Why Farr Candy Co is our Valentine’s Day crush

While most people spring out of bed at the crack of dawn every February 14 to make a mad-dash to the store for those last-minute Valentine’s Day gifts, the lights at Farr Candy are usually already on.

For the past 107 years, Idaho Falls’ oldest family-run business has been awake before the sun comes out, with its staff getting ready to turn-out more than 2,000 candy bars to send out into the community.

Now a third generation owner, Kevin Call’s grandfather started the candy company back in 1911, and strong family ties along with a love for homemade candy has kept the classic company in the family ever since.

“It represents a lot to us as a family and as a community,” Call said, pointing to the array of candy bars. “You’re looking at a lot of history, there.”

The original chocolates were The Black Walnut and the Peanut Cluster bar, which has stood the test of time for more than a century. Call said none of the recipes have ever changed, although new candy bar flavors had been added over the years.

His son, Bill Call, is now the fourth generation leader of the company who helped add a couple of new featured flavors to the classics.

“We have this heritage of a bar we’ve made for 107 years, and I think it’s rare you could say something has been around that long that’s unchanged,” Bill said. “And while it’s a heritage for us, it has become a tradition for our customers. Their families have traditions with it, and it’s something we reciprocate with one another.”

Each candy bar is hand-dipped and hand-wrapped by employees who have been with the family-based company for decades.

Although Call said Valentine’s Day is another popular time to be turning-out bars for lovers and chocolate lovers alike, the secret behind the company’s longevity is a different kind of love – a love for tradition, the community and family.