C H A R AC T E R S W H O B U I L D C H A R AC T E R • 55 Meanwhile across the pond, in England, another company bought Callard & Bowser. They had a complementary little new product called Altoids. Altoids did not originally appeal to the public because the price was too high. When they finally lowered the price, the brokers pushed hard and it became an everyday item with all classes of trade. With the right advertising, price and product, Altoids took off. Fast forward a few years and Kraft buys Callard & Bowser and Altoids. The product was so hot, that New England food broker who had the Kraft lines refused to sell any Kraft products if they didn’t get to sell Altoids. They gave the Kraft food broker the business. We lost $1 million in income, about 25 percent of our revenue in early 2000. You win some, you lose some. Curiously strong peppermints make a statement on the convention floor. ©iStock/evemilla