Today we’d like to introduce you to Michael Nakamura.
Michael, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
Lovely candy was started when my lovely wife Jackie and were discussing allergen foods and gluten. She became gluten sensitive due to illness and my daughter is also celiac. Her favorite candy was red licorice, so we set out to find a gluten free version. At that time, there were no options, so after some research, we decided to go into business to make it. What started as a quest for gf licorice turned into a large portfolio of better ingredient confections. Today, we have premium chocolates, snacking chocolates, fruit chews, gummy bears made with honey, organic candies and more.
We are an emerging national brand and continue to stay true to clean ingredients. No high fructose corn syrup, no artificial ingredients, no gluten, non-GMO or organic.
Has it been a smooth road?
Competing against large traditional confection companies. While there are many retailers that are expanding to include better for you options in all food categories, some retailers do not have the patience as the category continues to grow. Of course, cash flow can always be a challenge for any growing company as well.
We’d love to hear more about your business.
Today we have one of the largest portfolios of “clean candy” in the industry. Our packaging and branding set us apart from our competition and many of our products are flying off the shelves. Besides using clean ingredients, we include innovation in our products as well. For instance, we make gummy bears, but we are currently the only company that makes gummy bears with honey as the first ingredient, and they also have no gelatin. These gummy bears are selling quite well across many retail channels, and consumers love them.
Is our city a good place to do what you do?
There is a good talent pool in the Chicago land area, especially in confections. Chicago has been and really continues to be the candy capital of the country. So many candy companies started in Chicago and that legacy is the people that started new companies in the industry.
Of course, doing more to support manufacturing is vital to this and many industries. Whether it is tax assistance, hiring assistance, technical grants, etc.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.lovelycandyco.com
- Email: inquiries@lovelycandyco.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lovelycandyco/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LovelyCandyCompany/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/lovelycandyco
Getting in touch: VoyageChicago is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
