Joe Dutra wasn't looking for a career in candy.
The third-generation farmer grew up surrounded by tomatoes, rice, sugar beets, and seed crops. He never imagined that one day he'd be known around Reno for a purple suit inspired by Gene Wilder and a factory filled with brightly colored chocolate.
But, as it turned out, life had something sweet in mind.
After helping out a friend, Dutra was offered an unconventional form of repayment: a shipping container holding 40,000 pounds of candy-coated chocolate sunflower kernels sitting at the Port of Oakland. From then, his plan was simple: buy the candy, sell it, get paid back.
Instead, he sold the candy and, along the way, also started Kimmie Candy.
"I never planned to be in the candy business," Dutra says. "[But] sometimes the best things in life find you."
Kimmie Candy started in a small 20-foot trailer on the family farm, where his children and their friends manually packed candy into jars. Today, it has expanded into one of Reno's best hidden gems. The Edison Way factory now produces over 10,000 pounds of candy each day, with vibrant confections shipped to stores internationally. Despite this growth, Kimmie Candy maintains a charming, local feel.
Families are invited inside for free factory tours, where visitors sample candy before stepping onto the production floor to watch chocolate tumble through giant polishing drums until it emerges in its familiar, delicious form. It's the kind of “behind-the-scenes” experience that leaves children pressed against windows and adults feeling like kids again.
“We're basically Reno's version of Willy Wonka's factory," Dutra says.
And the comparison isn't hard to make. His signature purple suit, inspired by Gene Wilder's iconic Willy Wonka, has become nearly as recognizable as the candy itself.
"When people see the purple suit, they know something fun is about to happen," he says.
At its core, Kimmie Candy is a family business. Dutra's children, John and Kathryn, are part of the team, joined by many employees who have been with the company since production moved to Reno in 2008. Without hesitation, he calls them the most rewarding part of the journey.
As Kimmie Candy continues to grow, Dutra hopes more Northern Nevadans discover what's happening just off Edison Way. The tours are free, the samples are plentiful, and, if you're lucky, Reno's own Willy Wonka might be the one welcoming you through the door.