A family-owned candy company in Fouke is working to expand its sales beyond the Texarkana area.
Pam Brackman bought Elve’s Candy Co. from Everett "Elve" Otwell in September. The company is known primarily for its peanut patties, which are soft and cooked without fat or butter. Otwell had operated the company out of Texarkana, Texas, since 1956, selling the patties at Texarkana’s Four States Fair and marketing to other local festivals and shops. He stopped in 2010 only because of a debilitating heart attack.
Brackman, formerly a registered nurse, said she saw the ad for Otwell’s business and realized she wanted to continue his legacy.
"I had seen the ad in the paper," Brackman told Arkansas Business. "My dad was a businessman who knew Mr. Elve personally. It all fell into place."
After the purchase, Brockman moved the business from Texarkana to her hometown of Fouke, where she and her daughter manufacture the patties in a 1,080-SF shop. Sales have been good, she said.
"We’re probably going to have to add a few workers," Brockman said. "We’re growing that fast."
The patties have always been popular in Texarkana, Brockman said, and she wants to spread the popularity throughout the state, with eyes on Prescott, Magnolia, Camden and points beyond.
"We branched to the Shreveport and Bossier area in the past few months," she said. "We’re looking to go towards the Little Rock area in the next year. We’re thinking about the Arkansas State Fair, but we haven’t decided to go to the Louisiana State Fair or the Arkansas State Fair."
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