Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: MONDAY, July 17, 1995 TAG: 9507180020
SECTION: EXTRA PAGE: 6 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: MADELYN ROSENBERG
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Sadly, no, though in Pulaski, a radio station offered a box of Moon Pies and a trip to Moon, Ky. as a contest prize in connection with the 25th anniversary of the moon landing last summer.
Where do Moon Pies sell in the U.S?
``We're in 43 states,'' says Sam Campbell IV, president of the Chattanooga Bakery, where they are made. ``But we may sell to a distributor who spills over into other states. We're strongest in the South and Southwest. We've heard of isolated instances of the product being sold in Alaska and Hawaii.''
How do Moon Pies do internationally?
They do well in Japan, where a company manufactures them with the Moon Pie logo under the name of ``Massi Pie.'' Massi means marshmallow in Japanese; in Japan, ``moon'' is a sacred word and cannot appear on packaging. Moon Pies also are sold in Canada, and Chattanooga Bakery is working on a deal with Mexico.
There was what Campbell terms ``a big fiasco'' in the 1980s when a distributor approached him about selling Moon Pies in Saudi Arabia. After working out Arabic packaging, the pies got stuck in port when an official, known for his hatred of all things American, would not let the Moon Pies into the country. Fearing they would age too much before ever making it into the stores, Campbell sold the pies wholesale somewhere in Alabama.
What's the shelf life of a Moon Pie?
``A hundred and twenty days,'' Campbell says. ``It's really 150 but you can't cut it that close and make the customer happy.''
What are the flavors of the Moon Pie?
Chocolate is the original, of course, and the one that sells the most. Banana and vanilla are manufactured year round, with assorted flavors added at different times.
``You have to offer them something new,'' Campbell says. ``Because your distributers ask: `What've you got new for me?' And if you don't have anything new they say, `Well what kind of deal can you make me?'''
How many calories in a Moon Pie?
Each double-decker Moon Pie counts as two servings. There are 165 calories in each serving.
by CNB