Brach’s Candy

Founded by, German emigrant Emil J. Brach in 1904, Brach’s Candy quickly expanded from the initial small storefront shop on the corner of North Avenue and Towne Street in Chicago, IL, to become one of America's largest candy companies in a relatively brief period of time. Emil Brach was not alone in this endeavor, but was joined by his two sons, Edwin and Frank.

The Brach family has a definite recipe for success. The key to this success was to produce the highest quality candy, using the most up-to-date manufacturing and distribution processes available, and finally offer the customers a wide variety of products at a fair price. They built the business making and selling great-tasting, high-quality candies at a fair price.

The Brachs soon outgrew their first store and moved to Des Plaines Street on the west side of Chicago in May of 1906. Peanut and hard candies were added to the line of caramels that were already making a name for the fledgling candy company.

By 1909 the company's growth required a second move, this time to a new location at the corner of LaSalle and Illinois Avenue. The production line expanded to include coconut nougats and other hard candies. Throughout all of this growth, the rate of candy produced per pound rose phenomenally as the Brachs kept expansion of both facilities and employee numbers growing as well.

In 1913, the factory and offices moved to an even larger facility on East Illinois Street. Here Brach's added chocolate dipping and icing and cream dipping, and installed a marshmallow line and a department for panned candies. Quality was always foremost concern for the Brachs. The company backed its candy with a thirty-day money-back guarantee, and they were also the first candy company to have a state-of-the-art laboratory to inspect ingredients. In 1915 and 1916 they expanded this facility. Finally in 1923 Emil moved all operations to a new facility at the intersection of Kilpatrick, Ferdinand, and the Beltline Rail Road tracks.

They sold not only to department stores, but also to thousands of small corner stores and general merchandisers. Brach's was the first company to introduce barrels as a new and unique way to get additional display area in the stores. Next they introduced boxes with glass covers to keep the candy fresh. Impressive display cases involving candy stations, where the products could be mixed and weighed in the store, soon followed.

Today, Brach's remains a leader in the manufacture of staple (everyday) candy and seasonal candy; and the fastest-growing fruit snacks company in the U.S. Though no longer owned by the Brach’s family, the company still strives to maintain the quality and the reputation that made the brand a household name. This does not appear likely to change any time soon.

Bulk Candy

Are you planning a Christmas function and need to purchase a large volume of candy for the event? Maybe you are throwing a graduation party for your son or daughter? Do you need a variety of wholesale candy for students in your class on Valentine's Day? Planning to supply the candy for a corporate party at work? These are just some of the examples where having bulk candy available would be just the thing to make these special occasions go smoothly or add a little flair.

Early on, most candy companies realized that the need large quantities of candy rather than individual pieces would become more and more of an issue as the economy grew and more and more businesses set aside time for special events where having party favors might include having candy on hand.

Being able to purchase bulk candy at lower or wholesale prices prompted many of these companies to expand their operations to cater to needs. You could purchase big bags of bulk candy in your local supermarket or order them direct from the companies if the quantities needed were especially large.

As the years went by and technology improved, methods of purchasing bulk candy changed as well. With the emergence of the worldwide web, the bulk candy markets received a big boost.

Not only did established companies like Brach’s and Hershey’s have new ways to both attract the attention of customers surfing the net, they seized the opportunity to create online bulk candy distribution centers. Now you could actually order candy online and have it shipped directly to your house or business. It has been a remarkable innovation, certainly.

Following these big players, smaller independent candy distributors posted websites offering wholesale bulk candy as well. Today, the internet hosts thousands of these kinds of sites. Each one offering deals on either the types of candies they have available or the prices they sell them for.

This is the perfect avenue for small businesses that have candy displays or for refilling vending machines. Often, rather than going the local market to find the normal run of bulk candy, consumers are looking for specialty items or bulk candy that can be augmented with personal touches.

No matter what you need bulk candy for, you can be sure to find plenty of it online for the taking.

Candy Apples

Whether served fresh at carnivals or packaged in the local grocery store, the candy apple has been a tasty treat that scores people, children and adult alike, have savored for many years. In fact, some research has suggested that the methods employed in the making of candy apples date back into ancient times where the practice of coating fruit in sugar syrup for preservative reasons was common.

Furthermore, food historians generally agree that the existence of what we currently call candy apples and caramel (toffee) apples probably date to the late 19th century, although this is difficult to prove in print. Both toffee and caramel are traced to the early decades of the 18th century. Inexpensive toffee/caramels became available by the end of the 19th century. Culinary evidence confirms a variety of recipes, from simple candy to creamy toffee/caramel coating.

