Two local scientists left their jobs and started a candy company
A freshwater biologist and a terrestrial ecologist found sweet success.
Meet the scientists behind McCrea’s Candies
Former scientists start candy shop in Hyde Park.
The most amazing part about Boston-based McCrea’s Candies is that it actually started in Alaska: Kate and Jason McCrea met in 1991 at Toolik Field Station, Alaska, where he was a freshwater biologist and she was a terrestrial ecologist. They both shared their love for candy and science, eventually marrying and moving to Hyde Park in 2001.
“Candy work is chemistry. So we just found that we both really enjoyed it. It was a throwback to what we were trained to do.’’ said Kate.
During the economic downfall, Jason was laid off and began experimenting with caramel out of their home kitchen. Once he settled on a recipe, Jason started to sell his caramels at his son’s school during the holiday season. The candies soon boomed in popularity, and the demand became too much for Jason to make at home, eventually moving to CropCircle Kitchen in Jamaica Plain.
It wasn’t until after hand-wrapping over 7,000 candies that Jason decided to open the family-operated McCrea’s Candies in Hyde Park. He and Kate now use a 700-pound cast iron and brass candy machine that’s over 90 years old. “I like it because it’s sort of old school, they don’t make stuff like that anymore,’’ he said.
Today, McCrea’s sells all-natural caramels and caramel sauce at more than 200 retailers throughout North America, including Whole Foods. Jason and Kate McCrea use their science backgrounds to enhance the flavors of their products.
“You know you have to try these things… and come up with these crazy ideas and then see what happens’’ he said.
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