A Chat with Frank Glaser, president/owner, James’ and Fralinger’s Salt Water Taffy
© Profile of Success, Catalog Success magazine, 2007
Catalog Success: When was the catalog established?
Frank Glaser: James’ and Fralingers are two of the oldest candy companies in the United States. Both of them were started in the 1880s on the Atlantic City boardwalk. Both claim to be the originators of salt water taffy. But the only similar is me. We still market them differently. We keep the look of the two companies separate, and we still use different formulas for the candies. They are different products, we just put them together in our catalog. I own both companies.
CS: When did that come about?
FG: James’ is a family business. I’m the fourth generation; my children are the fifth. And we acquired Fralinger’s in 1991.
CS: How long have you had a catalog?
FG: Being in business that long, we started as a mailer just because our customers would ask for something to be sent to them at Christmas time. Way back when, when people came into the store, each store had a post office in it. People would mail right out of the store. That was the beginning of it. It just kept growing like that and about five years ago, I decided I better do something about it, and get serious about it, do it in a professional way. I had made enough mistakes already.
CS: Where are your headquarters?
FG: Right on the boardwalk in Atlantic City.
CS: What is your primary merchandise?
FG: Candy, and of that salt water taffy, fudge and macaroons are our major products. Chocolates after that.
CS: What are your primary customer demographics?
FG: Most of our customers are from 40 to 60 in age, maybe a little older. The east coast is popular with us. Obviously that because people know about us because they’ve visited Atlantic City. We’re an east coast company. On the west coast, we have a large following because of displaced easterners. After that, the product takes over.
