candy factory tours near chicago

13 Iconic Candy Makers in Chicago

– by tom schaffner.

Every year, the “who’s who” of candy makers visit the international  “Sweets and Snacks Expo” held at Chicago’s McCormick Place.  Ever wonder why? Chicago has long-held the title of “Candy Capital of the World” so it’s only fitting that the largest candy maker convention in the world is held here on an annual basis.  

Transportation, geography and a steady supply of immigrant workers in the mid-19 th century are what lead to Chicago’s success as a candy maker and distributor of candy products worldwide.  Access to rail lines and Great Lakes shipping sped the flow of ingredients into the city and made the outbound distribution of finished candy products around the globe effective and efficient.  Newly-arrived immigrants provided a steady stream of workers to fill candy manufacturing jobs while others opened small retail candy shops across the city featuring products made from Old World family recipes.

Through the years there have been a number of innovative candy makers that have called Chicago “home sweet home.”  The following is our list of great Chicago candy manufacturers and their contributions to the world of sweet treats.

Candy Makers in Chicago

Wm. wrigley jr. company.

Selling packs of chewing gum can lead to big business and no one was more successful at it than the Wrigley Company, an iconic candy maker company that was founded in Chicago in 1891.  Initially a soap and baking powder manufacturer, Wrigley offered purchasers gum as a premium to sell the company’s primary products. Wrigley soon realized however that the gum was more popular than the other products so he retooled his factory so it could manufacture gum.  In 1893, Wrigley introduced Juicy Fruit and Spearmint brands; Doublemint was introduced in 1914. Though the company was acquired by Mars, Inc. in 2008 for $23 billion, it still maintains a Global Innovation Center on Goose Island. 

Doublemint , Juicy Fruit and Spearmint are available on Amazon! As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.

Blommer Chocolate Company

 If you’ve ever been in the Loop and smelled chocolate in the air, you’ve been properly introduced to Blommer, a West Loop chocolate candy maker that has been processing cocoa beans since 1939.  A wholesaler, not a retailer, Blommer has become one of the largest independent candy makers and chocolate ingredient suppliers in North America, accounting for nearly 45 percent of cocoa beans processed in the U.S.  Although the company’s main business is supplying chocolate ingredients to other companies, the company maintains a small retail shop adjacent to the manufacturing plant that sells chocolates and various baking supplies.

Schutter-Johnson Company

This Chicago-based company’s claim to fame was the introduction of Bit O’ Honey in 1924, a honey-flavored taffy product with bits of almond embedded throughout.  Like taffy from other candy makers, Bit O’Honey was a long-chewing candy. The brand is now owned by Pearson’s Candy Company of St. Paul, Minnesota.

Want to try it? A one-pound bag goes quickly – purchase Bit O’Honey on Amazon. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.

Ferrara Pan

Founded in 1908 in the Little Italy neighborhood, the candy maker Ferrara is known for a wide range of candies, including Lemonheads, Jujyfruits, Chuckles, Atomic Fireballs, Red Hots and Boston Baked Beans.  Today, Ferrara Candy has its headquarters in suburban Oak Brook Terrace and operates five manufacturing facilities in the U.S. and Mexico. Ferrara also is the country’s largest producer of candy canes, the largest seller of conversation hearts (“Kiss Me,” “Miss You,) etc. and produces a large portion of jelly beans that are consumed in the U.S.

Ever tried Red Hots ? Lemonheads ? Boston Baked Beans ? As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.

In 1904, Emil J. Brach opened “Brach’s Palace of Sweets” on North Avenue near Halsted and, at the time, sold mainly chocolate bars and an almond nougat confection.  After World War II, the candy maker company began to focus on bulk and bagged candies and one time had more than 1,700 product lines. Brach’s Candy Corn has been a staple at Halloween and for many years has been the number one selling candy corn product in the U.S.  In 2012, after a number of acquisitions by other companies, Brach’s became part of the Ferrara Pan Candy Company.

Stock up on Candy Corn for Halloween! As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.

Curtiss Candy Company

Though no longer headquartered in the Chicago area (Nestlé is currently the owner), the company’s two most famous products are manufactured in Franklin Park (near O’Hare) — Baby Ruth (1920) and Butterfinger (1936).  Curtiss was founded in Chicago in 1916 by Otto Schnering who named the company using his mother’s maiden name because of anti-German sentiment during World War I.

Get your fix on Amazon – Baby Ruth and Butterfinger .  As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.

DeMet’s Candy Company

 Turtles brand candy was developed by Johnson’s Candy Company in 1918 when a traveling salesman showed a candy to one of the dippers that looked like a turtle.  It was made with pecans and caramels and then dipped in chocolate. In 1923, the candy maker’s stores dropped the Johnson’s name and assumed the name DeMet’s and reserved the trademarked Turtles name.  Now owned by Yildiz Holding, the products are sold at a wide variety of retail stores, including Walgreens, CVS, Target and Amazon – purchase here ! As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.

Tootsie Roll Industries

Founded in New York in 1898, Tootsie Roll Industries has had its candy maker headquarters and primary manufacturing facilities in Chicago since 1968.  The company’s eponymous product, the Tootsie Roll, derived its name from owner Leo Hirshfield’s daughter, whose nickname was “Tootsie.” Additional treats are added to the product line or acquired over the years: Tootsie Pops (1931); DOTS (1972); Junior Mints, Sugar Daddy, Sugar Babies and Charleston Chew (1994); and Dubble Bubble (2004).