The Oxford English Dictionary gives on quotations relating to toffee apples earlier than the beginning of the 20th century. However, the use of the term as a soldier's slang for a type of bomb used in World War I suggests that they were already well known, and probably have a longer history than the quotations allow.

In the phrase toffee apple the word toffee means simple boiled sugar, not the mixture of sugar and dairy produce which is what the word normally refers to. This may be another indication of an older origin. There is some similarity between toffee apples and the Chinese dessert items which consist of pieces of banana or apple fried in batter and then coated in caramelized syrup. Whether there is any historical connection is not clear.

In order to make candy apples, first, you need to remove stem from each apple. Wash and dry each apple. Insert wooden stir stick for holding in the center of stem end then set them aside. Now you are going to grease a baking sheet, then set this aside for later as well.

In 12-cup heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine sugar, water and corn syrup; cook, stirring, over medium-low heat for 8 minutes or until sugar has dissolved. Increase heat to medium-high and bring to boil, brushing down side of pan occasionally with brush dipped in hot water to prevent crystallization. Boil, brushing down side occasionally but not stirring, for 15 to 25 minutes or until at soft-crack stage of 290 degrees

Fahrenheit on candy thermometer, or until half a teaspoon of syrup dropped into cold water separates into hard but pliable threads. Then remove syrup from heat; very quickly stir in red food coloring. Immediately plunge bottom of pan into ice water and hold for about 15 seconds or until sizzling stops. Holding each apple by wooden stick and tilting saucepan, swirl each apple in candy syrup until well coated all over. Lift apple and quickly swirl over pan to allow excess to drip off. Place on prepared baking sheet; let stand at room temperature for at least 30 minutes or until hardened. Now you have fresh delicious candy apples to enjoy.

Candy Cane

The red-and-white-striped, sugary candy known as the candy cane can be found everywhere during the Christmas season. It's as much an ornament as it is a confection, and people munch these treats and decorate with them, scarcely giving a thought to just where candy canes came from in the first place.

Candy canes didn't appear until at least the latter part of the 17th century, by which time Europe was almost entirely Christian. By then, people who were not Christians would have been the ones in need of this form of "secret handshake"!

When the practice of using Christmas trees to celebrate Christmas became popular in Europe the people there began making decorations for their trees. Many of the decorations were food items including cookies and candy. The predecessor of our modern candy cane appeared at about this time in the seventeenth century. These were straight, white sticks of sugar candy.

Pageants of living crèches were a common part of the Christmas celebration at the Cologne Cathedral. In about 1670, the choirmaster there had sticks of candy bent into the shape of a shepherd’s crook and passed them out to children who attended the ceremonies. This became a popular tradition, and eventually the practice of passing out the sugar canes at living crèches ceremonies spread throughout Europe.

The use of candy canes on Christmas trees made its way to America by the 1800’s, however during this time they were still pure white. They are represented this way on Christmas cards made before 1900, and it is not until the early 20th century that they appear with their familiar red stripes.

Claims made about the candy's religious symbolism have become increasingly widespread as religious leaders have assured their congregations that these mythologies are factual, the press has published these claims as authoritative answers to readers' inquiries about the confection's meaning, and several lavishly illustrated books purport to tell the "true story" of the candy cane's origins.

When you examine the claims of much of these recent popular treatments, you come away with little more than bits of folklore being pressed for more validity than they were meant to have.

Candy Molds

The candy mold is the defining element of candy making no matter if you are making chocolate candy bars or hard candies like peppermints, you will need one.

Having a candy mold allows for consistent reproduction of candy again and again. In the commercial production of candy massive molds are used to provide a tremendous output of candy per minute while small individual molds are more useful with at-home candy making adventures. The point is that whatever your scale, there should be a candy mold option open for you.

For those searching for just the right mold, there are many options available today including several websites online that specialize in the sales of candy molds for every possible occasion from holidays to special promotions, if you find the right website you will have access to all of the candy molds you will need.

Candy mold designs are only limited by the imagination of mold creator and there thousands of unique designs already available for those who want to make their own candy. Even the right candy mold cannot be found there is always the option of having one made from scratch.

