Cary's of Oregon
Cary Cound, Cary's of Oregon
|
|
Why Southern Oregon?
Quality of life, cultural and natural attractions, community
Location: Grants Pass (888) 822-9300
Owner: Cary Cound Employees: 12 Click here to visit the Cary's of Oregon website Take a restless but gifted mechanical engineer with an entrepreneurial spirit and give him a great family candy recipe and what do you get? In Southern Oregon, it all adds up to Cary’s of Oregon in Grants Pass. Founded in 2001 by Cary Cound, the toffee making company has quickly gained a reputation for unique quality, taste and texture featured at special retail outlets across the country and by direct orders from the Cary’s website. Cary’s of Oregon joins a growing list of unique high-quality specialty food manufacturers that have made Southern Oregon their home.
Cound merged the two pursuits of traditional family candy-making and a professional background in manufacturing to create his new business. Cary’s makes a unique English Toffee product in several varieties, but all with the unique “soft-crunch” texture that makes Cary’s hand-crafted candy special. He credits the help of a lot of folks, including SOREDI, for his company’s success. Expert marketing is critical to success in this line of business, and Cound is quick to recognize the talents of his business partner Wendy Just with providing critical product presentation elements needed for success. The company has enjoyed significant growth since its humble beginnings seven years ago, including expanding and moving to a larger facility in 2005. Cound expects to see a continued increase in sales in the future as well as having his products become more nationally mainstream.
But it’s that personal touch that tends to spark motivation for Cound. “I feel incredibly honored when neighbors or political figures purchase our products to represent our hometown to others far away,” he says. “Or the young bride that wants our candy for each of her guests on her most special day.” Cound can sometimes be seen in parades dressed as Willie Wonka, purple top hat and all, riding an old-time bicycle with huge wheels. When you run the town’s revered candy factory… well, fun and chocolate tend to go hand in hand.
Keeping pace with an ever-changing market keeps Cound on his toes and forces him to be creative and innovative on an almost daily basis. “We continue to question our own paradigms and then respond accordingly,” he says. “Creativity is crucial to maintaining a fresh and appealing face to the product.”
|