Easy access to a chocolate fix here . As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.

Leaf Brands

Founded in 1920 by Chicago entrepreneur Sol Leaf, Leaf Candy Company was once the fourth largest candy company in North America, producing such products as Whoppers , Jolly Rancher , Milk Duds , Payday and Heath Bar ( As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases).   The company’s U.S. division was sold to Hershey in 1996 and the remainder of the company left the U.S. for Europe. Today the company has been re-launched in the U.S. and it is selling a variety of food products, such as Hydrox cookies.

Fannie May  

The first Fannie May candy shop was opened at 11 N. LaSalle St. in 1920 by H. Teller Archibald, a prominent Chicago racehorse owner.  The business was successful — by 1935 it has grown to 48 retail shops in Illinois and surrounding Midwest states. Key to the company’s success was its collection of decades-old candy recipes that, over the years, it refused to update or modernize.  In 1946, Fannie May created “Pixies,” a blend of hand-poured caramel, roasted pecans and dark or milk chocolate. Pixies, its most popular product ever, helped propel Fannie May in 1992 to the position of largest candy retailer (most stores) in the United States.  Today the company is part of Ferrara Candy.

The Hershey Company

 No, the Hershey Bar was not invented in Chicago.  None of the company’s other products — Kisses, Syrup, Reese’s, Kit Kat, Almond Joy (to name a few) — were launched or manufactured here, either.  The candy makers have a very important connection to Chicago, however. After Milton S. Hershey, founder of the company saw German chocolate-making machines for the very first time at the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago, he decided he wanted to go into the chocolate manufacturing business.  He purchased the machines and the rest, as they say, is history.

Though not founded in Chicago, Mars, Inc . had its corporate headquarters here for 30 years (1929-1959) and during that period launched some of its most popular candy products, including Snickers, Three Musketeers and M&M’s ( As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases) .  Now headquartered in suburban Washington, D.C. and still owned by members of the Mars family, the company still maintains manufacturing operations in Chicago and has grown to become one of the largest privately-held companies in the world.

Marshall Field & Co.

Originally created at a Seattle-based department store chain, Frederick and Nelson’s, in 1918, the recipe for Frango Mints became the property of Marshall Field & Company stores in Chicago when it acquired the Washington company.  In 1929, Field’s moved production of Frango Mints to the 13 th floor of its enormous State Street flagship store where they were produced in huge melting pots for nearly 70 years.  Now owned by Macy’s department stores, Frango Mints are available in a wide variety of flavors and in different product lines.  The products, however, are now manufactured in Ohio. 

Buy Frangos on Amazon. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases

Interested in learning more? For more stories about Chicago’s fascinating history, take a look at what Chicago city tours we are currently running with L Stop Tours ! You can see some of these candy factories and businesses while on one of our many Chicago tours . Book your next adventure today!

Holder of two journalism degrees, including a masters from Northwestern University, Tom Schaffner is a native of the Chicago area and has spent nearly 50 years as a writer, editor, publisher and professional communications consultant. He was also the founder, editor, and publisher of the Chicago File, a newsletter for former Chicagoans. Tom is also the co-owner of  L Stop Tours .

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Take a fun, educational guided walking and tasting tour of select chocolate shops along the Magnificent Mile or in the Loop. Learn about the history of chocolate and sample chocolate delights on this tasty tour

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• Address: 900 North Michigan Avenue Chicago IL 60601
• Phone: (312) 929-2939 +1 312-929-2939
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How’d They Make That? Food Factory & Warehouse Tours

They say the quickest way to a kid’s heart is through his tummy. That’s true where gummy bears and ice cream are concerned, at least. Get your family curious about where their food comes from by taking a factory or warehouse tour. There is a lot of food and drink made in the Chicago area and some manufacturers will take you behind the scenes. Flip through our album to discover tours for fans of candy, coffee and beer (both root and the grownup varieties).

Jelly Belly Warehouse Tour

Hop on the Jelly Belly Train (yes, it's a thing) to tour the warehouse and learn through videos how candy corn, jellybeans and gummies are made. Shop the store to enjoy the sample bar, where visitors can taste each flavor as well as any favorite or new confection on the day’s menu. If you find yourself there at lunchtime, small bites are available at the Jelly Belly Snack Bar. Guided tours are scheduled 9 a.m.-4 p.m. and groups of visitors are taken around every 10-15 minutes. 

10100 Jelly Belly Lane, Pleasant Prairie, WI (866-TOUR-JBC or  jellybelly.com )

Intelligentsia Coffee

Show your kids what happens behind the scenes to create the lifeblood of exhausted parents everywhere by taking them on a tour of Intelligentsia Coffee. Visitors will learn every aspect of coffee making with live demonstrations of the roasting process and discussions of everything involved between the farmer growing the beans and the coffee being savored in the mug. Enjoy all the freshly brewed coffee you can drink while on the tour and leave with the shakes and a free 12 oz. bag of freshly roasted coffee. Tour admission is $30 for adults and free for children under the age of 13. Tour availability is limited and reservations are highly recommended.

