cake, which is traditionally a golden sponge cake filled with white creme. Last year, for the first time, the company offered a chocolate sponge cake Twinkie, based on feedback from consumers.
At the Sweets & Snacks Expo, it showed off a chocolate cake Twinkie with peanut butter creme filling.
“If you walk around the show, particularly over to the confection guys, the No. 1 flavor in snacking is chocolate and peanut butter,” he said.
Hostess also makes seasonal Twinkies such as a red peppermint Twinkie for Christmas and this summer a cotton candy-flavored Twinkie.
“The success of the Hostess comeback is rooted in a foundation of extended shelf life,” Jacobs said. “We have this extended shelf life technology that’s a natural enzyme that helps extend the shelf life to 65 days. Because of that we have the opportunity to sell sweet baked goods on Amazon.”
Other iconic Hostess brands include Ho Hos, Ding Dongs and Zingers.
In February, Hostess purchased certain breakfast snack assets from Aryzta, including the Big Texas and Cloverhill brands and a Chicago area bakery facility. The deal will add honeybuns, Danish pastries and cinnamon rolls to its product lineup.

Sweets & Snacks Expo 2018: hot and spicy, sweet and sour, and everything in between

The annual Sweets and Snacks Expo in Chicago provided a comprehensive look at the state of snacking and treating today.
The three-day show wrapped up Thursday at the McCormick Place convention center. Candy and snack makers from 90 countries converged at the expo to entice retailers with their latest tasty creations. The expo drew about 900 exhibitors and some 18,000 attendees.
Flavor and ingredient trends at the show included new uses for coconut and caramel, alternative types chips (beans, quinoa, seaweed, cauliflower, etc.), and the extremes of spicy hot and super sour.
The percentage breakdown of products at the show is about 60-40, with sweets still dominating.
Ruby chocolate had its U.S. coming-out party at the show. Cocoa and chocolate producer Barry Callebaut introduced the new chocolate last September. Made from the ruby cocoa bean, the pink chocolate is the fourth type of chocolate after milk, dark and white.
The product named “best in show” by a panel of experts was Hostess Bakery Petites, “poppable” cake and brownie treats, from Hostess Brands. Poppable is an industry term for a small bite-sized snack that can be popped into your mouth.
You pick up a lot of trade lingo at a conference like Sweets & Snacks. Not many places do you hear conversations about “flavor technology” and “taste science.”
Other award-winning products at the show included:

• Hershey’s Gold candy bar with caramelized creme, peanuts and pretzels
• Justin’s Mini White Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups
• Warheads Dippin’ Ring, a candy ring with sour candy dipping powder, from Impact Confections
• Crispy Trail Mix Crackers, made with mung beans, cashew nuts, raisins, sesame seeds and pumpkin seeds, from In Season Snacks
• Tangerine Vanilla Cashew-Macadamia Glazed Mix from Sahale Snacks, a unit of J.M. Smucker
• Tic Tac Cool Tropical sugar-free gum from Italian confectioner Ferrero
• Big Chewy Nerds crunchy and chewy candy from Nestle
• ParmCrisps Trios with three types of crisps: cheese, almonds and pumpkin seeds, and apricots and cranberries from That’s How We Roll

Larry Levin, executive vice president, consumer and shopper marketing, for marketing consulting firm IRI identified four products at the show as “rising stars”: Hershey’s Gold, M&M Caramel, Lay’s Poppables, and Kinder Joy.
Popular in Europe, Kinder Joy has only been available in the U.S. since January. It comes in a plastic egg-shaped package that splits in two, with one half containing layers of cocoa and milk cream and the other half containing a toy. Kinder Joy is made by Ferrero.
Just Born Quality Confections of Bethlehem, Pa., was at the Sweets & Snacks Expo showing off its latest candies. They included Mike and Ike Mega Mix Sour and Hot Tamales Fire & Ice.
Mike and Ike Mega Mix Sour features 10 flavors of sour fruit candies. Hot Tamales Fire & Ice pairs the No. 1 cinnamon candy with a cool mint flavored candy.
“It’s about the trend of extremes,” said Koren Ivie, brand manager for Mike and Ike and Hot Tamales brand candies for Just Born.
Both are expected to be popular with young people who like extreme candies, especially ones that are highly sharable, she said.
Quite a few companies at the show played into the healthy food trend.
Lotus Natural Foods of Charlotte, N.C., was promoting its Bear Nibbles fruit rollups at the expo. Its products feature healthy extras added to the fruit.
For instance, the Bear Nibbles apple fruit rollup contains seaweed and the raspberry rollup also has apple, pear and carrot.
Alexandra Braverman, key account manager for Bear Nibbles, said the products have resonated with parents who want healthy snacks that taste great to feed their kids.
“Kids don’t even know they’re eating healthy,” she said.
Product innovation was a key theme of this year’s Sweets and Snacks Expo as food manufacturers try to compete with more commodity-like store-brand products.
Hello Delicious Brands of Northbrook, Ill., presented its latest snacks, including oven-baked pizza chips, fruit-filled snacks and popcorn crackers.
“We’re a snack innovation company,” Melissa Everitt, director of sales for Hello Delicious Brands, said. “We want to bring unique and different snacks to stores, no me-too products.”