Related to this notion, is similar option that has appeal with some people, or in other words, the idea of constructing their own candy molds. As with those who already specialize in making molds there are websites that sell the materials for making the mold—be it silicone, other heavy plastics, and even metal—and those interested will be able to find a lot of variety here.

Making candy has taken on more appeal as the availability of the tools and materials to accomplish this have become more readily available. This has lead to a surge in amateur candy makers taking up the craft to flex a bit of creative muscle to make tasty morsels all their own. Even businesses like catering companies have taken a look at the possibilities and many now are making specialized candies that show yet another aspect of their business prowess.

Again, it doesn’t matter what sort of candy mold you might be searching for. You can find what you want if you look enough at what is possible, talk to some professionals and maybe even do a bit of experimenting on your own.

Candy Shop

In days gone by, visiting the local corner candy shop was a special treat. Walking through the front door, you were immediately greeting by the pleasing aromas of peppermint, chocolate, and caramel. Perhaps, you were greeted by the shopkeeper. Then your eyes feasted upon neatly arranged, brightly packaged candies. Within glass display cases you could see rows of tasty chocolate morsels beckoning you. It was a glorious thing if were able to walk out of the candy shop with one of these delectable treats.

Times changed and many of these small candy shops closed or moved out of the neighborhood. Many times, they were put out of business by large chain stores that beginning to make their presence known. Some shrewd candy shop owners took the plunge and moved their family run operations into the shopping malls and managed to survive and prosper. Some of these small candy shops eventually became the large retail chains themselves.

In time, those small local candy shops that did survive where they were began seeking new ways to advertise their traditional, homemade quality confections to a broader audience of avid candy lovers. For many the nostalgia was a draw as well as many of the processes involved wit these small businesses were unique to them alone.

The answer to their prayers came via the internet. Owners of old time candy shops started publishing web pages that showcased their wonderful selections of candies, complete with full-color graphics and interesting content that detailed their rich histories. Though many of these sites initially appeared as nothing more than home pages that told you all about them and then encouraged you to visit them in person, there were a few that began to expand to include online stores. These stores, like those of the larger, retail candy makers who were already populating the internet with their own websites, offered everything that a candy-lover could imagine and with the added bonus of providing that extra special care and quality that only small time candy shop could offer.

This, of course, had great appeal to some. The result was that many candy shops saw significant increases in their candy sales, and this lead to expansion simply in order to keep up with the demand that these tactics generated.

So even if you can’t find that local candy shop that you gave you so many fine memories, you might find that they are but a click away.

Chocolate Candy

Whenever someone says chocolate, it normally means chocolate candy. The connection is immediate. In America, chocolate remains the most popular candy, far surpassing all other types of candy being sold. Many of us have a great deal of passion for our chocolate. Often called “chocoholics,” we can attest to some obvious addictive properties in the candy bars and chocolate desserts we munch almost daily.

Today, there are so many varieties of chocolate candy available that it would be difficult to list them all but the form most often utilized by candy-makers is the candy bar. Names like Hershey’s, Nestle, Cadbury, are synonymous with chocolate candy. These companies have made billions of dollars creating their cocoa confections for nearly a century. This success is based on a simple formula: creating the best tasting chocolate candy possible. The heritage of many of these companies is founded on this desire to achieve optimum product quality and customer satisfaction.

Commensurate with the success of the big candy makers, is the popularity of making chocolate candy on the small scale. Small locally owned and operated candy stores make a living not only selling their chocolate candies but manufacturing them as well. Creating gourmet chocolate candy is big draw for these tiny candymakers who want to produce chocolate candy that incorporates elaborate decoration and supreme quality of ingredients.

If candy making isn’t a primary occupation, then making chocolate candy is a wholly different matter. Some of principles are the same. The methods used to create many of the candies are identically, albeit, they will be on a much smaller scale than either of the previously mentioned sources of chocolate candy. In these instances, it typically becomes a matter of hobby rather than sales. Yet with a marketing tool like the internet at one’s disposal, you can take what is currently a hobby and make an online candy business all its own.

It is no surprise that there are already several online chocolate candy businesses operating on the internet, capitalizing on the fact that many people are buying even their food online. It doesn’t seem like such a stretch to browse the candy store from your computer screen.

Cotton Candy Machine

A cotton candy machine uses sugar, a heated pan, centrifugal force and tiny holes to create the popular treat at carnivals and other events. To briefly explain the process: First, the operator of a cotton candy machine pours pure sugar and food coloring into a centralized plan. As the sugar melts, centrifugal force from this spinning pan forces threads of sugar through a mesh screen.

