About Us – Casani Candy Co.

AMERICA'S OLDEST CANDY DISTRIBUTOR

(800)-3-CASANI

About Casani Candy Co.

When Henry Heide began production of Jujubes and Jujyfruit candies in 1869 and in the the early 1920s, he asked Casani Candy Co. to handle its distribution throughout Philadelphia. When Milton Hershey decided to make a chocolate bar in 1903, he also counted on Casani Candy, making them the Hershey bar’s very first customer!

Casani Candy Co. was founded by Henry Jonas in 1865. In 1882, Jonas hired Joseph Casani as a bookkeeper. In 1908, the two became partners. Jonas died in 1913– leaving Casani in possession of the business. The firm has always been aggressive, and was the first company to replace the horse and wagon with a fleet of trucks. By 1921, Casani Candy Co. was one of the largest and best known candy distributors in the country.

Around this time, young John Casani began working with his Uncle Joseph, as a salesman. After a few years on the job, John began learning more about the inner-workings of the company. In 1929 he and Mr. Joseph Casani converted the business into a partnership, again. A year later, Mr. Joseph Casani passed away, leaving the company to John Casani.

In 1947 John J. “Jack” Lees joined the company as an office boy and go-fer. Casani taught Lees the business, and told him in the late 1960’s that he was going to take over, and in 1973, he did just that. Jack became the fourth President in the history of America’s Oldest Candy Distrubitor.

A few years later, John Casani passed away in 1977 at age 79.

Casani Candy Co. is known for having several different locations in its early years. Most notably, 317 North 2nd Street, from 1885 to 1973 and 145 North 2nd Street, after the construction of I-95 forced Casani to move. Presently, Casani Candy Co. is located at 7905 Browning Road Pennsauken, N.J.

“Jack” Lees has always been involved in the candy industry activities, as well as running the company. He has also been Chairman of the annual Philadelphia Candy Show.

His colleagues awarded him the Retail Confectioners Association Candy Hook Award in 1963, and the Retail Confectioners Association Copper Kettle Award in 1986.

John J. (Jack) Lees recieved his most notable award in 1988, when he was inducted into the National Candy Hall of Fame. He was a trove of candy industry lore.

The Candy Hall of Fame is administered by the National Confectionery Sales Association (NCSA), representing the entire confectionery community. The Candy Hall of Fame is recognized as the highest honor an individual can recieve in the industry.

Joseph Lees began his full-time career at Casani Candy in 1983. He worked every position within the company: warehouse employee, office employee, delivery driver, and salesman.

His wife, Francine, began her full-time career at Casani Candy Co. in 1986. The two took over ownership in 2018, when Jack Sr. passed away.

Their Daughter Amanda joined the company in 2015 as a part time worker. She is now the third generation of full-time Lees family members to work at Casani. The Lees family is proud to be guiding “America’s Oldest Candy Distributor” into its 158th year!

henry-jonas

group

Candy Show

Candy Show 5

Candy Show 4

Candy Show 3

Candy Show 2

Jack

Amanda

trucks-academy

2020candyshow