Dear See’s Customers,

In recognition of the impacts of the coronavirus, the direction provided by government officials at every level, and the concern of our customers and employees, we have temporarily closed all of our retail operations open to the public. This means that the near century of uninterrupted direct sale of See’s candy has now been paused.

Because See’s has been in business for 99 years, we have a unique history. We started in 1921, and with one exception, we have been in continuous operation. Our incredible associates have been providing the best service to customers since we opened our first shop in Pasadena, California. We have been packing and mailing chocolate and peanut brittle to our customers for 98 years which is long before the internet and daily deliveries to our homes.

The one exception of our continuous retail operation was during WW II. Because we would not compromise on the quality of our ingredients, and because agricultural products were in short supply, See’s only made what we could with the supplies on hand. We would only open shops when we had product, and we closed once it was sold out.

WWII Rationing

 

During the war, many raw ingredients such as butter, sugar and cream were rationed and in extremely short supply. There were heated discussions within the company as to how See’s could stay in business without compromising on the quality of the recipes. In the end, they took a risk on a clever idea: using the best ingredients, but producing less candy. When a shop ran out after a few hours of sales, the shop closed for the day. The plan worked—customers were willing to wait in long lines to buy their candy from See’s, knowing that the company had kept their promise of quality.

Many of you would say candy is essential. Some would say it is comfort food, and we agree with all of you. We know you are devoted and want your favorites, maybe now more than ever. However, it is critical that we recognize the seriousness of this situation, and we do all we can to protect one another.

Our shops have closed, and for all other parts of our business we are taking extreme measures to protect employees. The new normal is social distancing to avoid close contact with others. We currently require 7 feet of separation at all times, for all employees. This exceeds the recommended distancing from the County of Los Angeles Public Health Department, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO). We are setting visual and physical boundaries as well as monitoring all activities to ensure this separation is not just stated, but strictly followed.

If you know our brand, you know our motto, “Quality Without Compromise.” Those three words mean that See’s aims to exceed every industry standard at all times.

We will work hard every day to ensure that when we are able to reopen our shops, we will have uncompromising clarity and have taken every step needed to achieve the safety of our employees and customers. For now, we simply have to ask for your patience and understanding.

Our hearts go out to those affected by this illness. Stay safe and be well.