In 1921 Marianna and Władysław Krupa start a farm in a village called Bęczkowice. They buy a plot of land from Hrabia (Count) Skarbek, father of Krystyna Skarbek, also known as Winston Churchill's spy. Skarbek inspires the writer, Ian Fleming, to model a number of female companions after her for James Bond. You can read more about Krystyna Skarbek on Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Krystyna_Skarbek.
The thriving farm owned by Władysław Krupa becomes an area that today encompasses tha apple orchards and the Kandy food production plant.
In 1944 Franciszka, Władysław's only daughter, marries Edward Socik. After the Second World War they take over the farm and open a tailor shop.
In 1946 Franciszka and Edward start an apple orchard. Despite numerous obstacles related to the political situation in Poland, they remain consistent and continue to develop their business. They try growing various crops, from cabbages to strawberries, and look for new money-making ideas, such as brick production.
In 1968 they open one of the first industrial poultry farms in Poland. The poultry houses are successful for a dozen years. However, martial law and an embargo imposed by the United States on compound feed make it impossible to continue their farm business.
In 1981 Stanisław, one of Edward and Franciszka's three sons, takes over the farm. He and his wife Grażyna continue to cultivate the apple orchard and at the same time invest in infrastructure (building a cool store, for example). They also decide to open a fruit processing plant.
Kandy is established in 1985. The company produces candied fruit using traditional methods. The company’s leading products are still plums, which customers coat in chocolate.
The fruit processing plant is not the only business owned by Kandy. The company is also involved in the wholesale trade of confectionery, groceries and alcohol in Piotrków Trybunalski. The alcohol wholesaler is one of the best in Poland (23rd place in the sales volume ranking). All that is left of those days is Centrum Hurtowe Kandy (Kandy wholesale trading center) on ul. Fabryczna.
In the early 1990s, the company starts to produce candy. This is primarily candied fruit from its own production, coated in chocolate, although raisins and nuts are used as well. The company also produces dragées.
In 2001 an advanced plant producing aseptic fruit components is opened. The company soon starts the production of yogurt preparations and ice-cream toppings, and later also confectionery fillings and decorative gels. Kandy sells its goods all over Poland and starts to export them.
In 2013 the company invests in a production line for thermostable confectionery fillings. The large-scale production of Lauretta fillings leads to a significant expansion of the sales department and the distribution network. The production of variegato and ice-cream pastes begin as well.
In 2019 Kandy is awarded the Golden Statuette of the Polish Business Leader by the Business Center Club. The award places the company among Poland's best private companies.
Also in 2019 Stanisław and Grażyna Socik hands the company over to their son, Dariusz, who has been involved in Kandy for many years.
