Kilwins facts for kids
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A Kilwins in Madison, Wisconsin
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| Privately held company | |
| Industry | Confectionery production |
| Founded | Petoskey, Michigan (1947) |
| Founder | Don & Katy Kilwin |
| Headquarters | , |
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Number of locations
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146 |
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Area served
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United States |
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Key people
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Brian Britton, CEO |
| Products | Chocolates, ice cream |
Kilwins, also known as Kilwins Chocolates, is an American company. It makes delicious sweets like candy, ice cream, and fudge. Katy and Don Kilwin started the first Kilwins store in 1947. It was in Petoskey, Michigan, where the company's main office still is today. There are now 178 Kilwins stores across 30 states in the United States.
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The Sweet Story of Kilwins
Kilwins began in 1947 as "Kilwin's Candies and Gifts." Don and Katy Kilwin opened it in Petoskey, Michigan. It started as a small family business. They made baked goods and candy. The next year, they began making fudge right in their store.
Focusing on Candy
In 1971, the Kilwins decided to sell the bakery part of their business. They wanted to focus only on making candy. A second store opened in Traverse City, Michigan in 1976. Jim Szocinski, who had worked for the company since 1961, opened this new location.
New Owners and Growth
Wayne and Lorene Rose bought the company in 1978. Three years later, they started letting other people open Kilwins stores. This is called franchising. In 1995, Don and Robin McCarty bought Kilwins. By 2007, they had helped the business grow to over 60 locations. In March 2023, a group called Levine Leichtman Capital Partners bought the company. This group invests in businesses.
Kilwins Stores Today
As of November 2020, there were over 150 Kilwins stores across 25 states. Most of these stores are owned by people who bought a franchise. About half of the stores are in popular places. These include tourist spots, resorts, and beaches. The company itself owns a few stores. However, most Kilwins locations are run by independent owners.
Entrepreneur magazine listed Kilwins in its top 100 Franchise 500 Rankings in 2018. This shows it is a successful business.
How Kilwins Makes Treats
Kilwins is famous for its chocolates, fudge, and ice cream. But they also make many other sweets. These include chocolate barks, brittles, and taffy. They also make chocolate-covered pretzels and Oreos.
Making Sweets in Store
Many Kilwins stores let customers watch staff make the candies. They use special marble tables to cool the fudge. This helps it become perfectly smooth. The ice cream is made at the company's main building in Petoskey. People often describe Kilwins' sweets as "old-fashioned." In 2018, Kilwins was a food seller at Lollapalooza, a big music festival.
Kilwins Helps Others
Don and Robin McCarty, who used to own Kilwins, helped start a group called South Africa Medical Expedition (SAME). This group helps children, women, and families in a part of South Africa called Limpopo Province. They focus on helping children and families who are struggling or facing health challenges.
