Latest news with #Sweethearts
Miami Herald
19-05-2025
- Health
- Miami Herald
Dum Dums lollipops stands by bright dyes, despite RFK Jr.'s push
The U.S. government is pushing food companies to switch their bright synthetic dyes to natural colors - but the maker of Dum Dums lollipops and Sweethearts candy hearts is in no rush. Kirk Vashaw, chief executive officer of Spangler Candy Company, said a key problem with changing ingredients is taste. Take beet juice: "That's a nice red, but it tastes like beets," he said. Then there's carmine, which makes some consumers queasy because the reddish pigment comes from cochineal insects. "People said, 'I'd rather get cancer than eat the bug,' " Vashaw said, referring to an instance when his company used the coloring. Spangler, which employs about 550 workers in Bryan, Ohio, also makes Bit-O-Honey candy, Necco Wafers and Circus Peanuts. The 119-year-old company already uses some natural colors and is testing other natural dyes. But a number of its confections include artificial colors such as Yellow 5 and Red 40. Spangler pulls in an estimated $200 million in annual retail sales, and it produces roughly 12 million Dum Dums a day. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, led by Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., said last month that it will work with the packaged-food industry to phase out artificial dyes by early 2027. Kennedy and other officials have linked the ingredients to diseases such as obesity and diabetes while calling for "real and transformative change" to get "the worst ingredients out of food." Health advocates have said for years that synthetic colors add no taste or nutritional value but make unhealthy foods more visually appealing. Red No. 3, which has been linked to cancer and is used in products such as candy and cold medicine, will be banned in the U.S. starting in early 2027. Spangler doesn't use the ingredient. Food-industry lobbyists have said that there's no official agreement in place with the government, at least for now. The industry says artificial food dyes are safe, and Vashaw's comments underscore how some companies aren't on board with Kennedy's time line and perspective. Vashaw said his company has used artificial dyes for around 50 years and "we believe they're safe." He added Spangler hasn't reached an agreement "with anybody" on discontinuing their use. There aren't any regulations currently saying companies will have to stop using the dyes, he said. "There's talk, but actual regulations are another thing," he said during an interview at the Sweets & Snacks Expo in Indianapolis last week and a subsequent phone conversation. "It's likely that when we get to the end of 2026 that we will still have products that will still have these artificial colors," Vashaw said. "One, there might not even be the supply for these natural colors, and two, we have to do what the consumers want, and it's not clear to us that these consumers want these natural colors." Spangler has made dye-free variants of some of its products with natural flavorings for more than 30 years, including candy canes and, at times, a line of Dum Dums. But Vashaw's experience is that these products aren't what consumers actually want. "We have natural items now," Vashaw said. "They're just not bought in any meaningful way." In the case of the candy canes, "some people think it tastes like dirt," he said. Natural candy canes make up less than 2% of Spangler's total candy cane sales, and the firm ended up pulling its natural Dum Dums after they proved a flop. Allergy concerns Vashaw also expressed concern about new colors that the FDA approved this month, such as Galdieria extract blue, which is derived from algae, and butterfly pea flower extract, made from dried flower petals, saying the ingredients could potentially be allergenic for some people. In their regulations approving the dyes, the FDA concluded that both colors pose little risk for allergic reactions. Some companies are expanding their tests of natural dyes as government pressure for a change increases. PepsiCo Inc., for example, has come out with Simply Ruffles Hot & Spicy, which uses tomato powder and red chile pepper instead of the artificial dyes that give other chips their vibrant color. Vashaw said his company will continue to test natural ingredients, but the lack of regulatory clarity is creating confusion about what will happen. "Right now, it's more of a guideline," he said. "Is it really going to get enforced? Is it going to get pushed back? When their Doritos are a dull orange, are people going to accept that?" Copyright (C) 2025, Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Portions copyrighted by the respective providers.
