See's Candies

See's Candy Shops, Inc.

Company type	Subsidiary
Industry	Chocolate and confectionery
Founded	November 1, 1921 (1921-11-01) in Los Angeles, California, United States
Founder	Charles See, Florence See, Mary See
Fate	Acquired by Berkshire Hathaway in 1972
Headquarters	South San Francisco , United States
Area served	United States (notably California, Texas, New York, Washington), Hong Kong, Philippines, Taiwan, Singapore, South Korea, Abu Dhabi
Key people	Pat Egan (CEO)
Products	Chocolates and confectionery
Owner	Berkshire Hathaway
Number of employees	1,500 year-round; over 6,000 peak seasons (2019)
Parent	Berkshire Hathaway
Website	sees.com

See's Candy Shops, Inc., widely recognized as See's Candies, is an American company engaged in the production and distribution of chocolates and confectionery. Established in 1921 by Charles See, along with his wife Florence and mother Mary, in Los Angeles, the firm is currently based in South San Francisco, California. Manufacturing facilities are maintained both at its headquarters and the original Los Angeles location, which also accommodates retail stores. Additionally, the company operates an office situated in Carson, California.

Following its 1972 acquisition by Berkshire Hathaway under Warren Buffett's leadership, See's Candies has consistently delivered robust financial results, with revenues reaching approximately US$410 million in 2016 and profits exceeding US$80 million in 2019. Employing roughly 1,500 individuals year-round—expanding to over 6,000 during peak periods—the company benefits from CEO Pat Egan’s strategic guidance. See's sustains its competitive edge within the confectionery retail sector by focusing on premium products and preserving its brand legacy.

Location and market area

The majority of See's Candies sales occur through company-owned outlets and those operated by Berkshire Hathaway’s subsidiary Nebraska Furniture Mart. The brand boasts more than 200 retail locations across states such as California, Texas, New York, and Washington; over 70% of these stores are situated in California. Retail sites are primarily located within shopping centers, complemented by standalone stores and airport terminal shops. Internationally, See's maintains a presence in Hong Kong, the Philippines, Taiwan, Singapore, South Korea, and since 2020, Abu Dhabi—leveraging the proximity of its main production facility near San Francisco International Airport. During holiday seasons, temporary kiosks are set up in selected malls to meet increased demand. To ensure product quality and freshness, the company also offers direct sales through mail order and online platforms.

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020, See's temporarily halted operations—the first interruption since World War II caused by ingredient shortages—resuming manufacturing one month later with enhanced safety protocols.

History

Charles Alexander See II (1882–1949) immigrated to the United States from Canada in 1921 alongside his wife Florence MacLean Wilson See (1885–1956) and his widowed mother Mary Wiseman See (1854–1939). Mary See was responsible for creating the recipes that formed the basis of See's candy offerings while managing her late husband's hotel on Tremont Island, Ontario.

The inaugural See's Candies shop and kitchen opened at 135 North Western Avenue in Los Angeles in November 1921. By the mid-1920s, the enterprise had grown to operate twelve shops and further expanded to thirty locations during the Great Depression. The first white and black "all porcelain" store debuted in Bakersfield, California in 1941. Expansion into San Francisco occurred in 1936, with cream and truffle production—which represented 60% of sales—relocated to South San Francisco to take advantage of cooler climate conditions.

Laurance A. See’s divorce in 1962 led to a landmark ruling by the California Supreme Court concerning community property rights. The case underscored his role as president of See's retail subsidiary along with his cumulative salary exceeding $1 million over two decades. This legal decision remains a notable example studied within legal and financial advisory fields.

In 1972, ownership of See's transferred from the founding family to Berkshire Hathaway for $25 million after generating $4 million in pre-tax profit that year. Initially acquired by Blue Chip Stamps as a controlling interest, full ownership was consolidated under Berkshire Hathaway through Wesco Financial Corporation by 2011. Warren Buffett has referred to See's as "the prototype of a dream business." This acquisition signaled Berkshire Hathaway’s strategic move toward securing dominant brands with substantial market presence instead of undervalued assets. The workforce involved in production and warehousing continues to be unionized.

See's sources its couverture chocolate locally from Guittard Chocolate Company and procures nuts from Mariani Nut Company based in Winters, California. In 2012, the company earned a Guinness World Record for creating the largest lollipop—a chocolate confection weighing 7,003 pounds—surpassing the previous record of 6,514 pounds by a significant margin.

In popular culture

In 1952, Lucille Ball and Vivian Vance received training at a See's Candies location in Los Angeles to authentically portray their roles in the well-known I Love Lucy episode titled "Job Switching," where their characters took on jobs in a chocolate factory. Before launching her career in entertainment, singer Cher was employed by See's in 1962. The brand has also been featured in a 1987 Kidsongs video and was studied during the development of the Sugar Rush segment in the Wreck-It Ralph movie.

A memorable event occurred in 1994 when a delivery truck spilled chocolate across the streets of South San Francisco. The company's South San Francisco plant is recognized for installing large holiday-themed decorations each year, boosting its visibility during peak seasons. See's Candies has been showcased on television programs such as California's Gold and included as product placement in the 2020 Netflix series Never Have I Ever, underscoring its cultural significance and market influence.