The Hebert Candy Mansion

New England has a very storied and sweet history of candy making. The first commercial chewing gum was made in Bangor, Maine in 1848. The Necco Wafer was the oldest continuously manufactured product in the United States from 1847 to 2018. Central Falls, Rhode Island was once called “Chocolateville” and the oldest chocolate factory in America was founded in Boston in 1764.

Today, majority of New England’s candy makers are either no longer in operation or have been merged with other corporation. There is one location, however, that has been in continuous operation for over 100 years.

Frederick E. Hebert founded Hebert Candies when he purchased a copper kettle, knife, table iron, thermometer, and a slab of marble for $11 in 1917. In 1946 Hebert purchased a stone Tudor mansion on Route 20 connecting central Massachusetts to Boston. He moved his operations there, becoming the first roadside confectioner in the United States. In 1956 he traveled to Europe and became the first person to introduce white chocolate to the United States. The company continued to grow and has been a New England mainstay for over a century.

The Hebert Candy Mansion in Shrewsbury, Massachusetts is a real treat to visit. The mansion exterior hearkens back to another time. The shelves are filled with dozens of kinds of handcrafted chocolates and the kitchen where everything is produced is viewable for the public. There is also an ice cream shop and a hallway lined with chairs where one can enjoy the delicious products and learn more about the company’s history.