Picture waking up to a delivery truck dropping 133,000 chocolate bars on your front porch. Not a Willy Wonka dream, but a living nightmare for Camrose, Alberta physiotherapist Crystal Rogers Westergaard, whose side business recreating vintage sweets became a delivery nightmare last year. Her path from pursuing childhood memories to struggling with an oversupply of Rum & Butter bars, and finally igniting a heartwarming community campaign demonstrates how a supply chain anomaly can drive unanticipated generosity. It’s a tale of perseverance, bonding, and the enchantment of people coming together. Let us embark on this sweet saga.
A Nostalgic Mission
Crystal’s narrative begins with a sentimental mission. She started Canadian Candy Nostalgia in 2018; a company focused on reviving discontinued candies that bring happiness. Her very first one was a personal affair: Cuban Lunch, a WWII chocolate bar her mother loved. I recall searching for my own childhood staples, such as those bright-coloured candies that disappeared from store shelves, so I understand why this resonated. Cuban Lunch was a success, reuniting people with their past. Encouraged by the success, Crystal brought back Rum & Butter, a 1980s Cadbury classic that featured a gooey, rum-filled center, killed off in 1996. It was huge, selling more than a million bars in the initial production. The nostalgia was not imagined friends of mine still reminisce about the bars with a wistful gaze. Believing in the demand, Crystal placed a larger order for the second go-round, anticipating fans to continue clamoring. But the world was about to throw her a curveball.
The Supply Chain Snafu
Then COVID-19 hit, flipping the script on global supply chains. The factory producing Rum & Butter for Crystal’s company faced chaos: staff shortages, delayed ingredients, and missing wrappers. Production ground to a halt, leaving her in limbo. I’ve felt that sinking feeling when plans stall, wondering if things will ever get back on track. As the world inched its way back to normal, the factory did not simply catch up they overcompensated. In June 2022, 5,500 boxes, filled with 133,000 Rum & Butter bars, swamped Crystal’s universe. She referred to it as her “bullwhip effect,” where minor retail demand fluctuations create huge supply chain whipsaws. And to add insult to injury, each bar had an expiration date of June 2023, a company-imposed “best-before” which was now a time bomb. Supermarkets, intimidated by approaching expiry dates, ceased accepting them as of January. Crystal was stuck with a ton of candy in a Calgary warehouse, three hours from home, and an approaching deadline. The potential for it all to go to waste? “I’ll start to shake,” she said in the Globe and Mail. I felt her desperation picture your dream project becoming a potential nightmare.
The Logistical Nightmare
This was not a game of numbers; it was a logistical monster. The bars came in 1,000-pound pallets, too big to disassemble for distribution in small quantities. It was not possible to send a box to a neighbor or a supporter. Crystal attempted to donate to schools, homeless shelters, even the Edmonton Oilers, but the quantities overwhelmed the majority of them. Food banks with no-candy stipulations refused. I’ve hit similar walls, trying to solve a problem only to find every door closed. The emotional toll was brutal for Crystal. This wasn’t just inventory it was her passion, tied to her mom’s memories and her love for nostalgia. The idea of tossing 133,000 bars was her “worst case scenario,” a gut punch for someone who poured her heart into this venture. She was racing against the clock, the pressure of possible waste heaping up.
Taking to the Internet
Desperate, Crystal took to the internet, a turn of events that turned her life around. She posted her tale, and a Globe and Mail article on April 10, 2023, brought her situation into the limelight. The reaction was unlike anything I’ve ever witnessed her inbox was flooded with messages from all over North America, from Alberta to the States, with everyone pleading for a box of Rum & Butter. I understand; those bars are like a pass back to the good old days. But Crystal kept her priorities straight, tending to organizations that could manage the large number over personal requests. On As It Happens on CBC and her company’s Facebook page, she encouraged the public to donate charities instead of taking the bars, rather than clog her mailbox for free stuff. That clarity transformed a personal crisis into a community challenge. I respect her for maintaining her focus on the greater good, even when the heat was on.
A Community Steps Up
The media hubbub worked miracles. Organizations poured in with open hands. Calgary’s homeless drop-in center accepted boxes, providing a sweet treat to those who needed it. A Ukrainian church, helping refugees, accepted donations to comfort new refugees. A Saskatchewan fire department took 16,000 bars for fundraising. Even some food banks, with their no-candy policies, made an exception, spotting the opportunity to bring a smile. A local charity got creative, using the bars to fund camp for underprivileged kids a brilliant pivot from waste to opportunity. Purolator Courier Corporation stepped up, moving the bars for free, a gesture that warmed my heart. I’ve seen communities rally before, but this was next-level. By summer’s end, all 133,000 bars had homes. “St Vlad’s Church and the Drop-in Centre have gotten loads,” Crystal said, describing it as a “sweet ending.” It was a victory that was like the universe giving her a hug.
A Lesson in Resilience
Looking back at the chaos, Crystal said to CBC, “I’ll look back and say I’m glad I did it.”. But once you’re in the whirlwind of the typhoon, it’s a lot. I think that big issues are overwhelming in the moment, but they define you. Her story is more than candy; it’s how to survive the unpredictability of global supply chains and the power of human relationships. The bullwhip effect made her dream into a nightmare, but media coverage and community kindness turned it around. I’ve witnessed small kindnesses spread, and this was a tsunami. Crystal’s determination telling her story, being open, mobilizing support demonstrates what can happen when you persevere. She took a possible calamity and made it a study in grit and grace.
A Sweet Legacy
Crystal’s candy debacle was transformed into a ray of hope. From excess that could have been discarded, she ignited a spirit of generosity. The Ukrainian church, the fire department, the kids at camp all benefited from her determination and the public’s heart. It reminds me of times I’ve seen people come together, turning chaos into something meaningful. Crystal’s story proves that even in the stickiest situations, transparency and community can create a sweet outcome. Her Rum & Butter bars did more than revive nostalgia they united people, demonstrating that a little chocolate and a whole lot of heart can transform lives. Looking back, I have no doubt Crystal sees not only an excess met, but a kindness legacy that will transcend any expiration date.
