Shaping Kentucky's Confectionery History

In 1921 Ruth Tharpe Hunt began to sell the confections that her friends and family had always loved. The demand for her candy led to the opening of a small store in her home. Soon her business outgrew her home store and in 1930 she built a small factory on Main Street in Mt. Sterling, KY. Ruth Hunt ran the business with her daughter Emily Peck until the 1960's, then Emily Peck ran the business until 1988 when the Kezele family and Tobby Moore took over. In 2001 Ruth Hunt Candies expanded into a new comprehensive factory complex in Mt. Sterling.

Today, approximately 70 varieties of candy are made, using many of Ruth Hunt's original recipes. These confections are steeped with the flavor of Kentucky and the tradition of absolute quality. The faces of Ruth Hunt Candies have always been smiling behind the scenes. Generations of employees have quietly worked to fulfill our greatest goal: Let's make delicious chocolates that we can be proud of and that make our customers happy and feel good! We believe in this philosophy just as Ruth Hunt did nearly 100 years ago.

Each confection is made with the finest ingredients such as real whipping cream and dairy butter. The rich chocolate never includes additives like wax. A hundred years of confectionary history is evident throughout the factory. From huge old marble slabs to hand-stirred spun copper kettles, the atmosphere is flavored with sights and smells of "homemade" candy. The employees exhibit pride and satisfaction in assuring that each piece of candy receives their personal approval.

Among the favorite confections at Ruth Hunt's are Kentucky Pulled Cream Candy, Caramels, Mallows, and Bourbon Balls. However, it has been Ruth Hunt's Blue Monday Bar that is the company's most famous product. For over 80 years patrons have expressed wonder at the unique, delicate flavor of this very sophisticated candy bar... and it has been called a "Blue Monday" ever since a travelling minister expressed to Ruth Hunt that 'every Monday I must have a little sweet to help me through my blue Monday!

In 1996, the company began producing Woodford Reserve® Bourbon Balls, just as the love of Kentucky Bourbon exploded in the market place. The combination of award winning Bourbon from the Woodford Reserve Distillery in Woodford County, Kentucky and Ruth Hunt's confectionery magic has created the finest Kentucky Bourbon Balls. Through the years other Bourbon Chocolate products were developed including Bourbon Caramels, Mint Julep Bourbon Balls and Bourbon Butter Crunch.

In addition to sales at our company stores in Mt. Sterling and Lexington, KY as well as numerous retail shops throughout the region, Ruth Hunt Candies have been sent around the globe. We have provided chocolate confections as gifts from the White House to the Horse Farms of the Bluegrass. In the end, we realize that any success we may have had over the years always goes back to this same idea - Produce the highest quality chocolates to make our customers happy!