Hmm, both companies started around the same time. One has distribution through many of the 50 states and 3 foreign countries. The other is available in about a third of the state of Ohio. Maybe one company grew far larger than the other due to superior product? or maybe one company grew bigger because of far greater customer demand for its product?

I say that having tasted both - the Esther Price chocolates struck me as 'See's wannabees" - just a little blah.

Of course, Esther Price ran it as a family business until she retired, then sold to another family. It is still a private family-run enterprise, where EVERYTHING is made by hand. The trademark red-ribboned boxes are even TIED by hand. During warm months not conducive to candy-making, they just shut down in order to ensure quality. Many (including me) have tried to buy them, but they're not for sale.

Whereas See's is a faceless corporate entity owned by Warren Buffett. Successful, yes. But geared to mass tastes.

Esther's product to me always seemed more akin to a European style fresh chocolate with a real cream center (without the obsession on hazelnuts). See's centers to me are the Achilles' heel - too dry & grainy. And they cover most of OH, plus large parts of IN & KY through retail distribution.

Of course, I'd skip the chocolate-covered Mike-Sell's potato chips. They're just....wrong....

So, I was standing at the kitchen window and saw the UPS truck pull up. I asked myself, "Hmmm. Did I order something, and I don't remember?!"

Went out, picked up the box and saw it's from... a FTer! Ohhhhh boy. Slit the tape, pulled open the box and started to laugh. I recognized the red See's holiday wrapping right away!

Carefully, I peeled the gold seal away on the end of the smaller package... two boxes of Molasses Chips! I wondered if the other box was Nuts & Chews, Soft Centers, etc. Nope! Rum raisin nougats and lollypops! And floating around, on its own, a single Awesome Walnut Square Bar.

Darn it. I should have listed "the 5lb box".

Thanks, FT Santa!

The See's kiosk at the (airside) threshhold to the UA gates at SFO's T3 does carry the sugar-free products. Unfortunately, the kiosk at AA's T4 in LAX does not. I'm not sure about other SFO or LAX locations.

I recently worked in Tucson Az for a few months and learned that the costco in Tucson sold 2 one pound sees gift certs for $22. They could be redeemed for anything in the store, even custom boxes. custom boxes are $14.95 per pound, so it was a real savings. I gave tons of those certificates for gifts. My fav by the way is a dark chocolate raspberry cream.

Tracey