Related articles:

Sweets And Snacks Stocks Snap, Crackle And Drop (Investor’s Business Daily; May 24, 2018)

Amazon Widens Its Influence Even More And Takes A Bite Out Of Snacks (Investor’s Business Daily; May 24, 2018)

Artwork: Sweets & Snacks Expo.

Is Elon Musk serious about getting into the candy business?

Earlier this month, business magnate, inventor and engineer Elon Musk got into a tiff with billionaire investor Warren Buffett. It started with a difference of opinion about the business concept of moats and ended with Musk vowing to take on Buffett in the candy industry.
Buffett’s holding company, Berkshire Hathaway, owns See’s Candies. Based in South San Francisco, Calif., See’s Candies is 47th largest candy company in the world with annual sales of about $430 million, according to Candy Industry magazine.
Buffett said Musk wouldn’t want to come after him in the candy business. But Musk accepted the challenge. He took to Twitter and wrote, “I’m starting a candy company & it’s going to be amazing.”
He added, “I am super super serious.”
Musk then solicited advice from his Twitter followers about what they’d wish for in his candy venture. Some suggested that Musk be like fictional Willy Wonka and give out golden tickets for rides on his SpaceX rocket.
The National Confectioners Association joined in the fun and invited Musk to the annual Sweets and Snacks Expo, which runs May 22 through 24 in Chicago. The trade group even registered him for the event, hoping he’ll show up.
Is Musk just pulling everybody’s leg? Or is he really truly interested in getting into the candy business?
Musk has been involved in a host of businesses including PayPal, SolarCity and Tesla. So we’ll see.

I am super super serious

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) May 5, 2018

Ok ok, just for sake of argument, what do u wish for in candy? 🍭

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) May 5, 2018

Hey @elonmusk – Since you’re interested in the candy biz, we’ve registered you for the industry’s most important B2B event: @CandyUSA’s Sweets & Snacks Expo. Hope to see you in Chicago, 5/22-24. Find out why you should be there - https://t.co/9RN225Zbaa. #SSE18 pic.twitter.com/RhmYQYgtLP

— Sweets & Snacks Expo (@SWEETSandSNACKS) May 8, 2018

Related articles:

Musk Is ‘Super Super Serious’ About Attacking Buffett's Candy Moat (Bloomberg; May 5, 2018)

Warren Buffett Vs. Elon Musk: Who’s Better at Selling Candy? (Wall Street Journal; May 5, 2018)

Why Elon Musk and Warren Buffett Are Suddenly Trolling Each Other Over See's Candies (Fortune; May 5, 2018)

Photo: Elon Musk at a SpaceX facility in Texas in September 2012. (Photo by Steve Jurvetson on Flickr.)

The unsolved disappearance of Timmothy Pitzen

Seven years ago this month, a six-year-old Aurora, Ill., boy vanished without a trace and police still don’t know what happened to him.
The boy, Timmothy Pitzen, disappeared while on a trip across suburban Chicago and southern Wisconsin with his mentally troubled mother.
His mother, Amy Fry-Pitzen, unexpectedly checked him out of school early on Wednesday May 11, 2011, and left town. Her husband, the boy’s father, says he did not know about his wife’s plans.
Amy took Timmothy to Brookfield Zoo and two indoor amusement and water parks. Security camera footage from a Wisconsin Dells water park showed the two together on Friday May 13, 2011.
Amy was found dead of a suicide on Saturday May 14 in a Rockford, Ill., motel. She checked in alone the day before.
She left a note saying that her son was fine and she had put him in the care of unnamed individuals.
I hope Timmothy is found safe and sound one day. And that this mystery is put to rest.

