Double-digit growth prompts Sanders Candy to remodel headquarters

Sanders Candy has started renovating its Michigan headquarters, a process it expects to complete in early fall 2017.

The 75,000-sqaure-foot facility, located in Charter Township of Clinton, includes a retailer, a manufacturing plant and corporate offices.

The new store will increase the existing store’s footprint by more than 30% and expand seating from 10 people to more than 125, the company said. It will also include an on-site bakery with “nostalgic touches” to celebrate the company’s 142-year heritage.

“We are grateful for our growing sales and increased national recognition,” said Ron Rapson, president of Sander’s Candy. “The new store is just one more way to allow us to continue investing locally to give the Metro Detroit community even more positive memorable experiences,”

The candy store will remain open during construction in a temporary location inside the Sanders Candy headquarters with limited hours of operation: Monday through Saturday from 9am to 6pm, and Sundays from 11am to 5pm.

Clean ingredients and original recipes

The remodel of Sanders Candy came after the company experienced double-digit growth each year in the past decade.

The company said its business growth is driven by its use of real ingredients and original recipes for making chocolate and caramels, and has been increasing both national and international distribution after the company was purchased by Morley Candy Makers in 2002.

Morley Candy Makers also provides private label chocolates through its own national distribution network.

Sanders Candy told ConfectioneryNews, “We’ll continue to chase new products while focusing on cleaner ingredients. Our chocolate-covered gummy bears are just one example of this. These products are made without partially hydrogenated oils, high fructose corn syrup or trans fats.”

The products are being trialed in some convenience stores, including 7-Eleven in the Great Lakes region.