As promised, I followed up with our supplier for the Buderim Ginger Bears this week to find out if the manufacturer in Australia had resumed production yet, and if so, when we might expect to receive a fresh shipment so that we could once again offer this zippy gummy candy through the Carolina Sauce Company. What I learned was a mixed bag of good news and bad news, with a lot still up in the air.
First, the bad news: Buderim will no longer be making the 12 oz. bags of ginger gummy bears. This is indeed a huge disappointment to us, and no doubt to all the folks who loyally purchased these from us and made them our best-selling snack. Apparently the production problems and increasing costs made it too expensive and impractical to continue manufacturing and exporting this product, despite its popularity.
Now the good news: Buderim is coming out with four new similar products packed in 3 to 4 oz retail bags, including a ginger gummy product. Initially, these will be available at Cost Plus World Market stores on the west coast only, and later this year at the Cost Plus DC store in Virginia. These products are so new that the shipping container hasn't even arrived from Australia yet, but is expected any day now, so presumably the new ginger bears will be on the shelves in west coast Cost Plus stores this spring. I've asked for samples when they're available, so hopefully I'll have some useful information to pass along about the new ginger bears and other new products. And unfortunately Buderim doesn't yet know if or when they'll be able to supply smaller retailers like us.
So, if you live on the west coast and have a Cost Plus World Market near you, be on the lookout for new Buderim ginger products (and gummy bears?) sometime soon. And if you're in the Washington DC area, you should find them in your Cost Plus store in a few months. Assuming everything goes as planned, of course, which historically hasn't been the case with the ginger bears, but one can only hope... And we also hope that Buderim will be able to supply us again with ginger bears, since we continue to receive regular inquiries from customers wanting to order them, usually by the case!
Zestfully yours,
Gloria
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Hi Gloria
ReplyDeleteI used to buy them at the local Trader Joe's market in Annapolis MD.
They stopped carrying them about a year ago.
If you can get them please let me know, I'll buy a case at a time.
Thanks, Will
202418-3033
Hi Will,
DeleteThanks for your comment. Yep, Trader Joe's used to carry them in several locations. Unfortunately Buderim decided to discontinue the ginger bears. The last time I talked to them, they told me they were testing out a new ginger candy on a limited basis on the West Coast. They know we're still interested in the ginger bears and will let me know if they decide to resume production. I'm not crossing my fingers, however, because they also indicated that they weren't interested in small retailers like me :-( But I'll definitely let you know if we can get them, or something similar.
Zestfully yours,
Gloria
I have tried SO many other ginger "treats" and nothing compares to the ginger gummy bear! How can we let the Buderim folks know??
ReplyDeleteLaura in Grand Rapids Michigan
Hi Laura,
DeleteThanks for your comment. Probably the best thing to do would be to contact Buderim Ginger and tell them what you told me, and that you want the Ginger Bears back. They've already heard my piece, but need to hear from consumers too. I don't have contact info for the company itself (we worked with their US distributor), but the Buderim Ginger website should have contact info or someplace to leave feedback. If you use FB or Twitter, you could try finding their FB page or Twitter name and leave comments those ways too. The more people like you who tell Buderim that they want to buy Ginger Bears again, the better.
I hope that helps, and thanks for taking the time to read my blog and leave a comment.
Zestfully yours,
Gloria
I live in LA and just tried 2 new Buderim ginger products from Cost Plus. One is individually wrapped, chewy candies--very difficult to extract from their wrappers because they're so sticky. The other is chunks of glace ginger. They're both OK but not nearly as good as ginger bears. I won't be buying either one again.
ReplyDeleteThanks very much for this information - I was wondering what the new products were like (they're not available in this area), and it's disappointing to learn that they don't compare to the Ginger Bears. I've told our former supplier that people want the Ginger Bears back. Maybe if enough people like you contact Buderim and let them know directly, they might consider bringing them back...
DeleteThanks again for taking the time to comment, and to read my blog. If we're able to get Ginger Bears again, I'll certainly announce it on this blog.
Zestfully yours,
Gloria
I too am a HUGE fan of the ginger bears. I have tried what they are currently shipping to Cost Plus in Seattle area and they do not come close to the bears. I have one package left of the originals- it will have to be a special occasion to open them!
ReplyDeleteHi, I have been purchasing the Buderim ginger bears for years. When Trader Joe's stopped carring I went on line and found Calif. had supply.
ReplyDeleteIt has been awhile since I had some and was happy to see Amazon listed them I ordered pkg. and assumed was A Large Package. Paid $14.99 for each one. Well they arrived and to my disappointment they hold only 190g and taste not freshly made.
I'm beyond disappointed,the shipper lives in England, Lynholm Road, East Sussex. Thank you, Marie
Hi Marie,
DeleteIt sounds like that seller in England had some leftover old product, based on your description. I've not seen any Buderim ginger bears anywhere for years, nor any news regarding a resumption in production, which is more reason to suspect that they sent you something old. If you haven't done so already, you might want to provide that feedback to Amazon AND to the seller, to let them know you were dissatisfied, and also to serve as a warning to other people who may be duped by them. Thanks for the heads-up, and for taking the time to leave a comment here.
Zestfully yours,
Gloria
Gloria --
ReplyDeleteJust got off the Buderin website and they offer Ginger Bears in case lots but the shipping is more than the candies!!!! Didn't order.
But -- it appears that the company has decided to offer Ginger Bears again. Might follow up and see if they'll sell to you again.
I'll buy a case from you (just as I've done in the past)!!
(Mr.) Jean S. Jines
Enon OH
Hi Jean!
DeleteIt's so nice to hear from you, and thanks very much for the information. I'll see what i can find out - I no longer have my own warehouse, so it would be a matter of seeing if our warehouse partner is willing to stock them (and if Buderim is willing to do business with them - when I last spoke with them Buderim told me they only wanted to have "large" resellers and not small businesses). If I can get something worked out between the warehouse & Buderim so that I can sell them on my website again, i will certainly let you, and all other Ginger Bear fans, know the good news!
Thanks again, and best regards,
Gloria