Candy Cane Land
Story By Katie Kalvaitis
Photos By John Ziomek
The holiday season starts early for the folks at Giambri’s Quality Sweets. In September, owner Dave Giambri and the crew at the Clementon candy factory begin production on the first of an estimated 30,000 candy canes that will be shipped worldwide through the end of the year.
Not a simple task, creating the iconic Christmas candy includes boiling sugar to 335 degrees, kneading, cutting, pulling and twisting candy canes into the classic hook. The time-sensitive process takes about two hours and is repeated several times a day to meet demand.
“Most people don’t realize the work and effort that goes into making a candy cane by hand,” said Giambri, a third-generation candy store owner.
Many companies and independent candy makers have gone the route of mass production, and there are only a few places left in the United States that continue to make candy canes by hand, according to Giambri.
“Candy-cane-making is a dying art,” he said.
TASTY MORSEL
More than 1.76 billion candy canes are made each year and the biggest candy cane ever made was 36 feet, 7 inches tall.
Giambri’s Quality Sweets will celebrate its 70th anniversary in 2012, and the family candy-making process has changed little since Giambri’s great uncle James founded the company in 1942. The hard candy is still made with James’ original recipes and most of the equipment is original too.
Giambri said freshness is what really sets their product apart. Many candy canes can be made up to a year in advance, but the red-and-white treats at Giambri’s Quality Sweets are made seasonally. The store also offers an all-natural candy cane, free of artificial coloring and preservatives.
Tradition is huge for this candy family. People often ask Giambri, “Why candy canes?” “Growing up, I watched my older brother and other family members learn the process while sweating over the fire,” he said. “I enjoy doing it; otherwise, I wouldn’t be doing it anymore.”
It seems the tradition will continue; Giambri’s children have asked him to pass on the family tricks of the trade.
Giambri’s reward comes in the emails and letters from customers thanking the store for its candy year after year. “We are still making candy canes for the same customers my great uncle had through different generations,” he said.
In December, Giambri’s will have a stand next to Santa Claus at the Voorhees Town Center. Its most popular candy cane flavors will be for sale — peppermint, wintergreen, cherry — as well as some new flavors.
Once the holiday season passes, the Giambris switch gears to chocolate for Valentine’s Day.
“Each year we are glad to see the holiday season come and we are glad to see it go,” Giambri said. “That’s the good thing about the candy business — it’s not the same thing 12 months of the year.”
Giambri’s Quality Sweets
26 Brand Ave.
Clementon
(856) 783-1099