Pearson's Candy Company
A historic American confectionery manufacturer known for Salted Nut Rolls, Mint Patties, Nut Goodies, and Bun Bars.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
Pearson's Candy Company is an American chocolate and confectionery manufacturer based in Saint Paul, Minnesota. The business began in 1909 in Minneapolis as a confectionery distribution firm established by P. Edward Pearson and his brothers John and Oscar. The Pearson family later concluded that manufacturing offered stronger prospects than distribution, and the company began making its own candy in 1912. Its first manufactured confection was Nut Goodie, a product that became one of the company's enduring regional brands. The company expanded its manufacturing activities during the first half of the twentieth century. In addition to developing its own products, Pearson's produced confectionery goods for other companies, including Whitman's and Planters. It introduced the Salted Nut Roll in 1933 during the Great Depression. The product became the company's best-known offering, although a temporary renaming as the Choo Choo Bar was unsuccessful and the original Salted Nut Roll name was restored with more prominent Pearson's branding. Pearson's broadened its portfolio through acquisitions. In 1951 it acquired Trudeau Candy Company, adding Mint Patties and the Seven Up Bar to its range. The company moved to its current Saint Paul manufacturing location in 1959. In 1962 it acquired Milwaukee-based Sperry Candy Company, whose products included the Chicken Dinner Bar, but sold the Sperry business five years later. By the end of World War II, Pearson's had largely discontinued its distribution activities and focused on manufacturing. The Pearson family sold the company in 1968 to ITT/Continental Baking. A subsequent sale in 1979 was followed by availability problems and product changes, including alterations to the Nut Goodie wrapper and recipe. Larry Hassler and Judith Johnston purchased Pearson's in 1985 after the prior ownership partnership broke apart. They restored the Nut Goodie's earlier packaging and recipe. Although Pearson's lost a major contract to manufacture Nature Valley granola bars for General Mills, the company returned to profitability in 1992. Pearson's continued to change ownership and develop its portfolio. It acquired the Bun Bar trademark from Clark Bar America in 1998 and introduced Flurries in 2004. Brynwood Partners IV acquired the company in 2011, and Spell Capital of Minneapolis acquired Brynwood's interest in 2018. Pearson's purchased the Bit-O-Honey brand from Nestlé USA in 2013 and sold it to Spangler Candy Company in 2020. In 2022, Pearson's was sold to Annabelle Candy Company, a California confectioner owned by Chicago-based investment firm Promise Holdings. The company manufactures its products at the Saint Paul plant, which has been described as a 120,000-square-foot facility with five production lines. Salted Nut Rolls and Mint Patties are its principal national products, while Nut Goodie and Bun Bars have traditionally had stronger distribution in parts of the Midwest. The company has been described as a major North American confectionery producer by revenue, although it remains primarily focused on the United States market. In 2026, the company announced the planned closure of its Saint Paul factory, a significant development for its manufacturing footprint.
