Question

PEZ Candy Inc. produces the popular small candy that is dispensed in collectible flip-top dispensers. In the United States, PEZ candies are produced in a factory in Connecticut. Over 3 billion of the small brick-shaped candies are consumed in the U.S. each year. PEZ candy is made from sugar, fruit flavoring, coloring, and corn syrup; the ingredients are put under pressure to form the hard tablets. About 95% of a PEZ tablet is sugar. The Connecticut location also houses PEZ's US headquarters and the PEZ Visitor Center. The Visitor Center offers birthday parties that include a staff member to host the party, goodie bags, pizza, soft drinks, and other options. When a family wants to have a birthday party, the family will work with PEZ staff to customize the birthday party.
1. Would PEZ Candy Inc. be more likely to use job costing or process costing for the manufacture of its PEZ candies? Why?
2. Give an example of each of the following types of costs that PEZ Candy Inc. would be likely to incur in the manufacture of its PEZ candies:
a. Direct material
b. Direct labor
c. Manufacturing overhead
i. Indirect materials
ii. Indirect labor
iii. Other manufacturing overhead
3. Would PEZ Candy Inc. be more likely to use job costing or process costing to calculate the cost of one particular birthday party hosted at the PEZ Visitor Center? Why?

Answer 1

Answer:

PEZ Candy Inc.

1. PEZ Candy Inc. would be more likely to use process costing for the manufacture of its PEZ candies.

The reason is that the manufacturing of candies involves continuous processing of materials that results into candies.  The processes are not customizable for separate orders.

2. PEZ Candy Inc. would incur these types of costs in the manufacture of its PEZ candies:

a. Direct material = sugar

b. Direct labor = wages of factory workers

c. Manufacturing overhead = utilities expenses

i. indirect materials = cleaning supplies

ii. indirect labor = factory supervisor's salary

iii. other manufacturing overhead = depreciation expense of factory equipment

3. PEZ Candy Inc. would be more likely to use job costing to calculate the cost of one particular birthday party hosted at the PEZ Visitor Center.  The reason is that it is a specific event.  It does not involve a continuous process.

Explanation:

a) Data and Calculations:

Materials for PEZ candy include:

Direct materials:

Sugar (95%)

Fruit flavoring

Coloring

Corn syrup

Product = PEZ candies

Services: customized birthday parties