1850 W. Fulton St., Chicago (312-521-7976 or  intelligentsiacoffee.com )

Long Grove Confectionery

This local gem is a wholesale supplier of more than 300 gourmet confections sold throughout the country, their signature confection being the Milk Chocolate Pecan Myrtle. Tours of their facility are offered for groups of 10 or more, but sometimes you can join an existing tour if you’re short a few people. Kids will get a kick out of the 2,500-pound chocolate Statue of Liberty and 500-pound Santa sculptures that greet visitors. The tour starts with a video explaining how chocolate is made and moves on to the kitchen viewing area, were depending on the production schedule, you’ll see anything from caramel being cooked in copper pots to cream and butter filling churning in huge mixers. Watch as staff hand paints colored chocolate into the molds prior to filling, resulting in what looks like miniature pieces of art.

Tours cost $2 per person and are available Monday-Friday. Reservations are required and live production is not guaranteed. Stick around after the tour to shop for treats in their factory store.

333 Lexington Ave., Buffalo Grove (847-459-3100 or  http://www.longgrove.com/factory-tours/ )

Filbert's Root Beer

Filbert’s doesn’t offer a scripted tour of their facilities, but their friendly staff is always more than happy to show customers around their bottling facility. They’re most known for root beer, but they produce 25 soda flavors in total. Before you go in to buy your mixed case or keg of soda, call ahead to see if they’re bottling that day so you can see the operation in action.

3430 S. Ashland Ave., Chicago (773-847-1520 or  filbertsrootbeer.com )

Two Brothers Brewery

Here’s a tour that the grownups will get excited about. Two Brothers was started in 1996 by — you guessed it — two brothers with a passion for microbrews. They open their doors for guests of any age for 45-minute tours, just check their online calendar for dates and times. Reservations are not required and guests are treated to the sights, smells and, for those 21 years and older, tastes of the brewery. Come hungry so you can enjoy the extensive menu at Tap House.

30W315 Calumet Ave., Warrenville (630-393-4800 or twobrothersbrewing.com

Albenese Confectionary

Not only does Albanese make gummies as pretty as they are delicious, they welcome visitors to take a peek into the manufacturing process for what have become known as the “World’s Best Gummies.” Tours are designed for all ages and consist of viewing the Gummi Factory through eight separate windows and watching videos explaining the creation of gummies and Gold Label chocolates. Free self-guided tours take about 5-15 minutes and are available any time during normal business hours (Monday-Saturday 9 a.m.-8 p.m., Sunday 10 a.m.-6 p.m.); no reservations required. You’re rewarded at the end with samples of the freshest gummi and chocolate samples you’ll ever eat.

5441 E. Lincoln Highway, Merrillville, IN (855-272-3227 or  albanesecandy.com )

Plant Chicago

The Plant is a 93,500-square-foot former pork processing facility that has been transformed into a collaborative community of small businesses focused on growing, producing and sourching a variety of food products. It is currently home to over a dozen small businesses, including indoor and outdoor farms. Take a self-guided tour Saturdays between noon-2 p.m., to learn more about circular economy principles, view their waste museum, hear from interns, and explore and explore a demonstration aquaponic system. 

1400 W. 46th St., Back of the Yards (773-847-5523 or plantchicago.org )

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The Chocolate Factory Tour In Illinois That's Everything You've Dreamed Of And More

Elizabeth Crozier

An Illinois transplant who grew up and went to school in Indiana for 22 years, Elizabeth holds a BFA in creative writing and has enjoyed traveling across the country and parts of Europe. She has visited half of the states, as well as parts of Canada, Mexico, and the Caribbean, and regularly travels home to the Hoosier State to see friends and family. With more than five years of writing experience, Elizabeth’s articles have been featured on several websites, and her poetry and short stories have been published in multiple literary journals.

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Streams of chocolate and lines of confectionery goods as far as the eye can see will stick in your dreams long after you visit this marvelous chocolate factory. Your tour guide will lead you through the magic as you learn how all your favorite candies are made, and you’ll leave with the taste of heaven on your tongue.

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Long Grove Confectionery is located at 333 Lexington Drive in Buffalo Grove. Check out their website or Facebook page to schedule a tour.

If you can’t get enough sugar, satisfy that sweet tooth with 10 more candy shops in Illinois .

Have you ever toured this chocolate factory? Share with us your photos and tastings.

OnlyInYourState may earn compensation through affiliate links in this article. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.

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Chocolate Factory Tours!

  tours are back, visit the home of chocolate chocolate chocolate company & bissinger's handcrafted chocolatier.

Fulfill a childhood dream and visit the Chocolate Chocolate Chocolate Company factory, candy kitchen and world headquarters! The Abel Family opened their new plant in 2012 and offers FREE factory tours 5-days-a-week! We will take you down onto the factory floor so you can see, hear, smell and taste chocolates right in front of your eyes! We will show you our candy kitchen and chocolate enrobers - so you can watch our candy makers hand make chocolates right in front of your eyes! Our Chocolate factory is becoming a popular St. Louis tourist destination, with over 50,000 visitors each year!

FACTORY TOURS ARE FREE OF CHARGE!

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American chocolate & candy factory tours | see chocolate & candy made in the usa.

Some of the links on this page may be affiliate links. As an Amazon associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. There is no additional cost to you when you make a qualifying purchase via an affiliate link. Click here for the full affiliate disclosure.

Here’s your golden ticket to American chocolate & candy factory tours! O.K. it’s not an actual golden ticket but you don’t need one with these candy makers and chocolatiers inviting you, your family, your classroom, or your group to see how they make all the treats and goodies your sweet tooth craves.

