Dave & Kathy Knudsen were married in January of 1967. In August of 1968 they purchased a small Ice Cream Store on 32nd and Clement Street in San Francisco. That store was sold in the summer of 1973.
In August 1973 they purchased The Candy Factory located in Southland Mall in Hayward, California. Over the next 25 years this business grew from a small 650 square foot candy store in the Mall to an 18,000 square foot “real” candy factory and a 20,000 square foot candy distribution center.
Both of these locations were located in Hayward. Our gourmet chocolates were sold in a great many candy stores throughout the western United States and several stores in Hawaii and on the island of Guam.
Throughout most of Dave & Kathy’s 40 years of marriage, they have worked side by side creating their successful businesses. Part of the reason for their success was the fact that during most of the 25 years in the candy business they were assisted by all four of their children and by one son-in-law. For many years sons Tod & Jay, daughter Vicki and her husband John Cosgrove worked with Dave and Kathy. Son Ty worked earlier in the retail store but married a Southern California girl and moved south. For over 10 years 6 people in the Knudsen family worked together building the business until it was sold in 2001.
The rest is history in the making. The Ice Creamery had been closed for a year and needed a new caretaker. Dave & Kathy leased the building, completely remodeled the ice cream store, added a working candy factory, and reopened the business in the spring of 2004.
All of our candies are made right here where you can see the process. Our recipes have been tried, tested and improved over the last 30 years. We use only the finest ingredients in order to bring you the freshest and most delicious candies available. On your way out stop by the candy counter and watch the candy maker. Then try a sample of one of our gourmet candies. Never has there been a better Peanut Brittle or English Toffee then you will find at our counter. Ingredients such as creamery fresh butter and pure Madagascar vanilla give the unforgettable flavor. Love and care go into every single batch of wonderful candy that is made at Knudsen’s.
As of the fall of 2005, Dave & Kathy decided to take our favorite Son-in-law, John Cosgrove, into our company as a partner. This not only gave D & K our evenings off, it also enabled us to begin making our own ice cream. We are now able to make new products, such as the Lactose-free Sorbets.
If you go back to a dairy farm in Denmark, Dave’s family has been in the food business for over 130 years. Dave’s father ran a meat market and grocery store in Omaha, NE for 53 years. Dave, Kathy and John are proud to be a part of the present day history of Castro Valley.
The family motto, “Our best is for you” was born in the early 1900’s and has been our inspiration ever since. The delivery truck on our T-shirts is very much like the one my father used to deliver groceries back in the 30’s in Omaha. There is a picture of one of dad’s trucks on the wall across from the candy counter.
