Bob's Candy Canes: The Rich History Of A Christmas Tradition
Oct 21st 2022
As a family-owned business for over 80 years, Blair Candy Company loves to share stories about other entrepreneurial family businesses, and one, in particular, comes to mind every year around this time - Bobs Candy Canes (no apostrophe!).
Bobs Candy Canes is a Christmas tradition, and like us, they have a rich history that we just love to tell. Grab a cup of hot cocoa, a comfy chair, and a Bobs Candy Cane while we treat you to the story of how a famous candy company came to be!
Bob's Candies started out as McCormack's Famous Candy Company in 1919, founded by Bob McCormack. The company saw success selling coconut, peanut sticks, hard candy, and taffy candies, and the boxes came emblazoned with "BOBS" on the front, and the iconic slogan, "I am Pure and Sweet." There may have been sugar shortages during WWI, but Bob saw no shortage of candy success!
McCormack's Famous Candy Company was growing faster than ever, and Bob Mills stepped in to help with administration. Together, Bob McCormack and Mills bought out the other investors, and in 1924, renamed the company Bobs Candy Company - creators of the Bobs Candy Canes we know and love today!
The Great Depression brought an end to many companies, but the strength and perseverance of "the Bobs" helped the company stay in business, and eventually expanded to salted peanuts, peanut candies, peanut brittle, and more. Then, in February of 1940, a tornado tragically leveled Bobs Candy Company.
With no tornado insurance, Bobs started from scratch, and within a short six months, Bobs was back up and running. With WWII candy rations taking hold, the company began vacuum-packing its candy to help it stay on the shelves longer - just like the Bobs Candy Canes we enjoy today.
The candy innovators also introduced attractive in-store supermarket advertising to entice customers to buy, and business picked up more and more. Finally, towards the end of the 1950s, the company was creating half a million Bobs Candy Canes every day, with $3.3 million in annual sales. Today, Ferrara Candy Company owns Bobs Candy Company, but the spirit of its strong founders continues to live on and Bobs Candy Canes continue to be a cherished holiday tradition.
Now that you know the story behind one of the most famous candy cane brands in history, it's time to pick up a box along with all of your other Christmas candy favorites!
Bobs Candy Canes is a Christmas tradition, and like us, they have a rich history that we just love to tell. Grab a cup of hot cocoa, a comfy chair, and a Bobs Candy Cane while we treat you to the story of how a famous candy company came to be!
Bob's Candies started out as McCormack's Famous Candy Company in 1919, founded by Bob McCormack. The company saw success selling coconut, peanut sticks, hard candy, and taffy candies, and the boxes came emblazoned with "BOBS" on the front, and the iconic slogan, "I am Pure and Sweet." There may have been sugar shortages during WWI, but Bob saw no shortage of candy success!
McCormack's Famous Candy Company was growing faster than ever, and Bob Mills stepped in to help with administration. Together, Bob McCormack and Mills bought out the other investors, and in 1924, renamed the company Bobs Candy Company - creators of the Bobs Candy Canes we know and love today!
The Great Depression brought an end to many companies, but the strength and perseverance of "the Bobs" helped the company stay in business, and eventually expanded to salted peanuts, peanut candies, peanut brittle, and more. Then, in February of 1940, a tornado tragically leveled Bobs Candy Company.
With no tornado insurance, Bobs started from scratch, and within a short six months, Bobs was back up and running. With WWII candy rations taking hold, the company began vacuum-packing its candy to help it stay on the shelves longer - just like the Bobs Candy Canes we enjoy today.
The candy innovators also introduced attractive in-store supermarket advertising to entice customers to buy, and business picked up more and more. Finally, towards the end of the 1950s, the company was creating half a million Bobs Candy Canes every day, with $3.3 million in annual sales. Today, Ferrara Candy Company owns Bobs Candy Company, but the spirit of its strong founders continues to live on and Bobs Candy Canes continue to be a cherished holiday tradition.
Now that you know the story behind one of the most famous candy cane brands in history, it's time to pick up a box along with all of your other Christmas candy favorites!