Velatis History

In the 1850’s Salvator Velati emigrated from Turin, Italy to Richmond, Virginia and opened the first Velatis Caramel store. Records of the Richmond store were lost in the wreckage of The Civil War. Subsequently in 1866, Velati relocated the company to a storefront on 9th & G Streets in Washington, DC where the caramels were made and sold. At the turn of the 20th century, Velatis expanded the product offerings to include locally grown produce as well as a sandwich and ice cream counter.
 

By 1960, operations were focused on the caramels with VIP customers that included Mrs. Woodrow Wilson and Kim Novak, the movie star. In 1972, the store was demolished to accommodate the new Metro subway system and Velatis moved into the main Woodward and Lothrop department store (Woodies) in downtown Washington. In 1980, the Velatis owners sold the entire company (equipment, recipes, and trademark, et al) to Woodies where the caramels were produced until Woodies filed for bankruptcy.

In 1996, the Servais family, former Velatis customers, bought the Velatis company. They began mail order operations in Tampa, Florida. Since 1997, the recipes have been produced and sold with the famous Velatis quality.

In 2002, Velatis moved its operations to Maidens, Virginia (a suburb of Richmond, Virginia). This allowed us to return to our roots, obtain larger manufacturing facilities, and get closer to our DC area customers and retailers.

Customers from the past, as well as our new customers, continue to enjoy the famous Velatis caramels. Caramels have been shipped to Europe, Canada, the Middle East, South America, and to all 50 states in the USA. One customer from South Carolina recently placed her 99th order.