According to a filing with the state of Minnesota, Pearson's Candy Company is closing the St. Paul Factory, and ending a nearly 120-year run on West 7th street in St. Paul.
The noticed filed with the state says the closure of the facility is due to "a lack of financial sustainability on a going forward basis necessary for the continued operation of the site."
They also add the closure is permanent for the candy company that began in Minneapolis in 1909 when P. Edward Pearson formed a confectionary distribution firm with help from his four brothers. Their famous Nut Goodie candy bar was born in 1912. The Salted Nut Roll came later, in 1933.
The company, which moved from Minneapolis to St. Paul in 1950 and to W. 7th in 1959, will be forced to terminate 80 employees with an effective date of September 28.
The business has not been owned locally for a few years, and was an on-and-off local business for much of their history. In 2022, Pearson's was sold to the Annabelle Candy Company in Hayward, California. They issued a comment late Thursday evening to WCCO's Jason DeRusha:
"We can confirm Pearson's Candy Company is ceasing production at its St. Paul manufacturing plant. We've filed a WARN notice and operations are expected to wind down by September 28, 2026. At this time, we’re looking to move certain key brands of Pearson's to a strategic partner and we’ll continue to explore all options in order to make these legacy products. This decision was made after careful consideration and reflects the current business and economic environment."
A filing with the state of Minnesota notes the closure is "permanent" and around 80 workers will be terminated
A filing with the state of Minnesota notes the closure is "permanent" and around 80 workers will be terminated
