About Us
Who We Are
Whether it’s Frozen Hot Chocolate on a hot summer day or a bite of “melt-in-your-mouth” creamy fudge, Fredericksburg Fudge Company has been an iconic original in town for 38 years, providing locals and visitors alike with some of the tastiest sweets and treats around. We pride ourselves on our unrivaled customer service, commitment to our Fredericksburg community, and using the highest quality ingredients in all of our treats.
Our History
Established in 1981 by entrepreneur John Honigschmidt, Fredericksburg Fudge confections are all natural with no preservatives, additives or fillers -- just great tasting fudge. "Our fudges and chocolates are made the old-fashioned way -- all hand-made from scratch," says Honigschmidt.
A native of Minneapolis, MN, John moved to the hill country of Texas in 1981 and fell in love with the area. Originally planning to open a roller skating rink near Austin, that plan fell through due to skyrocketing interest rates. Then one day, John saw an ad in a magazine urging readers to "open your own fudge store." Intrigued by the unusual idea, John sought out an Illinois candy maker he had been referred to. The man agreed to teach John because he felt the distance between Texas and Illinois would avoid any competition. After studying in Illinois for some time, John mastered the necessary chemistry skills for making candy and adapted formulas to create his now-famous, creamy Fredericksburg Fudge.
John saw not only great growth in his Fredericksburg Fudge business but loved what he did, stating "In addition to our growth, we have a good time doing what we do. I love this kind of work. If I were selling something else, I'm not sure I would be as happy doing it. One of the nice things about being in the candy-making business is the effect it has on our customers. By nature, there's nothing gloomy about candy. When people walk out of our store, they have a smile on their faces, and that keeps us smiling, too!".John opened Fredericksburg Fudge at 145 E. Main in September of 1981 with a staff of two full-time and two part-time employees. In a short four years, his operation had out-grown the downtown store, so he moved the candy-making segment of Fredericksburg Fudge to a new candy kitchen right off Hwy. 290 at the City Industrial Park in October of 1985, where over 60 different products are prepared that make up 225 different items.
In March of 2017, the company experienced the loss of John Honigschmidt after a brief battle with cancer. However, the business has been kept in the family and we continue to use the same formulas and maintain the same standards of excellence John did. "We delight in preserving his memory and continuing in the traditions he established over 35 years ago," says Laura LaSala, John's wife of 24 years. "His staff has been wonderful and we haven't missed a beat in continuing the production of John's wonderful candies and fudges."
Our Future
Although we celebrate our history as a local landmark in Fredericksburg, we are equally excited about what the future holds. With the recent consolidation of our retail store and candy kitchen, neighbors and visitors alike can come see how their favorite treats are made, sample an array of new, delicious products, and meet our friendly, caring staff.
While we continue to branch out with an ever-expanding range of market areas and a growing mail order business, our first commitment will always be to our friends and neighbors in Fredericksburg. Fredericksburg Fudge Company has always been a great community partner and that will not change either. We love supporting our Fredericksburg non-profit organizations and will continue to do all we can to ensure the success of our Fredericksburg community.