Candy & Chocolate Factory Tours in the USA

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Visit a USA Candy or Chocolate Factory

Arizona candy factory & chocolatier tours.

Cerreta | Glendale, AZ

Tours of Cerreta’s chocolate factory are available Monday through Friday. They offer fun tour activity upgrades too. Kids can pull taffy, make their own chocolate pizza or chocolate bar, and many other options.

California Candy Factory & Chocolatier Tours

Jelly Belly | Fairfield, CA

Walk above the factory at your own pace in Jelly Belly’s self-guided tour. Participate in interactive exhibits and games along the tour lane, shop at the Jelly Belly store, and dine at the Jelly Belly cafe.

Visit the Official Jelly Belly Amazon Store

#Jelly Belly

Colorado Candy Factory & Chocolatier Tours

Hammond’s Candies | Denver, CO

Bring your curiosity and a sweet tooth to see where lollipops, candy canes, and other Hammond’s treats are made on the complimentary Hammond’s candy factory tour. See your favorite treats pulled, twisted, shaped, and packaged by hand as they’ve been since 1920.

Visit the Official Hammond’s Candies Amazon Store

#Hammond’s Candies

The Taffy Shop | Estes Park, CO

Watch the K Kiss machine in action and get a fresh piece of taffy straight from the sorting bin when you visit The Taffy Shop in downtown Estes Park.

Visit the Official Taffy Shop Amazon Store

#The Taffy Shop

Connecticut Candy Factory & Chocolatier Tours

Fascia’s Chocolates | Waterbury, CT

Check the event calendar to enjoy a chocolate experience where adults and children alike can make a candy bar, or choose a Chocolate Decadence Tour by train where chocolates will be paired with spirits from regional distilleries, breweries, wineries, and vineyards.

#Fascia’s Chocolates

PEZ | Orange, CT

Experience PEZ in person in a self-guided visit to the more than 4,000 square feet visitor center dedicated to all things PEZ. The visitor’s center includes memorabilia, PEZ history, and even a PEZ motorcycle built by Orange County Choppers.

Shop PEZ on Amazon

Florida Candy Factory & Chocolatier Tours

Davidson of Dundee | Dundee, FL

The Davidson family personally invites you to visit the original factory and retail store located in Dundee, Florida where you can see how the candies, chocolates, marmalades, and jellies are made by hand, one batch at a time. 

#Davidson of Dundee

Whetstone Chocolates | St. Augustine, FL

Learn the history of Whetstone Chocolates and taste freshly made chocolates and confections while you walk through the factory in St. Augustine’s original chocolate factory tour.

#Whetstone Chocolates

Hawaii Candy Factory & Chocolatier Tours

Original Hawaiian Chocolate | Kailua Kona, HI

Original Hawaiian Chocolate offers guided plantation tours of the working plantain. Reservations are required. Take a scenic walking tour of the cacao orchard and sample delicious milk, and rare criollo chocolates. The tour is full of information about every step in the chocolate-making process from growing the trees to molding each handmade, delicious bar.

#Original Hawaiian Chocolate

Illinois Candy Factory & Choclatier Tours

Long Grove Confectionery Co. | Buffalo Grove, IL

See the famous chocolate factory tour that’s great for all ages. Smell the buttery chocolate and taste the rich caramel as you view the production and enjoy a chocolate treat.

#Long Grove Confectionary Co.

Indiana Candy Factory & Chocolatier Tours

DeBrand | Fort Wayne, IN

Visit the beautiful corporate headquarters and see the chocolatiers in action when you view the chocolate-making kitchens. DeBrand offers both open public tours and private scheduled group tours. Tours vary as production varies daily.

South Bend Chocolate Company | South Bend, IN

Adults and children alike will enjoy a tour of the 58,000-square-foot South Bend Chocolate Company factory and museum. Tour guests are led through the entire chocolate-making process and treated to a sample at the end of the tour.

#South Bend Chocolate Company

Maine Candy Factory & Chocolatier Tours

Haven’s Candies | Westbrook, ME

Free self-directed window tours are available at the Westbrook location anytime the candy shop is open. Additionally, the open house is typically held every year on Columbus Day when the public is invited to come make their own candy.

#Haven’s Candies

Massachusetts Candy Factory & Chocolatier Tours

Harbor Sweets | Salem, MA

Harbor Sweet offers tours that can be arranged by email.

#Harbor Sweets

Taza | Somerville, MA

Book a tour of the Somerville chocolate factory where you can watch chocolate being made. Tour guides are hand to answer questions about the process.

Visit the Official Taza Amazon Store

Michigan Candy Factory & Chocolatier Tours

Chocolates by Grimaldi | Grand Haven, MI

Learn about chocolate from pod to bean and indulge in FREE samples! See where the chocolatiers create their recipes and watch our 38-foot enrober in action at this Michigan chocolate factory tour.

#Chocolates by Grimaldi

Gilbert Chocolates | Jackson, MI

Gilbert Chocolates free tour includes information about how chocolate is made, the history of Gilbert Chocolates, and an opportunity to watch the chocolate creation artists at work.

Visit the Official Gilbert Chocolates Amazon Store

#Gilbert Chocolates

Nevada Candy Factory & Chocolatier Tours

Ethel M Chocolates | Las Vegas, NV

Visit the Las Vegas factory and flagship store to experience a self-guided tour, gourmet chocolate and wine tastings, and walk the cactus gardens.

