[1] In 1944, in Rotterdam, Netherlands, fifteen-year-old Marinus van Dam began work as a janitor at a local confectionery factory, scraping the candy remnants off the floor.

Eventually, he was rewarded with an opportunity to attend confectionery school to study the art of candy technology.

In January 1957, Marinus emigrated from the Netherlands to the United States and found work at a small company in Columbus, Ohio.

After three months, Marinus decided to move to California, where he worked for Herman Goelitz Candy Company.

[5] In 2001, Marich received the International Fancy Food Show award for the creation of the chocolate covered dried cherry.