History
Pearson's Candy Company traces its origins to 1909, when P. Edward Pearson and his brothers John and Oscar founded a confectionery distribution business in Minneapolis. Two additional brothers, Waldemar and C. Fritz, later joined the enterprise. The family determined that producing candy could be more profitable than merely distributing it, leading to the introduction of Nut Goodie in 1912 and the gradual development of Pearson's as a manufacturer. During its early expansion, Pearson's made products for outside companies as well as for its own label. The company introduced Salted Nut Roll in 1933. The product became a commercial success and was copied by competitors. Pearson's briefly changed its name to Choo Choo Bar to distinguish it from imitators, but the revised name performed poorly and Salted Nut Roll was eventually restored. The Pearson's name and logo were given greater prominence on the package. The company became more focused on manufacturing by the end of World War II. Family members continued to participate in management, including William Pearson, who joined in 1944, and George Pearson, the son of founder P. Edward Pearson. In 1951 Pearson's acquired Trudeau Candy Company, gaining Mint Patties and the Seven Up Bar. It moved to a new plant at its present Saint Paul address in 1959. Three years later, it acquired Sperry Candy Company of Milwaukee, known for the Chicken Dinner Bar. Pearson's sold Sperry to Schuler Chocolate Factory in 1967. Ownership left the Pearson family in 1968, when ITT/Continental Baking acquired the company. A sale to an out-of-state confectionery partnership followed in 1979. This period was associated with declining sales, product availability difficulties, and changes to the Nut Goodie package and formula. Larry Hassler and Judith Johnston purchased Pearson's in 1985 through a leveraged buyout after the prior ownership group separated. The new owners restored the earlier Nut Goodie presentation and recipe. Pearson's also lost a large contract to make General Mills' Nature Valley granola bars, a contract that had represented a substantial share of its production volume. The company nevertheless returned to profitability in December 1992. Pearson's expanded and refreshed its portfolio in later decades. It acquired the Bun Bar trademark from Clark Bar America in 1998 and launched Flurries in 2004. Brynwood Partners IV acquired the business in August 2011. In November 2018, Brynwood sold its interest to Minneapolis-based Spell Capital. Pearson's bought Bit-O-Honey from Nestlé USA in late 2013, then divested the brand to Spangler Candy Company in December 2020. In 2022, Annabelle Candy Company acquired Pearson's. Annabelle is owned by Promise Holdings, a Chicago-based investment firm. Pearson's has continued to be associated with a Saint Paul production facility operating five lines. Its principal products have been Salted Nut Roll and Mint Patties, both distributed nationally, while Nut Goodie and Bun Bars have had more limited Midwestern distribution. In 2026, the company announced the closure of its Saint Paul factory, marking a major change in the location that had served as its manufacturing base since 1959.
- 2026
Saint Paul factory closure announced
[1]Pearson's announces the planned closure of its long-standing Saint Paul manufacturing facility.
- 2022
Annabelle Candy Company acquires Pearson's
[1]Pearson's is sold to Annabelle Candy Company, owned by Promise Holdings.
- 2020
Bit-O-Honey is sold
[1]Pearson's sells Bit-O-Honey to Spangler Candy Company.
- 2018
Spell Capital acquires Pearson's interest
[1]Spell Capital acquires Brynwood Partners' interest in the company.
- 2013
Bit-O-Honey is acquired
[1]Pearson's acquires the Bit-O-Honey brand from Nestlé USA.
- 2004
Flurries is introduced
[1]Pearson's adds Flurries to its product range.
- 1998
Bun Bar trademark is acquired
[1]Pearson's acquires the Bun Bar trademark from Clark Bar America.
- 1992
Pearson's returns to profitability
[1]The company becomes profitable again after restoring the Nut Goodie product and packaging.
- 1985
Hassler and Johnston purchase Pearson's
[1]Larry Hassler and Judith Johnston acquire the company and restore the earlier Nut Goodie recipe and packaging.
- 1979
Seven Up Bar is discontinued
[1]The Seven Up Bar is retired amid high production costs and trademark issues involving the 7-Up beverage name.
Products and positioning
A heritage American confectionery brand centered on nostalgic, nut-based and chocolate-coated candy products, with especially strong recognition in the Midwest.
Chocolate and nut confectionery · 1933
Salted Nut Roll
Introduced in 1933, Salted Nut Roll is Pearson's best-selling product and its signature confection. It combines a sweet center with a chocolate coating and a substantial layer of salted nuts. The product is distributed nationally and has remained central to the company's identity. Pearson's briefly marketed it under the Choo Choo Bar name, but restored the original name after the change failed to gain comparable acceptance.
Chocolate-covered mint confectionery
Mint Patties
Mint Patties became part of Pearson's portfolio through its 1951 acquisition of Trudeau Candy Company. The product is one of Pearson's two principal national offerings and, together with Salted Nut Roll, has historically represented the majority of company sales. It occupies the traditional chocolate-and-mint segment and is associated with Pearson's heritage confectionery range.
Nut-based candy bar · 1912
Nut Goodie
Nut Goodie was Pearson's first manufactured confection, introduced in 1912. The product became particularly important to the company after packaging and recipe changes under earlier ownership contributed to weaker sales. New owners restored the earlier presentation and formula in the 1980s, helping Pearson's recover. Nut Goodie has traditionally had stronger distribution in the Midwest than the company's nationally sold products.