Visit the Official Ethel M Chocolates Amazon Store

#Ethel M Chocolates

Kimmie Candy | Reno, NV

Visit the biggest little candy store in the world for a variety of candies and a virtual factory tour.

Shop Kimmie Candy on Amazon

#Kimmie Candy

French Broad Chocolates | Asheville, NC

Classroom factory tours, private tours, chocolate and wine tastings, and more. Tours include an overview of cacao farming, a guided viewing of the chocolate factory, and plenty of tastings.

#French Broad Chocolates

Ohio Candy Factory & Chocolatier Tours

Anthony-Thomas Candy Company | Columbus, OH

Tour groups can experience candy making from start to finish in the 152,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art candy factory. Walk along the comfortable, glass-enclosed suspended cat-walk and observe nine lines producing 30,000 pounds of chocolates per shift. The experienced tour guide explains each process step-by-step from the kitchen to the final packaging. View the huge copper kettles where the centers of some of the candies are created and the unique silver-wrapped pipes that carry liquid chocolate throughout the factory.

Visit the Official Anthony Thomas Amazon Store

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Fannie May Chocolate | North Canton, OH

Explore the Fannie May factory with a behind-the-scenes look at how they carefully craft gourmet chocolates. Enjoy the enchanting aroma of fresh chocolate and get an exclusive look at the love and passion behind each chocolate.

Visit the Official Fannie May Chocolates Amazon Store

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Spangler Candy Museum & Store | Bryan, OH

Spangler Candy Company has been in business for more than 110 years and is still family-owned. The new museum highlights the history of Spangler Candy Company’s products, achievements, and leadership since 1906. 

Visit the Official Spangler Candy Amazon Store

Pennsylvania Candy Factory & Chocolatier Tours

Hershey’s Chocolate World | Hershey, PA

Hershey’s Chocolate World is more than a factory tour, it’s an entire chocolate adventure. Ride the train to colorful candy worlds, meet Hershey’s characters, create your own candy bar, and even go on a chocolate factory ride.

Visit the Official Hershey’s Amazon Store

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Tennessee Candy Factory & Chocolatier Tours

Olive & Sinclair | Nashville, TN

Learn about Olive & Sinclair and the unique process of making bean-to-bar chocolate on a 30-45 minute walking tour of the facility.

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Texas Candy Factory & Chocolatier Tours

The Chocolate Gallery | Bryan, TX

Tours and field trips offer an hour-long, in-depth tour of The Chocolate Gallery facility and operations. Learn about the production of cacao into chocolate and traditional candy making concluded by a chocolate tasting.

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Vermont Candy Factory & Chocolatier Tours

Lake Champlain Chocolates | Burlington, Stowe, & Waterbury Center, Vermont

Visit Lake Champlain Chocolates stores at multiple locations in Vermont where you can try factory seconds and enjoy an expresso.

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Washington Candy Factory & Chocolatier Tours

Boehm’s Candies | Issaquah, WA

Free, self-guided window tours are available anytime during regular retail hours. Public and private guided tours are available by reservation.

#Boehm’s Candies

Theo Chocolate | Seattle, WA

Discover the origins of cacao, and see how chocolate is crafted from scratch. You’ll get an inside view of the factory to see where the chocolate is made and enjoy a tasting at the end of the tour.

Visit the Official Theo Chocolate Amazon Store

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Libertyorchards.com located in Cashmere, WA. Wonderful tour – makers of the original Aplets and Cotlets and also have a large variety of other candy products.

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Blommer Chocolate Store

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Chocolate and Candy Factory Tours in the U.S.

If You're Lucky, Try Some Treats Fresh off the Line

Maskot / Getty Images

Jelly Belly

Theo chocolate.

• Boehm's Candies

Hammond’s Candy Company

Sweet’s candy company, cerreta candy company, the candy factory, rebecca ruth chocolates, anthony-thomas chocolates, sanders and morley candy makers, webb’s candy shop.

If you have ever watched "Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory," you have probably dreamed of setting foot inside a candy factory one day. Well, there are many working candy factories today in the U.S. that offer free or low-cost tours. They might not include Willy Wonka’s chocolate rivers or edible vegetation, but these factory tours can be a lot of fun.

Candy factory tours offer an exciting look at how beloved sweets are made behind the scenes, and in addition to seeing the assembly methods, visitors often learn about candy making and the history of the specific candy and candy company.

Touring a candy factory can be a great family activity since it appeals to all ages and is affordable—almost all of the tours listed below are free. (If you are a large group, it is always a good idea to call ahead to schedule a tour that can accommodate you). Best of all, candy tours often end with free samples of the merchandise, fresh off the assembly line.

Note that most of these candy factories use nuts in the process, so a tour would require special precautions for anyone with a nut allergy. Browse this listing of candy factory tours, see if there is one near you, and enjoy.

The main  Jelly Belly factory is located (appropriately enough) at One Jelly Belly Lane in Fairfield, California. The company was founded by Gustav Goelitz in 1869. As you may have guessed, jelly beans , in more than 50 flavors (including pomegranate and chili-mango) rank as its primary product. The self-guided tour is free, and it takes about 45 minutes to cover the quarter-mile area that includes interactive exhibits, films depicting the intricacies of candy making, and examples of Jelly Belly art. You can skip the line with a personal guided tour for one to six people included for a single fee, but you must make a reservation.

In Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin, you can visit the Jelly Belly warehouse and distribution center. Learn how these jelly beans are made on a free, 30-minute train ride through the facility complete with whimsical decorations and jelly bean characters fun for children and all kids at heart.

Theo Chocolate is considered one of the first organic, fair-trade certified chocolate makers in North America. Around since 2006, the factory is located in a former brewery building and trolley car depot in the Fremont neighborhood of North Seattle, Washington. About 60,000 visitors tour the factory per year. Tours have an admission fee except for free tours on Fremont Third Thursday. The guided tour is about one hour long, includes chocolate samples, but children under age 5 are not permitted on the tour. For those under age 5, a weekly children's storytime tour is offered. You can also book a private tour for groups of up to 24 people, which can include young children and babies.

Boehm's Candies

Boehm's Candies has been around since 1942 when Austrian Olympian runner Julius Boehms opened his first candy shop in the Ravenna area of Seattle, Washington. He later designed, built, and relocated his shop to an authentic Swiss-style Alpine chalet in the Issaquah foothills, which reminded him of home. Tours of the Issaquah production facility and shop are available during the summer months only for a small fee per person (under age 1, free). On a 40-minute tour, you can see how their famous truffles , caramels, and nut candies are made. Outside of the summer months, if you have a group of 10 or more, you can inquire about scheduling a tour.

Carl T. Hammond, Sr., founded Hammond's Candy Company in Denver, Colorado, in 1920. You can visit the factory and watch as treats like lollipops, candy canes, and other popular Hammond's treats are pulled, twisted, shaped, and packaged by hand. The 30-minute tour is free. No reservations are required, but you can call ahead. The tour is offered every 30 minutes on the hour and on the half. Children are welcome. Wheelchairs and strollers can access the facility.

The Sweet Candy Company first opened its doors in 1892 in Portland, Oregon. In the 1900s, the company moved to Salt Lake City, Utah, where it has been ever since. Sweet Candy Company remains family-owned and operated by the third, fourth, and fifth generations of the family. Their specialty is taffy , gummies, chocolate sticks, and the company produces 250 other candies. The tour is free, by appointment only, Monday through Friday. The guided tour includes fresh factory samples and educational and interactive stations.

The Cerreta Candy Company is a family-owned business founded in 1968 by Jim Cerreta, Sr., in Glendale, Arizona. He had learned the art of candy production in his father-in-law’s factory in Canton, Ohio. He then passed the skill on to his children and grandchildren. Four generations later, the business is going strong. Their signature candy is French mint chocolates followed closely by chocolate caramels and creams. The free, 30-minute guided tour is offered Monday through Friday at 10 a.m. and at 1 p.m. A VIP tour package is available for a small fee.

Visit The Candy Factory in Columbia, Missouri, and observe some of the traditional candy-making processes in use since they opened their doors in 1974. The Candy Factory creates chocolate assortments of truffles and, for free, you can take a sneak peek at the process through their viewing room.

When you think Kentucky, there are likely two things that come to mind: the Kentucky Derby and bourbon whiskey. It stands without question that Rebecca Ruth Chocolates in Frankfort, Kentucky, has tipped a nod to both in its lines of chocolate samplers and liquor-filled chocolates. From its famous bourbon balls to its Triple Crown Assortment, the selections are something you can only find in Kentucky. A 20-minute tour is available for a small fee. Children under 5 are free.

Walk the glass-enclosed, suspended "catwalk" and observe nine assembly lines producing 30,000 pounds of chocolates at the Anthony-Thomas factory in Columbus, Ohio. A tour guide explains each process step-by-step from the kitchens to the final packaging on a one-hour tour. View huge copper kettles where the gooey centers of some of the candies are created and take a look at the network of silver-wrapped pipes that carry liquid chocolate throughout the factory. The tour is available for a very small fee and is free for children under age 3. The admission fee can be applied to a candy purchase. No reservations are required.

Since 1875, Sanders fine chocolates have been woven into the fabric of Michigan culture. With chains throughout the Great Lakes region, it was the regional chocolate. With its own rich history since 1919, Morley Candy Makers bought Sanders in 2002. The Sanders and Morely Candy Makers chocolate factory tour in Clinton Township, Michigan, is great for all ages and it is free. Guided tours are available by appointment only. But you can stop by any day for a free self-guided kitchen tour.

Somebody at the helm was paying attention to marketing when developing the product lines at Webb's Candy in Davenport, Florida—each product is unique. From goat's milk fudge bars to citrus jelly candies made with real citrus juices, Webb's is the real deal. To learn more about them, take a free, self-guided tour

• American Desserts

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Blommer to Close Chicago Chocolate Factory After 85 Years

Say goodbye to that chocolate smell and 250 jobs

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After more than eight decades, Blommer Chocolate is closing its factory at the end of May . The factory opened in 1939, and while chocolate connoisseurs can’t find Blommer by its name on store shelves, the factory makes confections for some of the country’s more popular brands. But for most Chicagoans, especially ones close to downtown Chicago and neighborhoods like West Loop, River West, and West Town near the factory, locals remained enamored due to the random aroma of chocolate wafting from the building into surrounding neighborhoods.

