Port City Candy Co. Makes Traditional Candies With A Modern Twist
SAINT JOHN- An entrepreneur in Saint John is satisfying his sweet tooth with his new venture.
Noah Donovan is the owner of Port City Candy Co., a modern-day candy company that uses traditional recipes and techniques.
Donovan started making his own candy out of his home in Quispamsis back in September 2018.
“It was a little side-hustle. I started it because I was interested in the hand-made factor of a lot of things,” he says. “I’ve done a lot of research that actually looks at the antique, Victorian era of Candy. I found it really surprised me.”
Donovan describes Port City Candy Co. as a “modern candy company with an old-fashioned twist.” He uses traditional recipes and techniques, including using old-fashioned machinery. His current offerings of hard candies and barley toys are made with a castiron buttercup candy press from 1892.
“I like knowing that I’ve made something that somebody could enjoy,” says Donovan. “The reason I buy my antique equipment is that it’s been around for 130 years. The way I look at it is that piece of machinery has been through 130 Christmases and 130 Easters and it’s made people happy for that long.”
He hopes to acquire more antique equipment in the future. He’s currently looking to get a ribbon candy machine so he can make old-fashioned ribbon candy, as well as a drop roller.
“It doesn’t come up very often. It’s usually tucked in people’s attics or in people’s barns,” says Donovan. “Sometimes it’s right on people’s kitchen tables but they don’t even know what it is because it’s so old.”
There’s also the fact that a lot of the equipment was melted down for its metal.
“It’s so hard to find because most of it was melted down for WWI. They didn’t have any metal so they had to start melting things that were unessential,” says Donovan. “I want to build myself a collection so that I can share with people across Saint John, Canada, and the world the hand-made aspect of it and something that’s truly special.”
Donovan currently sells his products through the Port City Candy Co. Facebook page. He is also in the process of developing a website, where people will be able to purchase products online. Saint John locals will also be able to pick up his products at upcoming Christmas markets.
“I have around 12 or 15 craft sales lined-up for this year,” he says. “There are quite a few places and I’m sure people will be able to find me wherever they look.”
Bella’s Traditional Ice Cream in uptown Saint John will also be selling his candies this Christmas season, but Donovan says his main focus will be on online sales as opposed to retail.
“I think it’s going to be more of an online venture. I like interacting with my customers myself,” he says. “Even if it’s not face-to-face, I like making that connection with people and explaining to people how important the candy is.”
Donovan says Port City Candy customers are those who are looking for a different experience when it comes to treats.
“A lot of people would go to the Dollarama and get candy, but people I’m trying to reach are the people that are actually looking for an experience,” he says. “My candy is hand-made by myself – every single batch. When people get my candy, they can be sure to know that they’re getting one of the bags out of maybe five or six that come out of a batch.”