In this episode of “Made Here,” we’re taking you to East Syracuse, New York, where Hercules Candies is renowned for its handcrafted batches of sweets, from candy canes to chocolates. The company—which brothers Robert, Jim, and Pete Andrianos founded in the early 1900s—has been open and using the same family recipes for over a century.
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Many aspects of the candy-making process have remained the same since the company’s inception—the treats, for example, are all still hand-pulled without the use of machines. Still, one modern element has breathed new life into the company and helped the brand reach millions of people: social media. More specifically, YouTube.
It all started when Craig Andrianos, the social media manager at Hercules Candies, created his own vegan YouTube channel where he uploaded a ribbon candy making video.
“I just posted one [candy video] and I expected to get a couple of views ... and then one day it just sort of exploded,” Andrianos says. “It just kind of started accidentally.”
🍫 Hungry yet? Try These Sweets From Hercules Candies
Hercules Candies Watermelon Hard Candy
Hercules Candies Green Apple Ribbon Candy, Caramel Filled
Hercules Candies Tie Dyed Hard Candy
Hercules Candies Peppermint Ribbon Candy, Chocolate Filled
Prompted by the popularity of the ribbon candy video, Andrianos then made another YouTube channel, specifically for Hercules Candies, which now has more than 674,000 subscribers as of publication time. In addition to spreading the word about the company, the YouTube channel has also financially bolstered the operation.
“The YouTube channel changed everything for Hercules Candy,” Terry Andrianos—who co-owns the company alongside her husband, Steve—tells Popular Mechanics. “It enabled us to move to another location. It was temperature-controlled, humidity-controlled, so we were able to introduce many new items and also make things that we could only previously make at Christmastime.”
When Hercules Candies first started out, the family made confections over coal-fire using gas lighting for visibility. Today, they cook their treats on a gas stove in a food-friendly environment that won’t melt the tasty goods. Still, the company is steeped in tradition and family history, and the Andrianos hope things remain that way.
“Our intentions for the future of [Hercules Candies] are hopefully to keep it in the family,” Terry says. But that doesn’t mean she and Steve are prepared to step down anytime soon.
If you ask Terry about retirement plans, she’ll tell you that, for now, “that’s a little bit murky.” Eventually, Terry and Steve will step back and have their daughter, Cara, take over for them—just like Steve did back in 1977. It’s these kinds of traditions that have kept the company successfully churning for all of this time.
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