Chocolate candy bars · 1998
Bun Bars
Bun Bars are part of Pearson's regional candy-bar portfolio. Pearson's acquired the Bun Bar trademark from Clark Bar America in 1998. The product has primarily been sold in several Midwestern states rather than distributed as broadly as Salted Nut Roll and Mint Patties.
Confectionery · 2004
Flurries
Flurries was introduced by Pearson's in 2004 as an addition to its branded candy portfolio. Available reference material identifies the launch but does not provide enough detail to describe its current formulation or distribution with confidence.
Honey and nut candy
Bit-O-Honey
Pearson's acquired the Bit-O-Honey brand from Nestlé USA in 2013. The brand was subsequently sold to Spangler Candy Company in 2020 and is therefore no longer part of Pearson's current portfolio.
Chocolate candy bar · 1951
Seven Up Bar
The Seven Up Bar consisted of multiple chocolate-covered centers, with flavors varying according to ingredient availability and consumer demand. Pearson's obtained it through the Trudeau acquisition. High manufacturing costs and a dispute involving the Seven Up beverage trademark contributed to its retirement in 1979.
Chocolate-covered nut roll
Chicken Dinner Bar
The Chicken Dinner Bar originated with Sperry Candy Company and was acquired along with that company by Pearson's in 1962. Despite its name, it contained no chicken; it was a chocolate-covered nut confection. Pearson's discontinued the product after acquiring Sperry.
Brand decisions
2026
Planned closure of the Saint Paul factoryStrategyBackground
The Saint Paul plant had served as Pearson's manufacturing base since the company moved there in 1959.
Action taken
Pearson's announced that it would close the Saint Paul factory.
Aftermath
The announcement represents a major change to Pearson's long-standing production footprint; the available reference does not specify the final production arrangements.
2022
Sale to Annabelle Candy CompanyM&ABackground
Pearson's had undergone several ownership changes since leaving Pearson family ownership in 1968.
Action taken
The company was sold to Annabelle Candy Company, which is owned by Promise Holdings.
Aftermath
Pearson's became part of the ownership group associated with Annabelle, a California confectioner.
2020
Divestiture of Bit-O-HoneyM&ABackground
Bit-O-Honey had been part of Pearson's portfolio since its 2013 acquisition from Nestlé USA.
Action taken
Pearson's sold Bit-O-Honey to Spangler Candy Company.
Aftermath
The transaction returned Bit-O-Honey to a different confectionery owner and removed it from Pearson's brand portfolio.
2013
Acquisition of Bit-O-HoneyM&ABackground
Pearson's sought to expand its branded confectionery portfolio through the acquisition of an established candy brand.
Action taken
Pearson's acquired Bit-O-Honey from Nestlé USA.
Aftermath
Pearson's later sold the brand to Spangler Candy Company in 2020.
1985
Restoration of Nut Goodie packaging and recipeStrategyBackground
Product changes under previous ownership, including a wrapper redesign and recipe alteration, were associated with declining sales.
Action taken
After acquiring Pearson's, Larry Hassler and Judith Johnston restored the earlier Nut Goodie wrapper and recipe.
Aftermath
The company recovered and returned to profitability in December 1992, despite losing a major granola-bar manufacturing contract.
1933
Launch of Salted Nut RollProduct launchBackground
Pearson's was expanding from distribution into manufacturing and introduced a new nut-based confection during the Great Depression.
Action taken
The company launched Salted Nut Roll and later restored its original name after a temporary rebranding as Choo Choo Bar proved less successful.
Aftermath
Salted Nut Roll became Pearson's leading product and one of its principal nationally distributed brands.
Recent events
- Unconfirmed
Pearson's Candy Company permanently shuts down St. Paul factory[3]
Reported:
Pearson's Candy Company has shut down its St. Paul, Minnesota factory for good, as reported by MPR News.
Sources3 sources
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