The hot sugar threads cool down in the open air and are flung against the round outside wall of the machine. Then, the operator then twirls a paper cone around the perimeter, causing individual sugar threads to stick to the cone and to each other. The result is a large pile of spun sugar originally called “Fairy Floss,” or more commonly known as cotton candy

The original idea behind cotton candy dates back nearly to the medieval times to a cooking method called 'spun sugar'. As sugar melted in a small container, the cooks would gather some of the hot syrup on a fork and fling it across a larger container. When the heated sugar cooled, light threads would form and chefs bundled them together to form a dessert. But this dessert was difficult and time consuming to make, a fact which made it impractical until the invention of the cotton candy machine.

The first commercial cotton candy machine was invented in 1897 by two candy makers from Tennessee named William Morrison and John C. Wharton. The machine used an electric heating element to melt crystallized sugar and a motor to force the threads through a mesh. Instead of using paper cones, the first batches of Fairy Floss were served in wooden boxes.

At the time, the treat itself was very expensive, selling for an exorbitant 25 cents a box. (a ticket for admission to the 1904 World's Fair itself was only 50 cents.) Despite the high costs, the new treat was a hit and its popularity grew. Yet, at times, this success was overshadowed by the tendency for the machines to breakdown.

Around 1949, improvements were made to the basic cotton candy machine. The Gold Medal Company developed a more reliable mechanism for heating and distributing the sugar which eliminated much of problems that earlier machines were suffering from. Consequently, the majoring of the cotton candy machines in use today at fairs, carnivals and charity events are still being manufactured by Gold Medal Products of Cincinnati, Ohio.

The demand for the availability of this machines have prompted rental stores to keep cotton candy machines on hand as well as the special “floss” sugar needed to make it for use at schools and fundraising events. Also, in recent years, a home version of the cotton candy machine has also become available through selected specialty stores though these models tend be less durable and subject to breakdown.

Gummi Bears Candy

Hans Riegel, a Bonn Germany-based candymaker, invented gummi bears (the first gummi candy) and gummi candy during the 1920s, with the bear-shaped candy debuting in 1922. Initially, he called his invention the ‘dancing bear" and named the company that manufactured the bears "Haribo,” which is an acronym for Hans Riegel Bonn. The confection became popular by the end of its first year. Later the company introduced its Gold-Bear product in the 1960s.

For many years, gummi bears were imported to America. American high school students were among the first Americans to know about the gummi bear. They learned about the candy through their German classes. In 1981, the Herman Goelitz Company (now Jelly Belly Candy Company) created the first American-made gummi bear. A year later, the Haribo Company brought their business to the U.S., and the candy was now easily accessible to Americans.

The success of gummi bears has spawned many gummi animals and objects: worms, frogs, hamburgers, cherries, cola bottles, sharks, apples, and oranges. Many generic brands of gummi bears are available on the market. Trolli is a well-known knockoff gummi candy manufacturer and was the first to introduce "gummi worms" in 1981.

How are gummi bears and other gummi candies made? The gummi manufacturing process is a long procedure that begins with artists for the manufacturer’s company.

Artists start with a character sketch and then carve it into tiny plaster molds. Then, machines duplicate the molds. The duplicates are run through a starch powder machine to produce starch powder mold pans.

In the factory, candy makers pour ingredients into large boilers. Some of the ingredients include gelatin, sugar and glucose syrup. Then the ingredients are heated together and constantly stirred by large paddles. Colors and flavorings are added to give the gummi snacks their distinct look and taste. Next, pipes transfer the mixture to the production area.

Nozzles are used to squeeze the mix out onto the starch pans where it is left to sit for three to five days. Afterwards, beeswax is added to make the candy shiny and less sticky. Finally, the gummi candies are transferred to a packaging machine and prepared for shipment.

Jelly Belly

The origin of the Jelly Belly jelly bean begins back in 1976 when a Los Angeles candy distributor approached the candymakers at Jelly Belly (what was formerly known as Herman Goelitz Candy Company) with an idea for a new kind of jelly bean that would be marketed as the jelly bean with all-natural flavors.

Creating these "true-to-life" flavors seemed to be the next logical step in the candy’s evolution. In time a recipe was found for a new kind of jelly bean, which emphasized an intense flavor throughout and used natural ingredients for flavoring whenever possible.