Yahoo
16-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
College of Charleston student discusses starring in Prime Video series
CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCBD)—A College of Charleston student recently shared details about her experience on the new Prime Video series 'Sweethearts.' Elle Robison, a junior communications major at the College, shared insight into being filmed for the series that follows Charleston high school couples as they navigate their relationships while preparing for college. The show was released on Prime in February, and it dropped 10 episodes highlighting six couples, including Robison and her boyfriend Justin Coleman. Filming for the series took place in March 2023 and concluded in August. It all started with a direct message on Instagram, Robison told the College Today reporter Mary Carr. Mutual friends heard about the show casting and encouraged the friend group to apply. 'We went through a few interviews, and, at the time, Justin and I had only been dating for four months. It was definitely a leap of faith!' Robison explained. According to Robison, the team first filmed at the beach. She recalled how nervous she was and that crowds were standing around the area, taking videos of them on their phones. The group filmed at notable locations around the Lowcountry, including Kiawah Island, the South Carolina Aquarium, Shem Creek, and Waterfront Park, as well as their local high school. 'I filmed at my high school and my senior prom, so I had to get outside of my comfort zone since there were lots of eyes on me and the other cast members,' Robison said. 'Being on a show when you are in high school is going to be out of the ordinary, for sure.' After continued filming, Robison said she eventually grew accustomed to the cameras and crowds. The show provided an opportunity to start growing her career in media, which she has continued to build on while in college. She does sports photography for the school and local teams and coaches a 14U club volleyball team. Not only has her media experience continued to grow, but so has her relationship with Justin. 'Since being in college, Justin and I have maintained our relationship and will hit our three-year anniversary in May!' she said. 'We even started a little YouTube channel to post more of our lives and keep the story going.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Buzz Feed
11-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Buzz Feed
Here's Your Official Valentine's Day Streaming Guide
With Valentine's Day just a few days away, here are the best rom-coms and feel-good flicks, and steamy series you can stream with your S.O. (or maybe just you, yourself, and a glass of wine) on February 14, 2025: We Live in Time (2024) A24 /Courtesy Everett Collection Waitress: The Musical (2023) Dear Hope Productions About: Jenna Hunterson, a waitress and expert pie maker, is stuck in a small town and a loveless marriage. When a baking contest in a nearby county offers her a chance at escape, Jenna fights to reclaim a long-forgotten part of herself. Through the support of her fellow waitresses and an unexpected romance, Jenna begins to find the courage to take a long-abandoned dream off the shelf. Stars: Sara Bareilles, Charity Angél Dawson, Caitlin Houlahan, Drew Gehling, Dakin Matthews, Eric Anderson, with Joe Tippett and Christopher Fitzgerald You can watch it on MAX beginning February 14. Love & Basketball (2000) New Line Cinema/Courtesy Everett Collection Sweethearts (2024) MAX About: When they decide to break up with their high school sweethearts, college freshmen Ben and Jamie put their own co-dependent friendship to the test. Stars: Kiernan Shipka, Nico Hiraga, Caleb Hearon, Ava DeMary, Charlie Hall, Tramell Tillman, Christine Taylor Love is Blind, Season 8 Netflix About: The pods reopen on Valentine's Day in this high-stakes dating show where singles navigate the thrills and spills of love — or something like it — with matches made sight unseen. You can watch it on Netflix beginning February 14. Magic Mike XXL (2015) Warner Bros/Courtesy Everett Collection The Wedding Planner (2001) Columbia Pictures/Courtesy Everett Collection Honeymoon Crasher (2025) Netflix About: When his fiancée dumps him at the altar for her ex, a young man is left with no alternative but to go on his romantic honeymoon with his mother. Stars: Michèle Laroque, Julien Frison, Rossy de Palma You can watch it on Netflix