NC Custom (asi/44900) is continuing to breathe new life into the Fresh Beginnings brand.

Back in June, Fresh Beginnings was on the brink of closing after its then corporate parent company decided the much-loved Georgia-based food gift supplier didn’t fit into its long-term strategy and business portfolio.

However, at the 11^th hour, Top 40 supplier NC Custom swooped in to save the day, acquiring the assets of Fresh Beginnings and bringing aboard certain key personnel from the brand.

David Miller, president of NC Custom, talked with ASI Media’s Christopher Ruvo in July about the acquisition of Fresh Beginnings.

Now, with promo’s mad-dash holiday selling season arriving, NC Custom has launched a new Fresh Beginnings Gourmet Cookies and Holiday line that features new tin and packaging options, as well as an expanded line of cookies, confections, assortments and seasonal offerings made exclusively by in-house brand Chocolate Inn.

In particular, the new Fresh Beginnings offerings include full-color lid customization options. There are novel packaging selections too, including customized buckets and towers. As for the delectables, there are new non-melt options and cookies that have a three-month shelf life. Seasonally specific tins are filled with chocolate-drizzled cookies with various best-selling nuts and confections.

“We have tremendous respect for the Fresh Beginnings business, and the product quality and taste of their freshly baked goods. We are excited for NC Custom to further expand its footprint in the baked goods space,” said NC Custom President David Miller, a member of Counselor’s Power 50 list of promo’s most influential people.

NC Custom CEO Lance Stier, also a Power 50 member, noted that the supplier has incorporated the Fresh Beginnings’ bakery into the Hicksville, NY-based Chocolate Inn facility.

“This allows our distributors to deliver premium holiday gifts to their clients and customers on time,” Stier said. “Our new Fresh Beginnings baked goods line offers distributors an easy way for their customers to deliver a custom, branded experience and leave a delicious, lasting impact.”

Based on reported 2021 North American promo product revenue of $73 million, NC Custom ranked 18^th on Counselor’s most recent list of the largest suppliers in the industry.

Fresh Beginnings has long been known in promo for its cookies, brownies, pretzels and chocolate-dipped treats.

Hugh and Judy Hathcock founded Fresh Beginnings in the 1990s. Already a promo pro, Hugh wanted a way to thank his auto-dealer clients, and the business was launched with gourmet cookies that could also be sent to prospects and customers as a way of building relationships.

Illinois-based CDK Global acquired Fresh Beginnings in 2018 when it purchased the food gift firm’s parent company, ELEAD1ONE (now CDK LEAD), which makes customer relationship management software for automotive dealers. The Hathcocks had launched ELEAD in 1999.

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