[Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 152 (Thursday, September 24, 2026)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E974-E975]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




       HONORING PEARSON'S CANDY COMPANY IN SAINT PAUL, MINNESOTA

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. BETTY McCOLLUM

                              of minnesota

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, September 24, 2026

  Ms. McCOLLUM. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the employees and 
many fans of Pearson's Candy Company, the 117-year old candy producer 
which has been making its iconic Nut Goodie and Salted Nut Roll candies 
at its manufacturing facility in Saint Paul since 1957. Last month, 
Pearson's announced that it will be closing its West Seventh Street 
Saint Paul factory at the end of September, eliminating approximately 
80 jobs.
  Founded in 1909 by P. Edward Pearson and his brothers, Pearson's 
Candy Company introduced its famous Nut Goodie in 1912. Featuring maple 
nougat, roasted peanuts, and a milk-chocolate coating, the Nut Goodie 
was a hit and has been enjoyed for generations. In 1933, during the 
depths of the Great Depression, Pearson's debuted the Salted Nut Roll. 
Its vanilla nougat center, caramel layer, and salted peanut coating 
gave people something sweet yet filling for only 5 cents. In 1957, 
production moved to the current location on West Seventh Street in 
Saint Paul, where the beloved treats have been produced ever since.
  Sadly, Pearson's Candy Company has now announced that its Saint Paul 
factory will end production and close its doors at the end of 
September, leaving about 80 employees without their jobs. The layoffs 
will affect positions across production, maintenance, quality control, 
shipping, and management. Jobs being eliminated include candy makers, 
packers, maintenance mechanics, boiler operators, machine operators, 
quality control technicians, HVAC technicians, shipping and receiving 
clerks, production managers, and the IT manager. While Pearson's parent 
company, Promise Confections, has stated that production of these 
iconic products will continue elsewhere, the closure marks the end of 
more than a century of candy manufacturing in Minnesota and will leave 
about 80 Saint Paul workers without jobs.
  In my role as a United States Representative, I have often purchased 
Pearson's candies to share at special events, including with visitors, 
ambassadors, and dignitaries from around the world. I have lost count 
of how many times someone has tried one and immediately asked for 
another--a small testament to the enduring appeal of this Minnesota-
made treat.

[[Page E975]]

  Mr. Speaker, please join me in celebrating the Pearson's Candy 
Company's 117-year history of candy production in Minnesota, nearly 
seven decades of Nut Goodie and Salted Nut Roll production on Saint 
Paul's West Seventh Street, and the generations of workers and families 
who produced these iconic Minnesota treats.

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