The Lovely Candy Co. launches honey gummy bears

Four-year-old company produces gluten-free, non-GMO sweets.

The Lovely Candy Co. has expanded its range of premium confections by adding gummy bears made with honey.

Founded in 2013 by Mike and Jackie Nakamura, the Woodstock, Ill.-based company produces chocolates and chewy candies that are gluten-free, non-GMO, certified kosher and contain no high fructose corn syrup.

"We started this company to make life more lovely for people like my wife who want delicious candies, that also happen to be gluten-free, GMO-free and high fructose corn syrup-free," Mike Nakamura says. "We are committed to using the highest quality ingredients to create consciously crafted products that everyone can enjoy, not just those with dietary restrictions."

Lovely Candy Co.’s Honey Gummy Bears are believed to be the first gummy bears made with honey as its primary ingredient. The product line will be available in assorted fruit flavors and sour berry in 6-oz. sizes. They retail for $4.99.

In 2016, Lovely acquired the exclusive rights to the innovative, honey-based chocolates manufactured by Honey Acres of Asshipun, Wis. Both companies launched a line of dark chocolate honey truffles in Original, Mint and Raspberry flavors.

Lovely Candy Co. also produces licorice, pretzel balls, caramels and Juicy Chews, fruit chews with real fruit bits.

Alyse Thompson has held many positions with BNP Media, first serving as an intern at Candy Industry Magazine in summer 2012. She joined Candy Industry's staff full time as associate editor in August 2016 after a few years at newspapers in West-Central Illinois, becoming managing editor in March 2019. Alyse has also served as managing editor of Cannabis Products Magazine since March 2019. She has bachelor’s degrees in journalism and Spanish from Western Illinois University.