Like every good story, this one begins with love and of course, chocolate.
Sarris Candies was founded in 1960 by Frank Sarris. According to the legend shared on their website, Frank Sarris had bought his sweetheart, Athena, a box of chocolate, but was disappointed in the quality. “He thought, ‘I can do better,’” said Bill Sarris, Frank’s son and current president and CEO of Sarris Candies.
Frank Sarris began making candy at home, selling it to friends, family, and co-workers at his job where he worked as a forklift operator. Soon, he was selling out of a small candy shop in their basement. As the popularity of the candies grew, Sarris quit his job and turned his hobby into a full-fledged business. Athena Sarris, “Frank’s first employee,” Sarris joked, helped by keeping the paperwork in order, while she held a full-time position elsewhere. Bill Sarris pitched in from a young age, helping make the chocolates after school and on weekends. “As I grew up, the business grew,” he said.
Sarris said that his father was a self-taught chocolatier; he learned by trial and error with a true hands-on approach. “His dedication to quality and craftsmanship paid off, making Sarris Candies a local treasure,” Sarris said.
The business soon outgrew their basement and Sarris Candies opened their first storefront in their hometown of Canonsburg in 1963. “This was the start of Sarris becoming a well-known name in the area,” Sarris said. While Bill Sarris went off to school at nearby Washington & Jefferson College, he still helped out at the store. After graduation, he decided to forego other career goals when he realized the potential of Sarris Candies. “I thought there was so much we could do,” Sarris said.
Over the years, Sarris Candies has seen many expansions. “In the 1980s, we moved to a larger, state-of-the-art facility which allowed for larger production volumes. At the same time, we opened our iconic ice cream parlor, which became a local attraction for families and visitors,” Sarris said.
They also began a fundraising program that enabled schools, youth organizations, churches, and other entities to sell Sarris Candies and help raise money for their own efforts. “That really helped our growth. We had, say, 100 kids from a band sell to ten people that they knew and that many more people tasted our candies. Since the fundraisers were only at Christmas and Easter, people started coming to the store wanting Sarris at other times of year,” Sarris explained.
Another major expansion took place in 1997 when Sarris acquired Gardners Candies, another well-known chocolatier based in Tyrone, PA. “This allowed Sarris to expand its reach into more areas and increase production capabilities,” Sarris said. The company kept the Gardners Candies name for that arm of the company due to previous name recognition of their products.
Sarris Candies has remained firmly rooted in Canonsburg, Sarris said but now enjoys brand recognition well beyond Western Pennsylvania. They now ship candy nationwide, and their products are sold in more than 1,800 locations in 11 states.
Not all of the company’s history has been sweet and easy. In 2012, the company suffered a devastating fire that destroyed part of the business. “Part of the factory, the ice cream parlor and part of the store were hit,” Sarris said. But even then, they kept production going. “We never stopped supplying chocolate,” he said.
Sarris said they have also had a few products that didn’t take off as hoped. “We had a peanut butter and jelly candy that I thought would really sell, but people kept saying that it made them think of a sandwich, not a candy,” he laughed.
Sarris Candies is currently in the midst of another exciting expansion. Recently, they completed the construction of a 135,000-square-foot production facility. “This move was driven by our growth, particularly our expansion through our partnerships, wholesale operations, and online shopping,” Sarris said.
In spring of 2025, Sarris Candies will complete phase two of their expansion with a new retail facility, including a mezzanine walk-around, where visitors will be able to see chocolate being made and be able to make their purchases in one location.
Easter and Christmas are the biggest holidays for the candy company. “We became especially famous for our holiday chocolates, such as large, molded chocolate bunnies and Christmas treats. These seasonal offerings helped solidify the company’s reputation regionally and beyond,” he said.
According to Sarris, chocolate covered pretzels are their number one selling product. Peanut Butter Meltaways, Pecanettes (more commonly known as turtles), chocolate covered nuts, and their seasonal chocolates are also big sellers.
Sarris Candies also has a robust custom gifting business where candies and chocolates are created for customers’ specific needs. “We do a lot of specialized labels for companies, weddings and other special events,” Sarris said. “If it’s chocolate, we can do it.”
From their humble beginnings with Frank Sarris as the only employee, Sarris Candies now employs over 350 people. They continue to offer new products—the newest one, Peanut Butter Buckeyes, was introduced last month.
“Our ability to adapt while staying true to our core values—quality, family, and community—have helped us thrive for over six decades. Our family’s deep involvement ensures that our heritage and traditions continue to be an integral part of our future,” Sarris said.
Sarris welcomes visitors at their retail store and classic ice cream parlor at 511 Adams Ave, Canonsburg, PA 15317. Visit www.sarriscandies.com or phone 724-745-4042 for more information.
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