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This is Fred Ball for Zions Bank, speaking on business.
When I lived in San Francisco during the 1960s, I was frequently asked what I missed the most in Utah. I would always reply, "The mountains and Cummings Candy."
For over 77 years, Cummings Studio Chocolates have been devoured with great relish by Utahns. This state has a great history of outstanding candy makers and the late V. Clyde Cummings did a great deal to enhance that reputation.
Clyde started making candy for fun when he was 15 years old. His friends and family loved his candy and soon were asking him to make it regularly for them. Clyde kept up with his hobby as the years went by and continued making his delicious creations even though he was earning his living in another business. In 1924, he turned to candy making full time and moved into his shop on 7th East and 9th South in Salt Lake City.
He experimented with ingredients and ways of mixing them, finally working out the secret methods that are still used today in producing the famous Cummings Studio Chocolates. That secret was passed on to his son Paul, then on to other members of the Cummings family. The chocolates are made under carefully controlled conditions, leaving only the cuttings and dipping to others.
Paul Cummings is an old friend, and he told me that one of the prime reasons for the long success of the company is the fact they use only the very finest ingredients. He told me about a very rare, expensive chocolate from South America. It costs about twice as much as other chocolate but Cummings recognizes that it helps produce a superb product. Only one other candy maker in the entire country chooses to use this expensive ingredient.
Well, after my years in San Francisco, I took advantage of returning to Utah with a hasty visit to Cummings Candy. I have since been a regular, and this time of year, I especially enjoy their chocolate dipped strawberries
Pleasing people with a superb product and friendly service is a great formula to keep a business prospering and growing for over 77 years.
For Zions Bank, I’m Fred Ball. I'm speaking on business.
