Discovering NC Agriculture is a year-long series focusing on twelve N.C. grown, raised, caught, and made commodities. Tune in each month to see how an N.C. commodity is grown, harvested, packed for consumer use and more. Learn nutritional value, find fun recipes to try, hear from local chefs who use that product, and other unique commodity facts throughout the series. We look forward to helping you better understand some of our N.C. commodities and how they impact your everyday lives!
Peaches are a Southern staple in North Carolina. One of our Got to Be NC members discovered a way to make their flavor last all year long through candy – Peach Bud candy! For over 100 years, Butterfields Candy has been providing a variety of flavored candies to customers across the globe. As their number one seller, peach buds are the bread and butter of the business, bringing joy to families every day.
In the early 90’s, Dena Manning, President of Butterfields Candy, discovered Lemon Buds when her mom was going through chemotherapy. “Hard candy is very soothing for people going through chemo treatment, so my mom was always searching for different ones that she liked,” Dena said. “When we came across the Lemon Buds, as well as the other flavors at that time, we fell in love with the product, packaging and company as a whole.” Through the years, Butterfields Candy has changed names and ownership several times. In fact, it sat dormant for five years before Dena and her family bought the company on February of 2012. “Since my mother passed, I’ve kept an eye on the company because it means so much to me,” she said. “When I discovered that it had gone out of business, I was heartbroken. That’s when my husband, children, and I decided to take a leap of faith to revive it in 2012.”
The four original candy flavors at Butterfields Candy were Peach Buds, Lemon Buds, Key Lime Buds, and Holiday Buds. “Before the company shut down, those were the four top selling flavors, so we started with those when we took over,” Dena said. As an engineer, Dena’s husband was able to repurpose the old machinery to furnish their facility in Nashville. “We have equipment here that dates back to the 1800’s,” Dena said, “so, there is a lot of heritage and history in the making of our products.” Although Dena and her family were very passionate about the candy, they had no idea how to make it at first. “I reached out to people who worked for the company in previous years and asked them to come work for us when we first opened,” she said. “Everyone was thrilled to hear that the candy company was reopening, so the were more than willing to come back. Some of our employees today have been here over 20 years!” Since then, her son has taken classes with the makers of Jolly Rancher to learn the ins and outs of making hard candy. Today, Butterfields Candy produces seventeen varieties of candy and is working on two more that will be released this summer.
All candy made at Butterfields starts in a copper kettle full of sugar. Simple syrup is then added, and the mixture is stirred until it reaches 300 degrees or above. “Heating it to this temperature ensures that the candy will mold together and not granulate like a sugar cube,” Dena said. From there the flavors are added and the mixture is poured over the cooling table. “We purchase premium, high-quality flavors and do all of our own mixing on-site,” Dena said. “Our goal is to get the flavor as close to the actual fruit as we can.” Once the candy is cooled and mixed into the appropriate flavor, it is transferred to another copper kettle that puts sugar dusting over the candy and cuts it into pieces. Finally, the candy is bagged and packaged for shipping. “Our packaging is very unique because it features local artwork from an artist in our area, as well as photos from farms across the state,” Dena said. “From start to finish, our candy seeks to represent the industry and show how rooted these flavors are in our cultures, homes and kitchens.” Although all of their flavors are delicious, Peach Buds and Cinnamon Buds are their top selling flavors year-round.
Products from Butterfields Candy can be found in a variety of locations nation-wide, including Harris Teeter, The Fresh Market, Publix, and Sweet Tea & Cornbread in Cary. “We take pride in our candy because it brings families together and provides joy,” Dena said. “Some of m favorite moments are hearing stories from customers about how much this candy means to them, because I have a story like that too. Hearing that our candy takes people back to their childhood, reminds them of their parents, or allows them to reminisce about life on the farm, makes all the hard days worth it.”
Butterfields Candy has also been a Got to Be NC member since they were re-established in 2012. “The Got to Be NC program is wonderful to be a part of,” she said. “Their team has helped us a lot through the years, especially in the beginning, to provide marketing opportunities, business advice and other local companies to network with.” We are proud to have them as members of the program and look forward to seeing where they will continue to grow to in the years to come!
