AMERICAN FORK, Utah — Is there anything more satisfying than a sweet treat during the holidays?
As part of our series, FOX 13's 12 Days of Holiday Cheer, we traveled to American Fork to get a look inside Startup Candy Co., which has been offering holiday treats for more than 200 years.
Startup Candy Company has the claim of being the oldest candy company in Utah dating back to 1823. But if the name "Startup" doesn't make sense to you, that moniker stems from a long line of the Startup family and the company's founder, William Startup.
Every year since they started in 1823, the company has been making a special type of candy. "Clear toy candy is one of the oldest candy traditions in the United States," explained Ashley Frost who works with the Startup Candy Company. "... in the late 1800's or early 1900's and even in the Great Depression, it doubled as a toy and a candy for kids."
William Startup found the molds for the clear toy candies in Philadelphia and brought them to the Beehive State. This was perfect for the business because as Ashley Frost explains, "...Utah is the ideal climate for candy making."
The idea of a climate having an impact on candy making was surprising to me but Frost says that Utah is ideal for the task with temperatures needed below 45 degrees outside and very dry.
Frost took FOX 13 News through what it takes to make the clear toy candies. First, they boil the mixture to the right temperature then, "They pour the candies in the molds that are the same molds that William brought over 150 years ago," explained Frost. Then comes the delicate process of getting the delicious candy out of the molds.
The candy toys come in a wide variety of shapes and colors, including lions, bears, horses, and elephants. But it is one mold that tends to draw the most people in. "My favorite is the ship, but it's also the most fragile," Ashley Frost stated.
Startup Candy Company is one of the few places in the world left still making clear toy candies. While wish lists for Christmas have changed in the years since they first started making them, it's a tradition that has kept the company alive and seeing repeat customers year after year. "I think it's safe to say that they look like children in a candy shop, no matter their age," says Frost.