Thus, in 1976, the first eight Jelly Belly flavors were arrived: Very Cherry, Lemon, Tangerine, Cream Soda, Green Apple, Root Beer, Grape and Licorice. Since that time, these original eight have remained the most popular flavors in the Jelly Belly line.

The moment that Jelly Belly beans hit the markets, they were a resounding success. People who tasted them were taken aback by the great flavor. A few years later, it is worthy to note that Jelly Belly became the favorite candy of former President Ronald Reagan, who eventually made the beans a staple in both the Oval Office and on Air Force One. More amazing is the fact that a new flavor was created per Reagan’s request.

Blueberry flavored Jelly Belly became part of the President’s party favors. (He wanted to be able to serve red, white, and blue jelly beans.) Consequently, diplomats and world leaders have clamored to have Jelly Belly beans. If Jelly Belly had not already ensured itself a place in history, then adding the fact that it was the first jelly bean in outer space, should close the case completely. Today, you can sample fifty amazing flavors of Jelly Belly beans.

After all this writing about jelly beans, did you know Jelly Belly Candy Company also makes over a hundred other candies?

Jelly Belly is a consummate candymaker creating top quality candies the same rich quality as Jelly Belly beans and making special confections for Valentine's Day, Easter, Halloween and Christmas.

You'll find these candies in many of the same gourmet shops and specialty stores where you find Jelly Belly beans.

Jolly Ranchers

The Jolly Rancher is a brand of candy that includes hard candy, fruit chews, and lollipops. It was originally produced by the Jolly Rancher Candy Company, a Colorado based company which was founded in 1949 by husband and wife Bill and Dorothy Harmsen.

The name Jolly Rancher was derived from idea of western hospitality. When the candy was first introduced, the candy company actually made various products including ice cream and chocolate. Once the Jolly Rancher candy’s popularity was apparent by the growing sales, the company then ceased making ice cream and then concentrated on hard candy.

In 1966, the Harmsens sold the Jolly Rancher Candy to Beatrice Foods but the couple continued to be involved in the day to day operations of the company. Seventeen years later, in 1983, the Finland-based company, Huhtamaki Oy, purchased the candy company and the right to Jolly Rancher Candy from the ailing Beatrice Foods who would later be bought out by Kohlbert Kravis Roberts & Co. in 1986 then later broken up by ConAgra Foods Inc. in 1990.

Huhtamaki Oy eventually sold Jolly Rancher to Hershey Foods Corporation in 1996 where it has been ever since. All production a the orignal Colorado location ceased after the acquisition by Hershey Foods.

While Jolly Rancher has introduced other kinds of candy in recent years, for many people their name is synonymous with the rectangular hard candies that made them famous.

The original assortment of flavors still marketed today includes grape, cherry, lemon, watermelon, and sour apple. They also sell two other assortments: "Tropical Blends", comprised of strawberry-banana, raspberry-pineapple, banana-pineapple, mandarin-tangerine, and lemon lime; and "Passion fruits", which includes fruit punch, strawberry, raspberry, peach, and orange. An intense cinnamon flavor called Fire is also available.

Beyond the Jolly Rancher candy and its variation is the other candies that wear the Jolly Rancher brand name. These include: Hard Candy, Sugar Free Hard Candy (1997) Jelly Beans (1997) Lollipops (1999) Fruit Chew Lollipops (2001) Fruit Chews Candy (2001) Screaming Sours Candy (2004) Bold Fruit Smoothie Jelly Beans (2005) Lollipops with Chile.

In addition to the traditional flavors introduced by the Harmsens, Hershey’s has added Fruit 'n' Sour flavors, Smoothie flavors, and holiday-themed candies.

Mexican Candy

The import and sales of Mexican candy in the United States has been a steadily increasing market for a number of years now with figures now suggesting that this is an almost $170 million dollar business. This fact should certainly make some of us take up and notice.

The major contributor of this increase has been the demand for these types of treats by the Latino population on the west coast who are looking for tasty snacks that remind them of their own cultural tastes and provide their children with an opportunity to sample some of their childhood candy favorites. Beyond this, the emergence of candy markets across the U.S. that specialize in ethic foods, have begun to spread sales numbers from coast to coast.

But what is different about Mexican candy? What explains it growing popularity?

Eduardo Rodríguez, the founder of Dulcelandia, a Chicago based candy store chain that sells a variety of Mexican candy made following statement: “The American candy market is a great market, but it lacks spice.”

