Elmer Chocolate
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Confectionery |
| Founded | 1855 in New Orleans, Louisiana, United States |
| Founder | Christopher Henry Miller |
| Headquarters | Ponchatoula , United States |
Area served | North America |
Key people | Robert Nelson (president as of 2004) |
| Products | Boxed chocolates, Heavenly Hash Egg, Gold Brick Egg, Pecan Egg, Gold Brick topping, CheeWees (via Elmer's Fine Foods) |
| Owner | Hoffmann Family of Companies (majority ownership since 2025), Nelson family (partial ownership) |
Elmer Candy Corporation is a confectionery business originally established in 1855 under the name Miller Candy Company in New Orleans, Louisiana. By 2014, it ranked as the second-largest producer of boxed chocolates for Valentine celebrations across North America. The company was later acquired by a private enterprise based in Florida and integrated into the Hoffmann Family of Companies.
History
The Miller Candy Company was founded in New Orleans in 1855 by German immigrant Christopher Henry Miller. Following the marriage of Augustus Elmer to Miller’s daughter, the firm was renamed Miller-Elmer Candy Corporation during the early 20th century. Around 1914, with the addition of Elmer’s five sons, the company took on the name Elmer Candy Corporation.
In 1936, the Elmer brothers created CheeWees, a cheese curl snack made from cornmeal, which originated from a local competition. To market this new product, they established Elmer's Fine Foods in 1946, while continuing chocolate manufacturing under the Elmer Candy Corporation brand.
Roy Nelson of Chicago acquired Elmer Candy Corporation and the CheeWees trademark from the Elmer family in 1963. The Elmers retained ownership of Elmer's Fine Foods and continued producing cheese curls under different brand names. In 1993, Elmer's Fine Foods regained ownership of the CheeWees trademark from Elmer Candy.
Nelson involved his son Allan in company leadership and moved operations about northwest to Ponchatoula, Louisiana, in 1970 due to outdated production facilities. To remain competitive against larger chocolate manufacturers, the Nelson family concentrated on producing seasonal chocolates for holidays such as Valentine's Day, Easter, and Christmas, targeting regional markets.
By 2004, Robert Nelson, son of Allan Nelson, held the position of president at Elmer Candy Corporation.
In 2025, majority ownership of Elmer Candy was acquired by Hoffmann Family of Companies, headquartered in Winnetka, Illinois. The Nelson family maintained partial ownership and continued leadership roles. While preserving their existing product offerings, plans were made to expand from seasonal to year-round chocolate production.
Products
- Heavenly Hash Egg consists of a marshmallow filling with two roasted almonds enrobed in milk chocolate. This product was acquired in 1923 from a New Orleans department store and is also available in strawberry marshmallow and dark chocolate versions.
- Gold Brick Egg, launched in 1936, is a milk chocolate bar containing chopped pecans. Variations include dark chocolate and milk chocolate with malted milk pieces.
- Pecan Egg features a nougat center covered with caramel and chopped pecans.
- Boxed chocolates come in five flavors: caramel in milk chocolate, strawberry creme in milk chocolate, raspberry chocolate truffle encased in dark chocolate, chocolate fudge within milk chocolate, and orange creme coated with dark chocolate.
- Gold Brick topping, a milk chocolate sauce mixed with pecan bits, is their sole product offered throughout the entire year.