Newport Coast, CA — Leaf Brands has formed several international distribution partnerships to enlarge its markets across the globe.

The company reports forming new partnerships in Europe, Australia, Nigeria, Russia, China, Kenya, Lebanon, Israel, India and Pakistan. The growth reflects the push for distributors to expand to Asian markets, where there is rising demand for higher quality candies, the company says.

Ellia Kassoff, managing partner for Leaf, says: “Leaf is becoming more of an international brand, which is the goal. We have distributors all around the world that are ordering our products. There is a growing middle class in a lot of these markets, and it kind of correlates with the improving conditions in many of these countries. As the middle class grows, so does the consumption of candy.”