You’d think a factory that churns out one million pounds of candy each year would have succumbed to the easy efficiency of mechanization by now. Not Hammond’s Candies. The employees at this north Denver institution have been using the same old-style, slow-heated, hand-pulled techniques for more than 90 years, even after retail deals with luxury culinary stores like Williams-Sonoma turned Hammond’s into a national name. Today, the candy makers have garnered a global following: International shipments account for 15 percent of total sales, and the company plans to double its 36,000-square-foot space next year. In the meantime, don’t miss its annual Candy Cane Festival on December 10 for a festive factory tour, gingerbread decorating, caroling—and a chance to see Santa on a sugar high.

ONLINE EXCLUSIVE: Watch “Sweet Company,” which gives you a look inside Hammond’s Candy Factory and what it takes to make a candy cane.

5280 December 2011
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