GILROY
– First, Gilroyans conquered garlic ice cream. Next week, the
true test of the city’s garlic obsession may come in the tiny form
of a garlic Jelly Belly bean.
By Lori Stuenkel
GILROY – First, Gilroyans conquered garlic ice cream. Next week, the true test of the city’s garlic obsession may come in the tiny form of a garlic Jelly Belly bean.
The Jelly Belly Candy Company will unveil a garlic-flavored bean at the grand opening of its new Gilroy store Sept. 12 through 14. Visitors will be able to taste the garlic bean, which will be sold exclusively through the Gilroy store located at the Gilroy Premium Outlets.
White in color with greenish-yellow spots, the garlic-flavored beans look similar to the company’s most popular butter popcorn-flavored bean. But with a puree of real garlic in every bite, this confection is for garlic lovers only.
“Absolutely, I’ll have to go in, and I’ll have to try the garlic Jelly Belly,” said Jodi Heinzen, treasurer of the Garlic Festival Association. “It’s going to be one of those novelty items. So, I think it’ll be a lot of fun.”
Besides the new garlic beans, the store will carry all 75 Jelly Belly flavors, as well as 100 other types of candies in the company’s Confections by Jelly Belly line.
The 2,000-square-foot store will also sell Belly Flops, the misshapen beans that do not quite meet Jelly Belly quality standards. The reject beans, which taste the same as the regular beans, are sold at a reduced price.
The grand opening celebration will kick off with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 9:45 a.m. Sept. 12 and will last through the weekend. The eight-member professional Jelly Belly Cycling Team will visit the store between 10 a.m. and noon Friday to sign autographs and show patrons their bicycles.
“We will offer garlic Jelly Belly beans to taste and for sale,” said John Jamison, director of retail merchandising, in a press release. “We recommend everyone stock up for Halloween to keep the vampires away.”
The store will be located in suite 90 of Building C on Leavesley Road, between Claire’s Accessories and Danskin.
Jelly Belly Candy Company has stores in all 50 states, Canada, Europe, Asia and South America.
