1931 — It All Started in Manchester, PA
Like many American companies that have stood the test of time, Katharine Beecher Candies started as a small idea that eventually grew in into something bigger. Katharine Beecher, a generous person and wonderful candy maker residing in the small town of Manchester, PA, was looking for a way to provide her popular homemade butter mints to all her friends and neighbors. She started her own candy “factory” right in her Manchester kitchen, which eventually led to the construction of a full-fledged candy-making facility in Manchester.
By 1949, Katharine’s small business had grown into a $300,000-a-year operation, and the Katharine Beecher Co. moved into a modern new factory in Manchester.
Katharine Beecher died in 1952, but her company did not go with her. Katharine’s son, Henry Beecher, kept the business in the family for 22 years after his mother’s death.
In 1974, the Camp Hill, PA-based Warrell Corporation acquired the Katharine Beecher company as part of its ongoing expansion and diversification efforts, and has carried on the proud tradition of candy-making excellence. Katharine Beecher Butter Mints are still made according to Katharine’s original recipe, which has endured for over 80 years. However, during the next 26 years, the company grew it’s manufacturing capabilities to include fire roasted nuts, gourmet brittles, and peanut butter golden crumbles. These golden crumble delicacies were named Duets because of their glossy, golden hard shell around a soft crunchy peanut butter center.
Warrell Corporation moved Katharine Beecher Candies operations from Manchester to Camp Hill when they decided to diversify into chocolate candies. As the business grew their strategy changed from creating and selling branded products to retail stores into creating innovations for contract manufacturers. In 2016, the fire roasted nuts evolved into a new brand called Nut’n But Natural. These products were marketed under their sister brand Pennsylvania Dutch Candies. By 2018, the Katharine Beecher mints, Duets, Brittles and Nut’n But Naturals were all sold exclusively by Pennsylvania Dutch Candies Distribution Division which services the specialty trade. Warrell Creations was born to handle the manufacturing of these items along with the vast number of other products for their contract manufacturing customer’s that they had developed.