Clodhopper (candy) facts for kids
Clodhoppers are super crunchy treats! They are small pieces of graham cracker covered in delicious fudge. These tasty snacks were first sold by a company called Kraves Candy Co. in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. Later, in 2006, another company named Brookside Foods bought the Clodhoppers brand. Then, in 2011, Hershey's bought Brookside Foods.
Today, you can find Clodhoppers in vanilla and cocoa (which used to be called "chocolate") flavours. In the past, when Kraves Candy owned them, there were also dark chocolate, dark chocolate fudge, and "Cookies & Clods" flavours. The peanut butter flavour was the first one to be stopped.
The Story Behind Clodhoppers
The idea for Clodhoppers came from a grandmother named Edith Baker. She made these small, sweet candies for her family. Her recipe used graham wafers and chocolate.
From Kitchen to Stores
In 1996, Edith Baker's grandson, Chris Emery, and his friend, Larry Finnson, decided to sell these special candies. They started making Clodhoppers in their garage! By 1998, their hard work paid off. They signed a deal to sell Clodhoppers in Walmart stores.
The Kraves factory in Winnipeg became very busy. It could make 2,500 pounds of Clodhoppers every hour! By 2006, the company had over 20 employees. They were selling millions of Clodhoppers all across North America.
Changing Hands
In 2006, Kraves Candy Co. sold everything about Clodhoppers to Brookside Foods. This included the brand name, the secret recipes, and even their customer lists. Brookside Foods was located in Abbotsford, British Columbia. At the time, Kraves Candy was selling millions of dollars' worth of Clodhoppers each year.
In 2012, Chris Emery and Larry Finnson, who started Clodhoppers, created a new candy company called OMG's Candy. They made a similar product with almonds and toffee bits. Later that year, Brookside Foods announced that they had stopped making Clodhoppers.
Clodhoppers Return!
Good news for fans! In 2016, The Hershey Company (who had bought Brookside in 2011) brought Clodhoppers back! Now, Hershey's makes them under their own brand. You can find the vanilla and cocoa flavours in some gas stations and convenience stores, like Speedway in the northeastern United States.
In 2017, Hershey's even released new Clodhoppers flavours as part of their "Hershey's Crunchers" line. These new flavours were inspired by popular Hershey's treats like Hershey's Cookies 'n' Creme bars, Reese's peanut butter cups, and s'mores.
