McKeesport Candy Co. makes sweet holiday memories
The business has been churning out Christmas treats since 1927.
Murray Siegal, 102, is shown in the accounts receivable and customer service office at the McKeesport Candy Company, accompanied by his daughter, Denise Lederman. Siegal recently celebrated his birthday, marked by balloons behind him. Jeff Helsel / MVI
The holiday season is one of the busiest times at McKeesport Candy Co., and staff members are excited to spread the holiday cheer with sweet candy once again.
Whether it’s candy canes for Christmas stockings or gumdrops for a gingerbread house, McKeesport Candy Co. has it all. President Jon Prince said the company has been part of local
Kevin McWhite of McKeesport carries boxes of candy through the warehouse at the McKeesport Candy Company. Jeff Helsel / MVI
holiday celebrations for nearly a century.
“McKeesport Candy Company holds a pretty unique distinction in that it’s the oldest wholesale candy company in the nation,” Prince said. “And I just realized the other day that we’re going to be 99 years old, one year shy of a century
An exterior view of the building that houses the McKeesport Candy Company, which has been serving candy lovers since 1927. Jeff Helsel / MVI
this year.
“I’ve been doing this job for about 32 years, and every year is different, but it’s a different world now in terms of retail sales and consumer buying habits. But we had another good season, so it’s still doable.”
McKeesport Candy Co. is one of the oldest remaining businesses on Fifth Avenue. The business was established in 1927 and has stayed in the same location ever since.
Prince said the surrounding area changed a lot over the
President Jon Prince works in the bagging operation at the McKeesport Candy Company in McKeesport, Pennsylvania.
years, but added that the Mon Valley remains the preferred home for McKeesport Candy Co.
“The Mon Valley has changed a lot since we opened our doors in 1927; it’s been challenging,” Prince said. “We don’t have a lot of walkin trade, but the walk-in trade that we do
McKeesport Candy Co. employee Sarah Brady performs a handstand on a box of Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups. Jeff Helsel / Mon Valley Independent
have, many of them are very, very loyal and have been with us to find candy for decades. We have a customer who’s been coming in since my grandfather worked here. It’s pretty amazing.”
McKeesport Candy Co. previously established brick-and-mortar locations in Monroeville, the Squirrel Hill neighborhood of Pittsburgh and Station Square. But in recent years, Prince says they have switched to an online model.
Their online version of the company goes by CandyFavorites.com and offers a larger variety of wholesale candy.
MCKEESPORT CANDY •A2
“It’s a different world now in terms of retail sales and consumer buying habits. But we had another good season, so it’s still doable.”
JON PRINCE
MCKEESPORT CANDY CO. PRESIDENT “There are two companies here, but the main focus of what we do now is internet sales,” Prince said. “So CandyFavorites. com was the first online candy store back when there wasn’t even really online and before we even knew what we were doing.”
The company ships candy orders across the country, as well as abroad to Europe. Some of their more popular candy is related to their retro selection, which goes all the way back to the 1920s.
During a tour with the Mon Valley Independent, Prince showed where they keep their candy and prepare it for orders. Multiple walls are filled with colorful boxes, ranging from brands like Haribo to Hershey.
McKeesport Candy Co. also has fun novelty candies such as Juicy Drop Pops, Krabby Patty gummies, spray candy and other fun sweet treats.
“We’re coming out of summer, which tends to be a little bit quieter because it’s hot and you can’t really ship chocolate that much,” Prince said. “And the next thing you know, you’re into Halloween, and then the next thing you know, you’re into Christmas, and then you blink, and you’re like, ‘Oh my God, another year has gone by.’” Prince said that on some days, they ship out as many as 265 orders of candy throughout the country.
“We like to say that we are the Mon Valley’s best-kept secret,” Prince said. “No one knows we’re here. We’ve been here 100 years, and ship all over the nation. More people know about McKeesport Candy Company outside of McKeesport than they do in McKeesport, and that’s because of our web presence.”
The team
Prince said their team is made up of 12 to 16 people, depending on the day. Some members are in charge of packing online orders, while others work on bagging candy or other warehouse tasks.
Jonah Half, the head of logistics and marketing, has worked at McKeesport Candy Co. for several years with Prince. Half said it’s been a fun experience working alongside Prince, adding that candy plays a special role in people’s lives.
“It’s fun talking with customers because candy has such a special memory,” Half said. “It triggers memories of like, grandparents, ‘Oh, I went to my grandmother’s house, and she always had this little dish of candy that you know we had,’ or ‘My grandma, she already had always had sugar-free candies in her purse’ kind of thing.
“So it’s that memory that people have with candy, which is always fun to hear stories of their experiences with it, especially with getting a lot of retro candy, and you know their childhood memories and how it’s attached to the candy.”
Office manager Denise Lederman has seen Prince and some of the other team members grow over the years. Murry Siegel, Lederman’s dad, recently turned 102, and although he’s not an official team member, he has become part of their work family.
Other team members include siblings Jeff and Sarah Brady and their mom, Jeri. According to Jeri Brady, Jeff was the first member of the family to start working at the candy company, and eventually she and her daughter also joined the team.
“You get to see a lot of candy that I forgot even existed, honestly, but seeing all of it, all the time, gives you a different perspective,” Jeri Brady said.
Throughout the tour with the MVI, everyone joked with each other and it was clear that everyone knew each other for a long time. Prince joked that they were a little chaotic, but it’s what made their business special.
Prince encourages customers to visit their physical location at 1101 Fifth Ave. Their wide selection of candies can also be found on their website at www.candyfavorites.com.
