Confections
Handmade
Doschers Candies
Doschers Candies is located in Newtown, Ohio, but it all started in Downtown Cincinnati at an old factory.
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In 1871, Claus Doscher created the first Doscher’s handcrafted candy cane in Cincinnati, Ohio. His process involved using real peppermint oil, cooking small batches in copper kettles, and working with the best tools known to man – his hands – to roll, knead, stripe, and hook the canes.
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He did not stop at candy canes and invented the French Chew. Throughout time the company has changed ownership but is still in the hands of families.
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They have kept the same recipe for 150 years, even after moving from Downtown Cincinnati to the small town of Newtown, Ohio and changing ownership, the recipe has stayed the same.
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The wrappers of the vanilla french chew go through a line machine to wrap the candy after an employee places the handmade item on the conveyer belt in the Doschers Candy Factory in Newtown,Ohio.
Candy Buttons go into the cooling stage after being dropped on the paper. Doschers bought candy Buttons from NECCO in 2018 when they went out of buisness
Kevin Gilligan, one of the owners and manager of the factory, talks to employees about the production of the candy canes for the day. There are many steps to creating candy canes, and they must be perfect.
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"I love that there is always something to do and make."
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Des Douglas, Kitchen Supervisor
Des Douglas is an employee at Doschers Candy Co. in Newtown, Ohio. She has worked for Doscher's for three years and is a cook. She makes the base for all of the candies made which are, Candy Buttons, French Chews, and Candy Canes.
(Left) MaryLou Dameron collects empty packaging from Candy Buttons due to a machine malfunctioning at the Doscher’s Candy Co. Factory in Newtown, Ohio on Nov. 17, 2022.
“At least 2-3 machines malfunction a day” says Kevin Gilligan, a co-owner and factory manager. The machines break so much because they are so old.
A bin of broken candy canes after a batch was made at Doscher's Candies in Newtown, Ohio on Nov. 20, 2022.
Doschers Coffee House
Though Doscher's makes most of their revenue through wholesale, the company opens its doors for community members to shop. The most successful time of the year for them is the Holiday Season, and customers come from all over the midwest to shop for their candy.
The company is opening a coffee shop in December 2022. The shop sells many different drinks that have flavors relating to their many different candies.
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John Nielson shows customers of Doschers Candy Co. his dog Telluride on Nov. 22, 2022. Customers love to meet the families who run the company, and hear their story.
(Top) Xanadu and Zoe Terry-Scho pick out candy canes at Doscher's Candies in Newtown, Ohio.
(Bottom left) Santa Claus hands a child a Doscher’s Candy Cane at the Company store-front in Newtown, Ohio on Nov. 26, 2022.
(Bottom Right) A child eats a Doscher’s Candy Cane after meeting Santa at the store-front in Newtown, Ohio on Nov. 26, 2022.
A Family Buisness
The multiple families that are involved in Doschers are indeed one family. Between the CEO, CFO, Shop Manager, Factory Managers, Cane Hookers, Button Stackers, and the list goes on... they are all family.
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My mother is an accountant for the Life is Sweet Brand, which includes Doschers. I have worked at Doschers as a gift shop employee and factory worker for five years when I am home from school, and it is like another home to me.
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Many people feel the same as me.