Annabelle Candy, Maker of Rock Road® and Abba Zaba®, Goes Solar

SANTA CLARA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Annabelle Candy of Hayward California announced the installation of a new PV Solar system at their Hayward facility. Annabelle’s new solar installation will offset over 90% of the factory’s current electricity expense. In the first year alone, Annabelle will save over $136,000, a savings that is equivalent to more than 180,000 candy bars. Over the 25-year warranted life of the panels, the system will save Annabelle Candy approximately $6.5 million.

The system is made of 1,424 SunPower PowerGuard roof-tiles, which will insulate Annabelle’s roof from harsh weather, UV exposure and most importantly for a candy bar manufacturer -- changes in temperature. The system uses a single SatCon inverter and is estimated to produce 646,855 kWh in its first year of operation –- enough energy to power 92 homes. The system will drastically reduce Annabelle’s carbon footprint by eliminating the burning of 52,462 gallons of fuel a year.

Since its incorporation in 1950, Annabelle Candy has been a family owned and operated company. President and CEO, Susan Karl, says “We at Annabelle’s are proud to be one of the first manufacturing plants in the area to bring solar energy to our facilities. With the financial challenges we currently face in this economic environment, we feel fortunate to have found a way to offset our operating costs and help conserve our precious resources, while continuing to provide jobs for our wonderful employees.”

About Annabelle’s Candy
Website: www.annabelle-candy.com

Annabelle Candy Company, a fourth-generation company, was incorporated in 1950. Founder, Sam Altshuler, achieved success after many failed years of attempting to make candy. His first hit came with what is now known as the Rocky Road® candy bar. After several acquisitions of other candy companies, Golden Nugget Candy and Cardienet Candy, Annabelle Candy remains one of the largest independently owned candy bar manufacturers in the United States. The Hayward factory manufacturers seven candy bars -– Original Rocky Road®, Rocky Road Mint, Rocky Road Dark, Big Hunk®, U-NO®, Look® and Abba-Zaba®.

About Vista Solar Inc.
Website: www.vista-solar.com

Vista Solar is an award winning Bay Area based solar installation and project development firm. Founded in 2007, Vista Solar is a wholly owned subsidiary of Silicon Valley Microelectronics, Inc. (SVM). SVM, with annual revenue of approximately $88 million in 2011, is in its 21st year as the world’s largest distributor of silicon products and services for the solar and semiconductor industries. SVM provides essential raw materials to solar module manufacturers worldwide.

Since 2007, Vista Solar has completed over 65 installations throughout Northern California and continues to increase its presence in the commercial solar market. Vista Solar offers all forms of financing including commercial leases and power purchase agreements that offer significant savings to commercial customers.