The Connection Magazine AIM MUTUAL Fall 2021 | Page 5

SAFETY IS PARAMOUNT , AND IF ACCIDENTS HAPPEN , THE A . I . M . VANTAGE OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH TEAM IMMEDIATELY RESPONDS , HELPING TO MANAGE CARE AND BRING THE INJURED EMPLOYEE BACK TO WORK .
Jon Durkee , President of Durkee-Mower
Equally crucial are loss prevention measures . Glenn Severance , Injury Prevention & Worksite Wellness Consultant , regularly provides safety materials , resources , and updates to Paul Walker , Durkee-Mower ’ s longtime VP of Manufacturing .
Every conceivable measure is taken to protect the purity of Marshmallow Fluff ®, according to Paul . He points out that Durkee-Mower takes pride in using fresh ingredients with no additives in its batch process , the only marshmallow crème made this way .
Not much has changed in the product composition , aside from changing from granular to liquid sugar . It ’ s essentially the same Fluff recipe H . Allen Durkee and Fred Mower purchased from Archibald Query , who perfected the formula in his kitchen in 1917 . Following the First World War , Mr . Query sold it to the two men , who pooled their $ 500 savings to embark on this new venture . Durkee-Mower was soon under way , gradually adding to its staff to meet the growing demand . By 1929 , they had a team of 10 .
That “ formula ” has remained a trade secret throughout the decades . Marshmallow Fluff ® is an ingredient in so many recipes that Durkee-Mower continues to update its Online Yummy Book , still a popular download . Favorites include the Marshmallow Treat ®, which made its debut in 1966 following a collaboration with the Kellogg Company ® using their Rice Krispies ® cereal product .
Today , Durkee-Mower employs 23 people , who all ensure the product ’ s integrity . The company made forays into other products — such as Sweeco , an instant sweet milk cocoa — but they were short lived . Some Fluff variations are produced to meet custom requests from certain states or countries whose populations prefer strawberry , raspberry , or sometimes a completely unique flavor blend .
In fact , A . I . M . Mutual ’ s Glenn Severance recalls a service team visit to the plant , pre-pandemic , when everyone was invited to sample a specialty Fluff product earmarked for overseas , where people regularly add a spoonful to their coffee . The consensus ? This version is an acquired taste !
By all accounts , the original , just like Durkee-Mower itself , broke the mold .
THE EVOLUTION OF MARSHMALLOW FLUFF ® IS WELL DOCUMENTED ON DURKEE-MOWER ’ S WEBSITE AT MARSHMALLOWFLUFF . COM .
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