The Sun-Times reports the closure at 600 W. Kinzie Street will cost 250 jobs. The headquarters will remain in Chicago at the Merchandise Mart. In a news release, Blommer mentions a shift in operations. They’re opening a research and development center this fall at the Mart. A Blommer rep didn’t respond to a request for comment.

Chocolate making can be a thorny subject, where foreign farmers are often exploited. Despite its place as a civic institution, Blommer hasn’t escaped controversy over the years. In 2005, the EPA cited the factory for alleged clean-air violations due to smells coming out of the building. The federal agency responded to an anonymous complaint and argued the cocoa dust wafting from the factory was pollution.

One of the city’s best Korean restaurants, Perilla Korean American Fare , stands across the street from the factory. Co-owner Thomas Oh tells Eater that he often uses Blommer as a landmark. Customers might not be familiar with the intersection of Kinzie and Milwaukee, but they instantly know the factory. Before Blommer closed its store in 2020, staff would often stop in to purchase chocolate-covered almonds and other treats.

Oh did recall a quirky episode immediately after Perilla opened in 2019 when a customer complained on Yelp about the chocolate smell on their way to the restaurant: “How does that have to do with anything we are providing you?” Oh says with a laugh.

There’s no word on what will happen to the 5.5-acre site. Oh says he hopes for a new development that will bring more potential customers to the area.

Chicago, where a baseball stadium is named after the founder of a chewing gum company, is often called “the candy capital of the universe.” The National Confectioners Association was founded 140 years ago in Chicago. But that title might be in jeopardy after Blommer’s shutter. As is the custom, Chicagoans often will add an extra “s” at the end of the company’s name. It’s “Blommers” in the same tradition of “The Jewels” and “Soldiers Field.”

Earlier this year, Mars opened a new global research and development hub on its Goose Island campus. This is where experimental M&M’s flavors and Snickers test bars are made. The $42 million wing will allow for more experiments, and hopefully more variety on store shelves.

Blommer says it’s investing $100 million in other production facilities in Pennsylvania, California; and Ontario, Canada. Fuji Oil Holdings, a Japanese company, bought Blommers in 2018 and they closed down the factory store in 2020. They’re the No. 1 cocoa processor in North America, according to Crain ’s, which broke the story .

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Watch CBS News

Blommer Chocolate Company closing Chicago manufacturing plant

By Todd Feurer , Marybel Gonzalez

Updated on: March 22, 2024 / 11:37 PM CDT / CBS Chicago

CHICAGO (CBS) --  For decades, people who live, work, or travel in the Fulton River District have enjoyed the delightful chocolate smell generated by the Blommer manufacturing plant just steps from the Chicago River. Soon that smell will just be a memory.

Blommer Chocolate Company announced Friday it is closing the manufacturing plant that has called the Fulton River District home since 1939, citing growing maintenance and operating costs for the building and equipment, which have led to reliability issues at the factory. A specific closing date was not announced.

"It was an incredibly challenging yet inevitable decision to close the Chicago plant. However, in order to propel Blommer to the next level, we must embrace progress, transformation and elevation," Mark Okita, chief operating officer and senior vice president at Blommer, said in a news release.

Meantime, Blommer is planning a $60 million expansion of its Campbellford, Canada, manufacturing plant. Blommer said, over the next few years, it also will invest $40 million in its production facilities in Pennsylvania and California.

"Chicago is a candy capital. This is where it all started," said Robert Karr, senior vice president of the Blommer Chocolate Company. "Unfortunately, things need to change."

A total of 260 Blommer employees were notified on the same day as the public announcement Friday.

"They've been working very hard to keep this plant operational for many years," Karr said. "They know the struggles that it's taken to run something of this vintage."

It was tough news to swallow for people who just walk by the premises at 600 W. Kinzie St. too.

"I'm just devastated," said Chicago resident Matt Kelly. "I'm really going to miss that smell. I don't know if you've could ever replicate it, right? And it was one of the things about Chicago."

Fans of the Blommer Chocolate aroma say it is as traditional as dyeing the Chicago River green for St. Patrick's Day.

"Sometimes it's burnt. Sometimes it smells really, really good," said Chicago resident Carson King.

There is a reason behind the mouthwatering aroma. The Chicago Blommer plant alone produces 200 million pounds of chocolate that eventually gets turned into candy bars.

"We have 750 brands that we support," said Karr. "So there's a good chance any chocolate that anyone eats in North America, we're producing a portion of that."

While the Chicago chocolate factory will be closing, Blommer will keep its corporate headquarters at the Merchandise Mart, while expanding its applications lab and new research & development center at that facility.

"The new R&D Center will support future development, concept testing, processing and ingredient research, continued application evaluation and creation to enhance the customer experience," the company said in a statement.

The new research and development center will open this fall.

"We don't see this as the end," said Greg Phillips, vice president of operations for Blommer Chocolate Company. "This is actually just the end of this actual facility."

But for some, it does amount to a bittersweet goodbye.

"I'm going to miss the smell," said King. "it will waft all around the city, and it's sad to see them go."

Todd Feurer is a web producer at CBS News Chicago. He has previously written for WBBM Newsradio, WUIS-FM, and the New City News Service.

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Downtown Chicago chocolate factory to close

B lommer Chocolate is closing its downtown Chicago factory following plummeting sales and increased maintenance and repair costs for the 85-year-old building, the company announced Friday.