Related articles:

Have you seen this child? Timmothy Pitzen (National Center for Missing & Exploited Children)

Father of Timmothy Pitzen Desperate To Find His Son After 6 Years (MyStateLine; May 15, 2017)

Timmothy Pitzen, 6, missing after mother found dead by suicide (Crime Watch Daily; April 25, 2017)

Pitzen case to be featured on '20/20' TV show (Chicago Tribune; Dec. 24, 2015)

'You Will Never Find Him': A Mother’s Chilling Vow After Kidnapping Son and Killing Herself (People; Oct. 28, 2015)

Grieving mother reads daughter’s suicide note (CNN; June 3, 2014)

Hoping for the safe return of Timmothy Pitzen (Tech-media-tainment; May 26, 2011)

Lou Malnati’s Pizza shipped to displaced Chicagoans

Having grown up in the Chicago area, I occasionally long for things from home that I can’t get where I currently live in the Washington, D.C., area.
One of those things is Lou Malnati’s deep-dish pizza. It’s my favorite pizza by far. Just thinking about their pepperoni pizza makes me salivate.
Fortunately they ship nationwide. The pizzas come cold-packed with dry ice in foam coolers.
I ordered some Lou Malnati’s pizzas in time for the Super Bowl. And I was a happy camper.
Lou Malnati’s Tastes of Chicago website also sells other Chicago delicacies, such as Vienna Beef hot dogs, Portillo’s Italian Beef, Eli’s cheesecake and Nuts on Clark popcorn.
That’s an uncompensated, personal plug, meant as a public service.

Photo: Lou Malnati's deep-dish pizza.

Abandoned places: An internet favorite

People are fascinated with abandoned places. Not just ancient ruins like Machu Picchu, Chichen Itza and Angkor Wat. But modern abandoned places, such as closed shopping malls, shuttered amusement parks and forgotten Olympic venues.
Some photographers specialize in photographing such modern abandoned places. They include Seph Lawless, Matthew Christopher and Reginald Van de Velde.
One website, DeadMalls.com, documents abandoned shopping malls across the U.S.
Another website, Chicago’s Extinct Businesses, focuses just on the Second City.
Why the interest in abandoned modern places? It’s likely a combination of nostalgia and a fascination with how large investments in properties can fail and turn into post-apocalyptic landscapes.

Related articles:

Rio’s Olympic Venues Look Like Hell Just Six Months After the Games (Gizmodo; Feb. 13, 2017)

From faded Ferris wheels to rusting roller-coasters: Inside Japan’s eerie abandoned amusement parks (Daily Mail; March 4, 2017)

Dying shopping malls are wreaking havoc on suburban America. (Business Insider; March 5, 2017)

Photo: Labelscar for a Barnes & Noble Booksellers store in Reston, Va., in July 2013. It’s now a Container Store. (Patrick Seitz photo)

Father’s Day without Dad

Today is my first Father’s Day without my dad, who passed away on June 6.
He was a great father and set a high standard for me as a father myself.
It was nice to share stories about Dad with my siblings during the days leading up to his funeral service in suburban Chicago. It’s the little things that make up our memories of him, not the obituary highlights (Army veteran, research pharmacist, etc.)
He had a weekday routine. He would get up early for work, have a cup of coffee, read the newspaper and listen to WBBM AM news radio. If he needed to get us kids out of bed in the morning, he’d come in to our bedroom and say, “Up and at ’em.”
After work, he liked to go for a brisk walk around the neighborhood. Before dinner, he’d often ask Mom if she wanted to “split a beer.” (Dad didn’t drink much.)
At the dinner table, he’d ask how everyone’s day was and lead some spirited discussions. He would get an encyclopedia to settle disputed facts or a dictionary to get the definition of words.
After the evening chores were done, he’d settle into the couch to read a book and later watch the 10 p.m. news and “The Tonight Show.” He frequently fell asleep on the sofa. He’d wake up later and head upstairs to bed.
He was a Green Bay Packers fan, sticking to his Wisconsin roots even as he was surrounded by Chicago Bears fans in Illinois. He liked the Chicago White Sox, but could enjoy himself watching practically any baseball game. He enjoyed filling in a scorecard when we went to the ballpark.
He’d take the family on an annual outing to the Arlington Park race track to watch thoroughbred horse racing. He studied the racing programs and newspaper reports to make calculated bets. He usually came home a winner, while the rest of us lost money.
Dad had an analytical mind and took a scientific approach to many pursuits, such as investing. He was a classic value stock investor. He liked to chart stock performance by hand on graph paper in three-ring binders.
Dad was a humble man. His children didn’t know he was awarded the Bronze Star for his service in the Korean War until they began researching his obituary.
He was also a deeply religious man too. A devoted Catholic, he could still recite the “Our Father” and “Hail Mary” prayers a week before his death, even though Alzheimer’s had robbed him of most of his memory.
I miss him, but am comforted by the belief that we will meet again in heaven.

Photo: My dad, James A. Seitz, celebrates his 87th birthday in January.