Columbus-based fitness influencer launches unique new candy company
Chris Vogel and Kelly Yager had always joked about starting a candy business.
Once they had some time on their hands, the couple soon realized they were serious about the venture. In spring of 2020, Chris brought home a candy recipe book. By January of 2021, the couple was contacting a manufacturer about producing their own candy line.
By fall, their vision was a reality. Worth It Candy launched Nov. 12, with three different variations of soft fruit chews produced in partnership with a manufacturer. The Vogels work with a distribution facility to ship out their orders, and they already have plans to add new items to their stock later this year.
“We have got nothing but positive responses,” Chris said.
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Even before they launched their business, a love for candy was something the Vogels had in common. The two have been together since high school, and since that time, Chris has been known as the “candy man,” because of how much he loves the sweet treats. Throughout high school and into college, they’d work out together and then run to the store to grab snacks and candy to watch a movie together.
The two shared a love for candy as well as for health and fitness. Both Chris and Kelly are personal trainers. Chris works as a sales manager for a local chemical distribution company, while Kelly has an online business as a social influencer (with hundreds of thousands of followers) focusing on fitness and lifestyle.
“It’s always been about balance and not having to give up the things you love” in order to stay healthy, Kelly said.
And sweets such as ice cream, chocolate, and candy can be a part of that balance.
“We believe that that stuff is worth it,” she said.
When lockdown hit during the pandemic, the couple experimented with candy recipe books. But they realized the books didn’t include what they liked. It was then they realized they wanted to find a manufacturer that could produce what they loved–fruit chews.
“Eventually we got it right, and we moved forward from there,” Chris said.
Now, Worth It Candy offers unwrapped fruit chews in strawberry, lemon, green apple, blueberry, and orange. The chews, coated so they won’t stick together, come in three sizes. The Large Chew is about the size of a mento, while the Mini Chew is about half the size of a Skittle. The Tiny Chew is similar in size to a Nerd, but chewy instead of hard.
And though their business is still new, the Vogels are already planning on adding to their lineup. The hope is that before Christmas, they’ll launch a sour version of their fruit chews. And later this year they also want to add two new fruit flavors to their collection.
Longer term, Chris and Kelly want to work with retailers to get their candies into stores. They’ve also been testing a couple of totally unique products aside from their chews, though there’s no timeline for a release of those yet.
“We’re dreamers,” Chris said.
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