Velatis In The News - Goochland Courier

The Goochland Courier
December 10, 2002

Sweet Tradition Comes To Goochland
World Renowned Velatis Confections 
By Laurie McKay-Smith

Carol Servais, one of the owners of the Velatis Candy Company in Maidens, with a tray of world-renowned confections. Servais and her husband, William, use only premium natural ingredients and time-honored techniques to create exquisite treats.



The rich, velvety taste of Velatis Famous Caramels, savored by customers all over the world, is now produced in Goochland County by the Servais family.

“Even the Queen of England has sampled our Velatis,” said Jan, one of the owners of the Velatis candy factory.

Marked by years of tradition, the brand has a history as rich as its candy.

Italian immigrant Salvador Velatis started the company in the early 1860s in Richmond. Velatis’ original recipe is still used today.
“During the Civil War, the store burned to the ground,” said William, spokesman for the company.

“We don’t know how the fire started or whether it was a direct result of the Civil War. We have been working with the Virginia Historical Society, but no additional information is available.”

In 1866, Velatis moved to Washington, D.C., where he opened a store at Ninth and G Streets. This store was operational for approximately 117 years until the subway system was built in 1972.

“It was a historical building but it got damaged so bad that they ended up taking it out,” William said. “Now the YMCA is located there.”

When the Velatis candy store closed, William said the company worked out a deal with Woodward and Lothrop Department store.

“They went in and started operating as ‘Woodies’ House Candy Company,” he said. “In the 1980s, the original family sold the business to Woodies.”

The department store carried on the tradition until it filed for bankruptcy in 1986.

William said that many Goochland residents recall going to Washington during the 1950s and 1960s to shop.

“You’d go there with mom or grandmother, and as a treat for being a good kid, you got to go to the candy store as a treat afterwards,” he said.

Over the years, many famous people have sampled Velatis Famous Caramels. Presidents Wilson, Johnson and Roosevelt, and their wives are on a list of satisfied customers.

The Servais family purchased the company from the bank and until recently operated the candy factory as an Internet based company from Florida.

“We decided that we needed to get back closer to the customer base because everybody lived in the Virginia and Maryland area,” William said. “As we examined it, my wife and I live in the Manakin area, and we decided why not back to Richmond where it all started. It has made a big circle and come back home.”

Bill and Carol Servais also moved from Florida to the area and in September, the Servais family began producing the candy at 2746-B Maidens Loop, next to the Maidens Post Office.

“It’s been fun,” William said. “Even though we have been open, I don’t consider us as open because we have been so busy just trying to keep up with the current orders that we haven’t been able to do a grand opening of any scale. Business has been fantastic. The community has been great.”

Located beside the Goochland Deli & Sub Shop, William said children often stop in with their parents to get a treat after lunch.

“We are trying to build a whole new customer base and develop a following,” he said.

Velatis Caramels are also sold through the Regency Square Hecht’s Department Store. The company also sells its candy in Hecht’s stores located in the Northern Virginia, Washington, D.C. and the Baltimore, Maryland areas.

Just this week, the Servais family shipped its candy to Switzerland, Italy and England.

In addition, the company services approximately 2,500 regular mail order customers.

“That is growing by the day,” William said. “Right now we are operating from 9 a.m. to midnight. This is a very busy time of year for us. We are producing approximately 500 pounds of candy a day.”

“Approximately 25 local residents visit the factory daily to purchase candy,” said Jan.

“We have 17 different varieties of caramels,” William said. “They are all old-fashioned Italian caramels.”

All of the Velatis caramels are handmade and hand-cut with no preservatives used in its ingredients.

“In fact, when someone tastes one of our caramels, it’s going to have a much richer flavor than most candies because a lot of candy companies that are mass producing will use powdered milk or condensed or sweetened cream,” William said. “We use 100 percent cream. So you get a very robust flavor.”

These caramels are made with all natural products such as sugar, corn syrup, chocolate and nuts. Timing and temperature also play a role in this product.

“If you don’t bring the ingredients together at the right temperature, you won’t get a good stand-up quality,” William said. “If you have ever had a Kraft caramel, it is very soft and gummy. The reason is because it is mass manufactured and wrapped.”

William said Velatis Famous Caramels exhibit a firmer quality and have a hearty flavor when bitten.

“It will hold up a lot better, you will get a longer lasting flavor in your mouth and a more robust chew out of it than a store bought,” he said.

The cooking process takes about an hour. When the candy is approximately 250 degrees, it is poured into large pans to cool. After 45 minutes, the candy is hand cut and immediately packed.

The cooking process determines the consistency of the candy.

“We actually create two kinds of caramels,” Jan said. “We create what everyone will think of as a caramel, which is a chewy variety. Then we also have a kind, where we invert it at the very end and it becomes a crumbly caramel.”

“People often think of this type of candy as fudge”, William said. Again, timing, temperature and natural ingredients help to produce a creamy product with rich flavor.

“But it is actually drier than fudge,” he said. “We make it with or without nuts. We also offer a marshmallow variety. We are beginning to expand on the original recipe without altering it.”

Last month, William said the company offered a pumpkin spice variety in honor of Thanksgiving.

“This month, we are going to be introducing egg nog,” he said. “We will be expanding to have the classics, the originals and some of the new vogue flavors such as chocolate raspberry.”

William said Christmas time is the company’s busiest time of year, followed by Easter.

Velatis Famous Caramels can be purchased in half-pound, one-pound and two-pound boxes.

“We can mix and match or they can get all one flavor,” he said.

The price varies according to the customer’s specifications.

“Right now we are running a special of all four sugaries for the holiday season for $29 and a two-pound box of the chewy brand for $32.99.”

William said that while this may seem expensive, people purchasing Godiva chocolates are likely to pay $35 for a one-pound box of candy.

“This is fresh,” he said. “We get about a two-month shelf life on the candy.”

Customers wishing to place an order to be shipped in the United States before Christmas are recommended to contact the Velatis Famous Caramel candy factory at (888) 483-5284 before Dec. 15.

Orders to be shipped outside of the country should have been placed before Dec. 10. Goochland and area resident are invited to stop by the factory to place an order for holiday candy until Dec. 18.

“We won’t run out,” William said.

In the future he hopes to make these caramels a household tradition by expanding the business through local candy shops.

“My goal is to go nationwide,” he said. “Within five years, to have it becoming a national brand of confectioneries. There is really nothing like it so it gives us a niche. We don’t want to be a Hershey’s or Godiva’s. We serve a niche.”

The Servais family said the support that they have received from Goochland officials and resident has been wonderful.

“It’s just been an open arms welcome,” he said.

Contributing to a rich history for this company and Goochland, Velatis Famous Caramels are sure to become a sweet tradition for area citizens.