The Sugar Association celebrates local D.C. businesses who make communities sweeter

October 14, 2024 (Washington, D.C.)  – The Sugar Association is marking National Real Sugar Day today, by celebrating the real sugar that makes so many of our favorite local foods possible, and the hundreds of thousands of establishments across the United States who help create and bring those foods to our families and communities.

National Real Sugar Day, established by the Sugar Association and its members in 2022, puts a spotlight each year on the plants and people behind the sugar found on supermarket shelves and in home pantries across the United States.

Sugar Association president and CEO Courtney Gaine, Ph.D., RD, commented:

“National Real Sugar Day is the perfect time to highlight the fact that there’s nothing like real sugar. The various roles sugar plays in food make it irreplaceable not only in our favorite recipes but also in our communities here in D.C.”

This year saw bakeries, candy and chocolate shops, ice cream shops, restaurants, and other businesses across America who use real sugar, proudly displaying “We use Real Sugar” window decals and stickers to mark the occasion. Local D.C. non-profit Dog Tag Bakery and candy store Capital Candy Jar joined in the celebrations.

Meghan Ogilvie, CEO of Dog Tag Bakery commented:

“At Dog Tag Bakery we serve military families, as well as our customers here in D.C. We see the power food has in bringing communities together every day – they rely on our freshly baked goods to be safely nut-free and delicious; they simply wouldn’t be possible without real sugar.”

Dave Burton, owner of The Capital Candy Jar commented:

“The Candy Jar is delighted to celebrate National Real Sugar Day. We are proud to serve our customers, support the local economy and provide employment to the community. That wouldn’t be possible without the real sugar that helps make our candy so delicious.”

In the United States, real sugar is grown and harvested on sugar beet and sugar cane farms by more than 11,000 farmers in California, Colorado, Florida, Idaho, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oregon, Washington and Wyoming. Georgia, Maryland, and New York also play important roles in refining sugar. Sugar communities in these states work tirelessly to bring sugar from farm to table for all communities to enjoy as part of a balanced diet. Overall, sugar contributes $23.3 billion to the U.S. economy annually and provides over 151,000 jobs.

Celebrate National Real Sugar Day by:

• Joining the celebration on social media by using the hashtags #NationalRealSugarDay and #RealSugar and tagging @moretosugar
• Posting photos of goodies baked with real sugar
• Sharing photos and tagging their favorite bakery, restaurant, café, or other business that uses real sugar
• Getting to know sugar beet and cane farmers on the Sugar Association’s website
• Take the Virtual Farm to Table Tour of real sugar
• Learning about sugar’s functions in food and place in balanced diets by checking out the Sugar Association’s resources for parents, educators, and health professionals
• More information about National Real Sugar Day is available here.

Note: National Real Sugar Day is now observed on October 15th. Where possible, the above has been updated to reflect the new date. 

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The Sugar Association, founded in 1943, is the scientific voice of the U.S. sugar industry. The association is committed to making a difference by continuously supporting scientific research and sharing its knowledge that there’s more to sugar by increasing consumer understanding of and confidence in the role that real sugar plays in a nutritious, balanced and enjoyable diet. The Sugar Association represents nearly 11,000 beet and cane sugar growers, as well as processors and refiners of sugar. The U.S. sugar industry generates 151,000 jobs in more than two dozen states and contributes $23.3 billion to the economy annually. For more information, visit www.sugar.org, follow us on Twitter and Instagram, and connect with us on Facebook.