Abdallah Candies facts for kids
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| Founded | 1909 in Minneapolis, Minnesota |
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| Founder | Albert Abdallah |
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Key people
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Steve Hegedus, CEO |
| Products | Fine chocolates and candies |
Abdallah Candies is a family business that has been making delicious chocolates and candies for five generations! It's located in Apple Valley, Minnesota, USA. The company started way back in 1909 in Minneapolis. It was founded by Albert Abdallah, who came from Lebanon, and his wife, Helen Trovall, who was from Sweden. At first, it was called the Calhoun Candy Depot, but in 1916, it became Abdallah Candy Company.
Contents
How It All Started
In the beginning, Albert Abdallah made candy in a big copper pot over a fire. He bought his first recipes from a salesman. Some of those original recipes for yummy caramels, toffee, and chocolates are still used today!
In the 1930s, the Abdallah store was more than just a candy shop. It also had a large restaurant with 200 seats. However, during a tough time called the Great Depression, the business had to close in 1935. But Albert didn't give up! After two years, he paid back everyone he owed money to. He then opened a smaller store nearby, focusing mainly on candy and ice cream.
Growing the Business
In 1951, Abdallah's opened a new factory in Minneapolis. This helped them start selling their candies to other stores. Albert retired in 1961 and passed the business to his son-in-law, Glenn Oletzke. Glenn was married to Albert's daughter, Marie. In 1964, a fire outside the factory caused damage, so they had to rebuild.
In 1966, Abdallah Candies opened a new building in Burnsville. This new place included a gift store. Marie and her daughter, Vicke Hegedus, ran the gift store. Glenn retired in 1974. The business was then taken over by his son, James, and Vicke's husband, Stephen Hegedus. They started selling candies all over the country! In 1987, James retired, and Stephen's son, Steven Hegedus, joined the company. Steven became the president in 2002.
To keep up with growing sales, the company needed more space. In 1998, they set up their main office in Burnsville. Then, in 2016, they expanded even more and moved their candy-making to Apple Valley. As of 2025, Abdallah Candies makes all its products in Apple Valley.
The company celebrated its 100th birthday in 2010! After this big milestone, Stephen and Vicke retired.
Sweet Products
Abdallah Candies makes a lot of candy every day – more than 20,000 pounds! In September and October, they make nearly 1 million caramel apples. These are sold in local stores and online. They even invented a special machine to dip the apples in caramel. This machine can coat 4,000 apples in just one hour!
Abdallah Candies sells to about 7,000 customers, mostly other businesses. About one-third of their candy is sold under different brand names. The Christmas season is their busiest time, making up about 35 percent of their yearly sales.
Family Ownership
Abdallah Candies has been a family business for many years:
- 1st generation: Albert Abdallah and Helen (Trovall) Abdallah started the company.
- 2nd generation: Albert's daughter, Marie, and her husband, Glenn Oletzke, took over in 1961.
- 3rd generation: Glenn's daughter, Vicke Hegedus, and her husband, Stephen, joined the company. Stephen ran the business with Vicke's brother, James Oletzke, until James retired in 1984. Vicke managed the factory store until 2010.
- 4th generation: Steven Hegedus, Stephen's son, joined full-time in 1987. He became president in 2002.
Where the Candy is Made
The first Calhoun Candy Company was in Minneapolis' Uptown neighborhood. After the Great Depression, Abdallah opened a new Uptown store in 1937. In 1951, the company moved to a former grocery store in Minneapolis. A fire destroyed that building in 1964.
In 1966, the company opened a new 12,000 square foot building in Burnsville. It later grew to 16,000 square feet. In 1997, they moved to a second Burnsville location. This building, which was 35,000 square feet, was expanded to 65,000 square feet in 2004. Finally, in 2016, the company built a brand new, huge manufacturing plant in Apple Valley, which is 100,000 square feet. They also have a retail store there where you can buy their delicious treats!
