Credit: Marshall Gorby
Credit: Marshall Gorby
“We package so many of them and keep some unpacked so we can keep fresh candy in them,” Dressman said.
What to expect on Valentine’s Day
Valentine’s Day is the third busiest holiday for Esther Price. Thanksgiving and Christmas lead the way in terms of sales, followed by Easter.
When asked how much candy is sold on Valentine’s Day, Dressman said “a lot.”
Esther Price has seven stores, an online store and several independent retailers such as Kroger and Meijer.
Credit: Marshall Gorby
Credit: Marshall Gorby
Top sellers include the one pound mix of assorted chocolates that’s tied with a red ribbon. It’s followed by the one pound heart and several other smaller hearts.
During Valentine’s Day, Esther Price also offers a two ounce heart filled with chocolate or vanilla cream, sweetheart mints, chocolate covered strawberries and other little gifts and toys.
Prices in the chocolate world
Dressman said they have had to raise prices because of the cost of the heart-shaped boxes. Some boxes are more expensive depending on the look.
Another factor the candy company has been grappling with is the rise in the cost of cocoa beans due to a bad crop and rain knocking the flowers off of the trees in Western Africa. Dressman said cocoa beans have tripled in price.
Other items that are essential in chocolate making such as sugar and heavy cream have also increased in cost.
Credit: Marshall Gorby
Credit: Marshall Gorby
The candy company’s biggest heart-shaped box of chocolates is five pounds. At one time, they had an eight pound box.
“Few people buy that, it all depends on the love,” Dressman said.
Behind-the-scenes at Esther Price
Esther Price starts making their products by focusing on the center and then adding the top and bottom piece of chocolate to the candy.
“Everybody thinks we make chocolate,” Dressman said. “We make candy. We make the center. We buy the chocolate in and then coat the centers that we make.”
Credit: Marshall Gorby
Credit: Marshall Gorby
Chocolate arrives in 2,000 pound totes filled with 10 pound bars. The company has around 8,000 pounds of liquid chocolate in the building at all times.
Esther Price started preparing for Easter about a week or so ago.
Employees on Tuesday, Feb. 11 were hand rolling the cream centers for the chocolate covered, cream-filled Easter eggs. They were also cutting out caramel crosses.
Credit: Marshall Gorby
Credit: Marshall Gorby
All boxes of candy are still hand packed in the company’s iconic gold boxes with some getting a hand tied red ribbon.
Almost 100 years old
In 1926, Esther Price, a downtown Dayton department store employee, took advice from her co-workers and started a chocolate-making business out of her home. Price continued baking and selling chocolates out of her home until 1952, when she opened her first store on Wayne Avenue.
“In 2026, we will be 100 years old,” Dressman said. “We’re proud to be here. We’re proud to carry on her name. We’re proud to carry on her quality and that’s why we’ve been here.”
Credit: Marshall Gorby
Credit: Marshall Gorby
For more information about Esther Price Candies, visit estherprice.com or the business’s Facebook or Instagram pages (@estherpricecandies).
CONTACT US
Have a food tip or local dining question? Email Reporter Natalie Jones at natalie.jones@coxinc.com.
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