What is meant by spice, you may ask? Many of these foreign confections with their combination sweet and sour with the tangy flavor of chili powder challenge many Americans sensibilities when it comes to what is considered candy.

But, for some the uniqueness of Mexican candy has been a welcome change in taste from the regular run of candies to be found at the local supermarket. Despite the fact that most of the buyers of these candies are Latino emigrants, a growing number of Anglo and African Americans are intrigued by the different flavors that Mexican candy has to offer.

Many of the candies are uniquely shaped, taking the form of soda bottles, ears of corn, cucumbers, and roasted chicken to name a few. Most of them are made with all natural fruits: peach, pineapple, mango, tamarind, guava, papaya, and cantaloupe. These are further enhanced by the inclusion of chili powder coatings.

So how about a bag of chili-coated gummies? Or, perhaps, you would prefer a mango-and-chili-flavored lollipop? Again, these may seem like odd combinations, but it wouldn’t hurt you to try them? You may be in for a pleasant surprise.

Online Candy Store

It shouldn’t be any surprise that as with every other business, that the candy store should find its way onto the worldwide web. At the moment, there are literally hundreds of online candy stores now operating from websites that have been built to cater customers who are looking for either the brand name candies available at any store or to candy lovers looking for more exotic varieties types of specialty candies that are typically hard to find or not available in certain regions of the country.

Even more interesting are the number of online candy stores that actually have something just for the nostalgic, offering classic candies from the 50’s, 60’s, and 70’s. You can even find online stores can have candy available made just for special occasions or holidays, ready to order so the customer will be able to plan surprise treats for loved ones.

Wholesale candy distributors have jumped on board with this trend for online candy stores by adding comprehensive listings of all of their products on the web then going further by offering great deals on bulk candy sales for a variety of customers including movie theaters, restaurants, and small grocery stores with the convenience of online purchasing or special rates on limited edition candies that you cannot find anywhere else or that have been discontinued but a surplus remains to be sold at a discount.

This can also be just the option for those who might need to have a party or a more professional occasion but just don’t have the time in their schedule to get out to a store in person. With online candy stores you merely need to log on and place an order.

Less commercialized candymakers have also realized the good sense of providing access to their range of products to online markets and as a result, have broadened their potential to make money across the country and even around the globe.

Additionally, many of these online candy stores include gifts and card with the candy they sell which does increase the likelihood that someone browsing the internet will do more than stop and browse their wares.

There truly is something for everyone on most online candy stores.

See’s Candy

Established by a recent Canadian emigrant named Charles See along with his mother and his wife, Florence the first See's Candies shop and kitchen on Western Avenue in Los Angeles in November of 1921. The sparkling clean, black and white shop was designed to resemble Mary See's home kitchen.

See decided that no image would better reflect the personality of his fledgling venture than that of his mother, Mary See. The spectacled, silver haired woman still smiles with pride from candy boxes shipped throughout the world, and her original recipes are savored by millions to this day. Apart from using his mother’s recipes as a foundation, See knew that keeping his business a family affair was the only way to bring about the kind of lovingly crafted product he desired.

See's continued to grow steadily from that first shop in Los Angeles to twelve shops by the mid-1920's and thirty shops during the depression. By 1936, See's was able to open shops in San Francisco. Mary See died in 1939 at the age of 85, but the company's ability to adjust to changing times—without abandoning the dedication to quality and service that Mary See represented—kept it going strong throughout the decades to come.

Following World War II, See's Candy Shops grew as California grew, and the See's family continued the tradition, opening up shops throughout the state. In the 50's, See's established itself with the new and growing phenomenon of shopping malls. See's customers continued to recognize the See's Candies product for its quality and taste, and continued to visit See's old-fashioned black and white shops, enjoying a visit to a time past where service was paramount.

In 1972, the See's family sold the company to Berkshire Hathaway Inc., presided over by Chairman Warren Buffett and Vice Chairman Charles Munger. Utilizing his philosophy of acquiring solid companies where he could follow his "hands off" policy, Warren Buffett installed Charles N. Huggins as President and CEO.

Charles Huggins dedicated himself to the continuance of the company he joined in 1951, guiding it with the old-fashioned values set by Charles See until his retirement at the end of 2005. He is succeeded by current See's President and CEO, Brad Kinstler, himself a longtime Berkshire Hathaway team member. Today See's Candies are sold in over two hundred shops throughout the Western United States, a true sign of their enduring popularity.