Sweet, sweet success for Somerset County candy maker

Sweet Tooth Memories’ line of old-fashioned hard-tack candy is a labor of love that began with a goal to fulfill a higher purpose. The small business in Rockwood is currently thriving thanks to lots of hustle, strong connections and a deep commitment to keeping the faith.

Jonathan Blakely started Sweet Tooth Memories so that he and his wife Renee could afford a private, Christian education for their two children. The pair have worked hard to build awareness and a loyal, growing customer base for their vintage hard-tack candy, which comes in a long list of flavors, including many “boozy” varieties. Once a holiday treat, the popularity of hard-tack candy and extended to year-round, thanks to Sweet Tooth Memories.

2023 was a big year for the small business.

With products in 14 stores across Pennsylvania, they shipped to 22 states and even Canada. In addition to vending at events across the region and beyond, Sweet Tooth provided favors for two weddings in 2023 and has two more booked for 2024. They also offer product fundraisers and partnered with 11 organizations during the holiday season, and donated $5,000 in products, raffle baskets, cash, and more to the community over the past year.

Sweet Tooth Memories has been selected as one of only 75 vendors across the country for the Popcorn Sutton Memorial Jam in Sevierville, TN, in June and will again participate in the Farm-to-Bottle Show in Wilmington, Ohio, (with multiple winners from the Master Distiller television show), the West Virginia Beer Fest, and in the Quad State Dill Pickle Festival, the Interstate BBQ Festival and the Quad State Beer Festival, all in Hagerstown, MD, plus many other local events.

In just two months so far this year, Sweet Tooth has announced two collaborations, releasing McCausley’s Strawberry Cheesecake and Cheesecake Moonshine flavors with Moonshiner Chris McCausley in January, and a partnership with country music artist Jacob Bryant on a new flavor, JB’s Curveball Cinnamon. Networking is a major factor in creating these partnerships and generating a buzz for their products.

What’s the secret behind their success?

“Keeping the faith, even when it’s hard and frustrating. That’s the secret. Pure and simply blessed,” Renee said.

Next up, Jonathan and Renee are working with Startup Alleghenies Somerset County Coach Matt to launch an Indiegogo crowdfunding campaign to build a kitchen and warehouse on their property.

“It’s much needed for the space and availability,” Renee said. “We need to keep larger quantities in stock and we need to be able to cook on a more flexible schedule.”

Follow Sweet Tooth Memories on TikTok and Facebook, and find their products on the Alleghenies Marketplace.

Startup Alleghenies helps startup and emerging small businesses succeed by providing free coaching to entrepreneurs in Bedford, Blair, Cambria, Fulton, Huntingdon and Somerset counties. To access personal, one-on-one support from a coach in your county, including guidance, resources, tools and networking opportunities, sign up at startupalleghenies.com.