Reppert's Candy

Reppert's Candy is a chocolate and confection manufacturer and retail shop located at 2708 W Philadelphia Ave in Oley, Pennsylvania, in the heart of Berks County's Oley Valley. The company has been making candy in the same community since 1945, and today produces more than 65 varieties of chocolates and confections from a 12,000 square foot facility that houses both the production operation and a retail store open to the public.

The business occupies a specific niche in Pennsylvania's long tradition of small-batch chocolate making: it is large enough to supply distributors and retailers across the country, yet small enough that the candy is still made in-house using roughly 200 different style molds. Customers can buy directly at the Oley location, or find Reppert's products at regional retailers and specialty food shops.

History

Floyd and Dorothy Reppert founded the company in 1945. The Repperts operated the business for more than three decades before selling it in 1978 to Larry and Jean Schell. The Schell family has run Reppert's ever since, and the operation remains a multi-generational family enterprise: Jean Schell, her son Keith, his wife Jennifer, and daughters Anastasia and Avery are all involved in the business.

A significant milestone came in 1998, when the company moved into its current purpose-built 12,000 square foot facility. The expanded space allowed for a broader product line and greater production capacity while keeping manufacturing and retail under one roof. Today the company still carries the Reppert name and continues to make candy in Oley Township.

Ingredients and Production

Reppert's uses chocolate produced by Wilbur Chocolates of Lititz, Pennsylvania, another long-established Pennsylvania chocolate maker located about an hour to the southwest. Real butter and creams are used in the fillings and centers rather than substitutes, and the company guarantees freshness in every piece it sells. The candy is made in-house rather than purchased and repackaged, which is reflected in the range of molded items, hand-crafted coconut strips and hand-finished specialty pieces available.

Products

The product line spans everyday chocolates, gift assortments, snack confections and seasonal collections. Major categories include:

• Assorted chocolate boxes in milk, dark, or a mix of milk and dark, available in one, two and three pound sizes.
• Chocolate bars sold individually or in six packs, in varieties including milk, dark, white coating, krispy, cookies and cream, mint crunch, peanut butter crunch, almond and peanut, plus a Thank You gift bar.
• Chocolate-covered pretzels in mini and large sizes, dipped in milk or dark chocolate, along with milk chocolate coated potato chips.
• Yum Crumb Pretzels, made in partnership with Yum Crumbs (a company featured on Shark Tank). These are pretzels coated in white chocolate and then dipped in Yum Crumbs, offered in Red Velvet, Birthday Cake, Cinnamon Bun, Cookie Dough, Blueberry Cobbler and Strawberry and Cream, or as an assorted pack,.
• Hand-crafted coconut strips in Watermelon, Molasses, Rainbow, and Orange and Vanilla Creamsicle.
• Sea salt caramels in milk or dark chocolate.
• Specialty chocolates, including chocolate covered brazil nuts, cashews, almonds and mixed nuts, pecan and cashew turtles, English toffee, almond butter crunch, chocolate cherries and the Midnight Mint.
• Popcorn and brittle, including peanut, cashew and pecan coconut brittle, toffee popcorn, and milk or dark chocolate coated popcorn and Reppert's Churro Munch.
• A sugar-free assorted chocolate box for customers limiting their sugar intake.
• Occasion gift boxes filled with house-made chocolates, including Anniversary, Birthday and Thank You.

Seasonal Collections

Seasonal production is a substantial part of the business, with collections rotating through the calendar year:

• Valentine's Day, including heart boxes.
• Easter, featuring molded bunnies and filled eggs in peanut butter, coconut and buttercream.
• Summer, with items such as Freedom Stars, molded sea creatures and nonpareils.
• Fall and Christmas collections.

The Easter season in particular draws on the company's extensive mold collection, which is also what allows Reppert's to produce novelty and custom-shaped pieces throughout the year.

Shipping and Ordering

Reppert's ships year-round to the contiguous United States via FedEx and UPS. Because chocolate is temperature sensitive, orders traveling to destinations where temperatures are 70 degrees or warmer are shipped 2-Day or Overnight in styrofoam lined containers packed with ice packs. The company does not ship to P.O. Boxes, and does not ship to Alaska, Hawaii or international addresses. Customers in those areas, and those who simply want to browse, can visit the retail shop in Oley.

Fundraising Program

Schools, sports teams, churches, clubs and other organizations can raise money through Reppert's candy fundraising program. Groups use an order form that features the full line of handmade chocolates and chocolate-covered treats, giving supporters a product selection comparable to what is sold in the retail store. The program is a practical option for groups in Berks County and the surrounding region looking for a fundraiser tied to a local manufacturer.

Wholesale and Distribution

Beyond its own retail sales, Reppert's Candy reaches customers across the United States and internationally through wholesale distribution. Distributors carrying the brand include S. Clyde Weaver and Dutch Valley Food Distributors. Regionally, Reppert's products can be found at retailers such as Collegeville Bakery, Corropolese of Royersford and Frecon Farms. Businesses interested in carrying the line can contact the company directly about wholesale arrangements.

Visiting and Contact

The shop and manufacturing facility are located on West Philadelphia Avenue in Oley, roughly ten miles east of Reading and convenient to communities throughout the Oley Valley, Boyertown, Fleetwood, Douglassville and the broader Berks County area. The phone number is +1 610-689-9200. Calling ahead is advisable around major holidays, when seasonal production and retail traffic are at their heaviest.