John J. Morrissey

Class of 2004

Born in Lowell, MA, in 1938, John attended high school in Chelmsford, MA, while working as a bag boy at Purity Supreme Supermarkets. After graduation, he served in the Navy for two years as a fire control technician aboard destroyers in the Mediterranean and the Middle East.

Upon his discharge in 1958, he returned to Purity and worked his way up to store manager. The next year he married Joyce and together they raised two children, Patricia and Jay. Joyce passed away in 1999 and he married Carol in 2003.

In 1971, John joined Stamford, CT-based private label food broker Daymon Associates, Inc., as an account manager and began his candy selling career. In the 1980s he began working for full-line candy wholesaler American Food Products, Inc. where he served under the company’s founders to understand the day-in, day-out mechanics of the business. In 1984, John became owner of the company.

Under his direction, the company’s focus shifted to private label rebagging. In fact, a highly treasured moment of John’s career is when CVS Pharmacy selected American as its private label peg bag candy supplier, a relationship that has lasted nearly 30 years.

In 2001, John purchased Boston Fruit Slice Co. and began offering a full line of “house label” candy under the Candy Break brand.

Closely involved with his community, John has sponsored the Hispanic Softball League, sat on the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation Board and has been an active member of the Westford, MA, Chamber of Commerce and capital growth committee. He also sits on the National Confectioners Association’s board of trustees.

John’s success factors include hard work, attending all major candy trade shows worldwide, determination, honesty, the desire to provide opportunities for others and building long-term relationships with colleagues.

John passed away on October 11, 2022.