Built in 1939, the brick factory is Blommer’s original production facility, known for sending an unmistakable chocolate smell throughout the Fulton River District from its location at 600 W. Kinzie St. The factory is closing because of “elevated operating costs” and “production reliability issues,” an outcome of the factory’s location and age, the chocolate company said in a news release.

Operations at the factory were shut down as of Friday, and the official closure is May 31, Robert Karr Jr., a spokesperson for Blommer Chocolate, said in an email. More than 250 people work at the Chicago factory, Karr said, and “some” will be offered other jobs within the company.

“The plant has served us well for nearly 85 years, and will be decommissioned,” Karr said.

In a Friday filing, Blommer’s parent company, Fuji Oil Holdings, said the chocolate company saw “extraordinary” losses in the third quarter of the fiscal year ending March 31 after struggling from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, rising raw material prices and interest rates, and increased fixed costs resulting from inflation. The company, which also suffered from a decline in U.S. demand for chocolate confectionaries, lost 10.1 billion yen, or about $66.7 million, in the third quarter, according to the filings.

The Chicago factory has also seen an increase in labor costs and “difficulties securing human resources caused by the location of the plant,” according to the filing. Closing the plant and shifting production to Blommer’s other factories is expected to improve the company’s operating profit by $30 million a year, Fuji said in the filing.

Mark Okita, chief operating officer and senior vice president of commercial, said the decision to close the Chicago location was “incredibly challenging yet inevitable.”

“However, in order to propel Blommer to the next level, we must embrace progress, transformation and elevation,” Okita said in a statement.

The closure makes room for the company to focus efforts and resources on the rest of the Blommer properties, and the company plans to invest $100 million in all three of the remaining production facilities over the next several years, Blommer said.

A planned expansion for the Campbellford factory in Ontario, Canada, includes a $60 million investment to make the factory “one of the largest confectionary coating manufacturing facilities in North America,” said Neil Fulton, general manager in Campbellford.

Other manufacturing facilities are in East Greenville, Pennsylvania, and Union City, California, where a total $40 million will help increase operational efficiency and reliability as well as automate processing and packaging equipment, Blommer said.

The North American corporate headquarters at the Merchandise Mart in Chicago will stay open. Fuji, the parent company, will invest in the expansion of lab capabilities at the Merchandise Mart location and create a research and development center. The new center, which is expected to open in the fall, will support future development, concept testing, processing and ingredient research and more, the news release said.

Fuji, a global supplier of oil, fat and chocolate, announced in 2018 it would buy Blommer Chocolate for $750 million , according to public filings. The sale ended three generations of family ownership for the cocoa manufacturer.

In 2020, the Blommer Outlet Store closed after almost 30 years to make room for updates and enhancements to the local chocolate factory. But improvements to the plant were delayed because of the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to Fuji’s filing Friday.

Blommer, the largest cocoa processer and ingredient chocolate supplier in North America, said there are more than 900 employees across the company.

©2024 Chicago Tribune. Visit at chicagotribune.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Blommer Chocolate closing downtown Chicago manufacturing plant: 'Everybody knows this smell'

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Blommer Chocolate announced in a news release Friday that it would close its Chicago manufacturing plant and expand and transform other facilities.

The Chicago facility, located at 600 W. Kinzie St., is the original manufacturing plant of the Blommer group, founded in 1939, the release said.

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After more than eight decades of the famous scent of chocolate looming over downtown, its source at the Blommer Chocolate factory on West Kinzie Street is shutting down.

"I think everybody knows this smell, and I think that's going to be one of the biggest questions, 'what happens to this smell?'" Senior Vice-President of Blommer Chocolate Robert Karr said.

It's bittersweet news for residents who live near the factory.

"It was definitely one of the reasons I wanted to move here, because it smells like chocolate," neighbor Caitlin Smith said.

Home for some in the Fulton River District won't be the same.

"When I pull into my parking garage, and open my car door and smell chocolate, it's like, I know I'm home," neighbor Alexis Dabdoub said.

SEE ALSO | City Club of Chicago hosts discussion on state of Mag Mile shopping district

"The age of the facility, the age of the actual equipment, increased operating costs, and not being competitive in today's market. Those were some of the issues," Senior Vice-President of Operations, Blommer Chocolate Greg Phillips said.

The closure impacts 260 employees at the plant, who left the facility Friday for the last time with severance packages in hand.

"We're bridging our employees to go work at other places in the industry," Karr said. "Each of those packets explains to each person how we're going to support them."

The Chicago location opening in 1939 made Blommer the third largest industrial chocolate maker in the world.

"It is an historic icon for this neighborhood," Dabdoub said

The corporate headquarters, Applications Lab and New Research and Development Center will remain in downtown Chicago at the Merchandise Mart.

The lab capabilities in Merchandise Mart will be expanded, as well, Blommer said.

"It was an incredibly challenging yet inevitable decision to close the Chicago plant. However, in order to propel Blommer to the next level, we must embrace progress, transformation and elevation," said Mark Okita, chief operating officer and senior vice president of commercial. "Our planned expansion to the Campbellford Canada operation is the next step toward our transformation. This marks a new chapter for us as Blommer, as well as our customers. It is imperative that we challenge ourselves aggressively to ensure that this becomes the best chapter yet."

While Friday was the last day of operations, the factory will officially close May 31, giving the company time to move all the equipment out of the decades-old facility.

"We're sad that this day came, but it made all that we are possible," Karr said.

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