Ellia Kassoff

Ellia Kassoff, the CEO of Leaf Brands, always loved brands and the psychology behind them. As THE top high-tech headhunter in the country for 2009, Ellia turned his hobby for marketing and branding into a new career path when he bought the rights to his favorite candy Astro Pop®^®, from Spangler Candy. He then restarted Leaf Brands® LLC (originally started by his great uncles), to “bring the fun back into the candy industry” which he felt was lacking at the time. So far, Leaf has re-launched, Wacky Wafers®, tart n’ tiny®, Hydrox® cookies, Black Bart® Bubble Gum, Big Buddy® Bubble Gum, and Quicksand® Bubble gum, with more to come! By continuing to bring back iconic candy brands he used to love from the past and introducing new ones like Farts® Candy which won the 2014 Most Innovative Candy Award at Sweets and Snacks, Ellia’s has garnered a huge following as the most knowledgeable person in the brand re-building, novelty, and retro space. In 2011 he also started Strategic Marks, LLC to bring back many non-candy iconic brands which faded away including Kay Bee® Toys, May Company®, Bullock’s®, I Magnin®, Joseph Magnin®, Robinson’s®, Bamberger’s®, and many others.

Ellia always had his “hand in the candy jar” with his Uncle Ed Leaf running distribution for LEAF when he was a kid. The original LEAF Brands^®, produced candy classics such as Whoppers^®, Jolly Rancher® and Rain Blo Bubblegum.