beginning February 12. Bridget Jones: Mad About The Boy (2025) Jay Maidment / Universal Pictures / Courtesy Everett Collection About: The Peacock Original movie finds Bridget alone once again, widowed four years ago when Mark was killed on a humanitarian mission in the Sudan. She's now a single mother to 9-year-old Billy and 4-year-old Mabel, and is stuck in a state of emotional limbo, raising her children with help from her loyal friends and even her former lover, Daniel Cleaver. Stars: Renée Zellweger, Hugh Grant, Colin Firth, Leo Woodall, Chiwetel Ejiofor You can watch it on Peacock beginning February 13. Definitely, Maybe (2008) Universal/Courtesy Everett Collection Hitch (2005) Columbia Pictures/Courtesy Everett Collection How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days (2003) Paramount/Courtesy Everett Collection Pride and Prejudice (2005) No Strings Attached (2011) Dale Robinette/Paramount Pictures / courtesy Everett Collection My Big Fat Greek Wedding (2002) Alliance Cinema / Courtesy Everett Collection About: Nia Vardalos stars as a single girl who creates a major stir within her traditional Greek family by falling for a guy who has one fatal flaw — he's not Greek! Stars: Nia Vardalos, John Corbett, Lainie Kazan, Michael Constantine, Gia Carides You can watch it on Hulu. William Shakespeare's Romeo + Juliet (1996) Twentieth Century Fox / Ronald Grant Archive / Mary Evans My Fault: London (2025) Amazon Prime / Everett Collection About: 18-year-old Noah moves from America to London with her mother, who's recently fallen in love with William, a wealthy British businessman. Noah meets William's son, bad boy Nick, and soon discovers there is an attraction between them that neither can avoid. As Noah spends the summer adjusting to her new life, her devastating past will catch up with her while falling in love for the first time. Stars: Asha Banks, Matthew Broome, Eve Macklin, Ray Fearon, Enva Lewis, Jason Flemyng, Kerim Hassan, Sam Buchanan, Amelia Kenworthy, Harry Gilby You can watch it on Amazon Prime beginning February 13. Past Lives (2023) A24 / courtesy Everett Collection About: Two childhood sweethearts, after decades apart, are reunited for one fateful week in New York as they confront notions of destiny, love, and the choices that make a life in this heartrending modern romance. Stars: Greta Lee, Yoo Teo, John Magaro You can watch it on Prime Video. Four Weddings and a Funeral (1994) Gramercy Pictures / courtesy Everett Collection Friends with Benefits (2011) Screen Gems/Courtesy Everett Collection Love You to Death, Episodes 1 and 2 Apple TV+ Shakespeare in Love (1998) Miramax/Courtesy Everett Collection
See - Sada Elbalad
07-02-2025
- Entertainment
- See - Sada Elbalad
Kiernan Shipka, Mckenna Grace Team Up for Thriller "The Nowhere Game"
Yara Sameh Kiernan Shipka and Mckenna Grace have signed on to star in Picturestart's survival thriller "The Nowhere Game". David Charbonier and Justin Douglas Powell (The Djinn) will direct off a script by Alex Pototsky, which made the 2023 Black List. WME Independent and UTA Independent Film Group will co-rep domestic rights, with WME Independent handling international. "The Nowhere Game" follows Carin (Grace) and Allie (Shipka), whose road trip takes a harrowing turn when the two young women are kidnapped by a cold-blooded sadist and thrust into a brutal game of survival. The movie's official synopsis reads: "With a short head start, Carin and Allie will be set loose in the forest with limited supplies while being hunted in front of an online audience watching in grim fascination. With no sign of civilization and no way to call for help, the women rely on their wits and each other to evade capture. Navigating the hostile wilderness, they discover eerie clues left behind by previous 'contestants,' painting a grim picture of the stakes they face. As the hunter closes in, realization dawns on them: surviving isn't just improbable — it's nearly impossible. Carin and Allie must shed their fear and transform from prey to predator to bring this twisted game to its final, bloody conclusion." Recently working with Picturestart on the rom-com "Sweethearts", which wound up at Max, Shipka is also coming off of performances in "Twisters", "Longlegs", and the acclaimed indie drama "The Last Showgirl" opposite Pamela Anderson. Soon to be seen in "Scream 7", Grace was last seen starring in "Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire".
