Campus seems a little sweeter ever since a local candy company introduced Sacramento State students to its candy-coated products.

Kimmie Candy opened in 1998 in Rocklin, and its products are now being sold in stores around the country, said owner and CEO Joe Dutra. Products such as Sunbursts, Choco-rocks and Baby Dino Eggs are currently being sold at the Union Store on campus.

Union Store manager Scott Wilson said he initially decided to carry the product because it was produced in the area.

“For a new product, it?s doing very well,” Wilson said. “We try and help local business when we can.”

The company?s first and most nationally recognized product, Sunbursts, is a multi-colored, chocolate-covered sunflower kernel. Retailers across the country are selling the product, Dutra said.”Its a good energy snack,” Dutra said.

The company recently introduced two new products, also being sold in the Union Store: Choco Rocks and Baby Dino Eggs. The pebble-shaped Choco Rocks are designed to look like real rocks ? and some people, including Spanish Professor Carol Brown, say the texture isn?t too far off, either.”I like the crunch in the Choco Rocks,” Brown said.

The Baby Dino Eggs are roasted peanuts covered in chocolate that resemble miniature prehistoric eggs. Though four out of five students surveyed by The State Hornet preferred the Choco Rocks, student Regina Freed said the Dino Eggs had an edge over the competition.

“I prefer the Dino Eggs because of the peanuts,” Freed said.

Wilson said all of the Kimmie Candy products have good sales numbers, “but Sunbursts sell the best.”

Kimmie Candy started out selling its product in bulk, but had a hard time capturing the market, Dutra said.

“It was very hard to sell product by bulk, because the retailer was having to develop their own marketing in order to capture a buyer, so that is when packaging came into works,” Dutra said.

The move to commercial sales proved to be a good one for the company.

Aside from Sac State, the candy can be found in local stores such as Raleys/Bel Air and The Marble Slab Creamery, where it is used as a topping, Dutra said.

Other national companies are also looking to use the company?s products in the near future, he said.

“Baskin Robbins wants to introduce our Choco Rocks flavor in 2002,” Dutra said.

Dutra said students who want to market their own products in the future should do their research, have a business plan and follow their dreams. Dutra said he?d like consumers to appreciate not only the taste of his candy varieties, but also their look and presentation.

“We are a local company trying to promote ourselves, but trying to make a history for ourselves to go national,” he said.