Hebert Candy Mansion
The Hebert Candy Mansion is a historic property and tourist attraction in Shrewsbury, Massachusetts. The Mansion is the home to the Hebert Candies Company, and is the site of candy production. The Hebert Candies brand was sold in 2005 and again in 2008. While some of specialty wrapped truffle boxes are manufactured by contract confectioners, the Candy Mansion continues as the Hebert Candies retail outlet and candy manufacturing facility, whipping up classic favorites such fudge, nonpareils, candy bars, chocolate pops, Genevas and much more. The mansion serves as a destination for local visitors, hosting weekly cruise nights in the summer and offering an ice cream sundae bar.
Company history
In 1917 The Hebert Candies was founded when Frederick E. Hebert purchased a copper kettle, knife, table iron, and thermometer for $11.00.
In 1946 Mr. Hebert purchased a Tudor stone mansion in Shrewsbury, Massachusetts, on Route 20, then the major route connecting Central Massachusetts with Boston. He moved his candy-making operations there, and America's First Roadside Candy Store was born.
In 1935, August Merckens, a prominent confectioner in his own right, perfected a European recipe for white chocolate and was contracted to produce it for Frederick Hebert. He subsequently introduced the first White Chocolate confection to America, at his store on Vernon St. in Springfield, Massachusetts.
Frederick Hebert and his two sons Gerald and Raymond Hebert successfully grew the business to nine retail outlets in the New England area and shipped candy around the world. Later, Gerald would buy out his brother Raymond and assume sole ownership. Gerald Hebert's sons Ronald, Richard, Frederick, Jr. and daughter Dianne developed the candy bar fund raising business for Hebert Candies. They later sold millions of candy bars to organizations in United States and Canada.
Hebert Candies was acquired in August 2005 and continues its retail operation and manufacturing facilities at the Candy Mansion.
Previously in 2004, Hebert Candies had sold the chocolate bar manufacturing equipment and fundraising portion of the company to LaMontagne of Canada. LaMontagne and the new owner of Hebert's, Pete Perkins of Sabrosa Foods, could not come to terms and subsequently LaMontagne severed ties and ceased production of chocolate bars labeled for Hebert Candies.
In 2005, investment firm Longmeadow Capital Partners LLC acquired the Hebert Candies. Along with this acquisition, the candy maker launched its melon-colored packaging as part of a rebranding campaign aimed at giving Hebert products a fresher, more modern look. The aim was to refresh its image, boost sales and snag online business as a "premium affordable" candy maker in New England; a name applied to the region comprising six states of the NE United States—Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut.
In the Spring of 2012 Hebert Candies became part of American Gourmet Group, LLC which conducts a wholesale gourmet food and spa gift basket business and which is also a Longmeadow Capital Partners, LLC company. American Gourmet Group, LLC wholesales its gift baskets to national retailers on-line and in-store. It also distributes its gift baskets in the promotional products industry under the trade name, Gifted Expressions. As to the two businesses coming together, Sheila Shechtman, CEO of American Gourmet, said "our goal is to marry Gifted Expressions' creativity, differentiation and customer focus with Hebert's capacity to manufacture artisanal and promotional branded chocolates and gifts."
The iconic, Tudor-style candy mansion is located at 574 Hartford Turnpike, Shrewsbury, Massachusetts.