February - March 2003 Edition

One of Fair Lawn's Seven Wonders   The Whiff of Chocolate From The Bakery Fair Lawn News readers have voted the Nabisco bakery (now known as the Kraft Bakery) on Route 208 as One of the Seven Wonders of Fair Lawn.  Fair Lawn News' readers love the aroma.     The Fair Lawn bakery makes Premium Crackers, Oreo’s, Ritz Crackers, Barnum's Animal Crackers, Fig Newtons, and Wheatsworth Crackers.  Nabisco is owned by Kraft Foods which in turn is now controlled by Philip Morris (yes, the very popular tobacco company).    The 45 year old 800,000 square foot bakery sits on 40 acres and employs 632 workers.  Nabisco's former spokeswoman, Ann Smith, told Fair Lawn News a couple of years ago that the Fair Lawn Bakery includes a pilot plant, where Nabisco does research and testing for new products to determine whether they can be mass produced.    It's hard to get many details from the current managers, they don't want to give out 'proprietary information', and there's no way that they will give anyone a tour.    Ms. Smith told us two years ago that the bakery is in operation 7 days a week and that the aroma Fair Lawn residents enjoy is the smell of the chocolate in Oreos.  She said that chocolate has a distinct odor that carries.  “Not one person has complained about the smell”, she said, “except for those who say it makes them hungry”.  Alyssa Burns, a current Kraft corporate spokesperson said that the Oreo aroma is at its best "when there is a light rain or very still spring-like days".       Oreos are made in five Nabisco bakeries in the U.S.; Fig Newtons are also made in Chicago.  But, every box of Nabisco’s Animal Crackers (the ones in the little circus-like box with a string handle) is made in Fair Lawn.   History Lesson:   According to Nabisco, in the late 1800s animal-shaped cookies were imported to the United States from England.  In 1902 Barnum's Animals were introduced, evoking the ever popular circus theme.  Looking ahead to the Christmas season, Nabisco designed a box that looked just like a circus wagon cage and even attached a string so the box could be hung from the Christmas tree. In fact, the package they designed was the first to have a string handle. Their idea was a success and it was so popular that it became a year-round favorite.   How many animal crackers do you think are made in Fair Lawn every hour?   (click here for answer)   In future editions, Fair Lawn News will publish the other Six Wonders of Fair Lawn.    If you want to find out when our next edition is available, just type in your e-mail address in the box below and click Notify Me