Doscher's Candies facts for kids
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| Private company | |
| Industry | Confectionery |
| Founded | 1871 |
| Headquarters |
,
U.S.
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| Products | Candy Canes, French Chew, Candy Buttons, etc. |
Doscher's Candies is an American company that makes delicious candies. It is famous for being the oldest company in the United States that still makes candy canes! They started making candy canes way back in 1871. Doscher's is also well-known for its chewy candy called French Chew, which first came out in 1896.
Contents
The Sweet History of Doscher's
How Doscher's Candies Began
The story of Doscher's Candies started in 1871. Three brothers, Claus, John, and Heinrich Doescher, came to Cincinnati, Ohio. They decided to open their own candy company. They called it Doscher Brothers.
Making the First Candy Canes
In 1871, Claus Doescher made their very first candy canes. They used real peppermint oil for the flavor. The candy was cooked in small amounts in big copper pots. Then, workers carefully rolled, kneaded, striped, and shaped each candy cane by hand.
Popcorn and French Chew
The Doscher Brothers also made a caramel popcorn treat. They called it Popcorn Fritters. They even sold this popcorn at baseball games for the Cincinnati Redlegs team. This made them one of the first companies to sell snacks at American baseball games!
In 1896, a new type of chewy candy became popular in France. The Doschers created their own version called the French Chew. This special taffy is still made today. Long ago, French Chew was sold in big pieces. Candy stores would break them up and sell them by the pound. This led to their fun advertising slogan: "Freeze It, Crack It, Smack It!"
Family Business Through the Years
After Claus passed away in 1883, his brother John took over the company. Later, Claus's sons, Harry and John, joined the business.
Between 1932 and 1941, all three of these men passed away. Harry's wife, Elsie Doscher, then took charge of the company. She had studied finance at the University of Cincinnati. Elsie kept the business going strong even during the Great Depression. This was a very tough time when many businesses struggled.
In 1953, Elsie passed the company to her son, Harry II. He ran the business until the 1990s. Then, his son, Harry III, joined the company. This shows how Doscher's has been a family business for many generations!
New Owners and New Candies
In 2004, a person named Greg Clark bought Doscher's. Later, in 2015, Chip Nielsen and his family bought part of the business.
In 2018, Doscher's bought the company that made Candy Buttons. This happened after the original company went out of business. In 2019, Doscher's also bought Béquet Confections. This company makes fancy caramels.
Our Sweet Brands
- Doscher's
- French Chew
- Candy Buttons
