It’s 6 a.m. , and the stir of machinery breaks the silence. Wafting from a huge stainless-steel vat, the smell of warm chocolate and bourbon fills the air.
As workers begin to trickle into the factory, short bursts of laughter can be heard throughout the building. The sun has yet to rise before the bourbon balls make their way down the production line, one by one.
Approximately four million bourbon balls are produced each year at Ruth Hunt Candy. Made with Woodford Reserve bourbon, they are one of Ruth Hunt’s most popular candies. A half pound of bourbon balls sells for $15.50. Most of the company’s products are sold online, and they often receive large orders from companies such as Liquor Barn.
As colder weather falls upon Mt. Sterling, the employees know that the chaos has just begun. They often work six to seven days a week in autumn to prepare for the Christmas demand of the most popular treats: Blue Monday candy bars, cream candy and bourbon balls.
“I love the people. I love the atmosphere,” says Levella Lynn Isaac, 47, production manager at Ruth Hunt Candy.
She has worked for Ruth Hunt for 15 years, and her curiosity motivates her to learn new things at work every day. Levella is the first person to arrive each morning to prepare for the busy day ahead. She starts up all of the machines and greets everyone with a smile as each clocks in.
Ruth Tharpe Hunt established the candy business in 1921 in the basement of her home, working with her daughter, Emily, and other women to create a business that would become one of Kentucky’s most iconic brands. In three years, Ruth Hunt Candy will celebrate its 100th anniversary.
Continuing the tradition set by the founder, most of Ruth Hunt’s current employees are women, including the office, production and factory managers. Behind the scenes of this historic company, they dedicate countless hours to keep the legacy alive for the community of Mt. Sterling and customers around the country. Their passion and attention to detail has helped this business continue to thrive.
The handcrafted confections they produce are not just candy, but symbols of love, memories, legacy, family and home. They have touched the lives of many in more intimate ways than most will ever know. Even the process of making the candy has brought these workers from many different walks of life together.
They encourage, celebrate important milestones and help each other through difficult times. In a couple of weeks, an employee who was hired by the original founder of Ruth Hunt Candy in 1955 will celebrate her 80th birthday. In honor of the woman’s hard work and dedication to the business, the other women are all pitching in to throw a small party for her.
Hidden in the back of a quaint little store in Mt. Sterling, the strong and hard working women of Ruth Hunt Candy work not only as a team but also as a family.