Turtles

Turtles is a confectionery brand built around a distinctive cluster of pecans and caramel covered in chocolate. The arrangement gives the candy a roughly turtle-like appearance and is the source of the brand name. Although chocolate-covered pecans and related caramel confections existed before the brand, Johnson’s Candy Company is credited with developing and protecting the Turtles name in the early twentieth century. The product was developed in 1918 after a salesman, Earnest Woollard, entered the company’s commissary dipping room and showed a candy to one of the workers. A dipper reportedly remarked that the confection resembled a turtle, prompting Johnson’s Candy Company to make and sell the candy under the Turtles name. The original production method was substantially manual. Candy dippers arranged pecans and caramel on a rectangular marble board, then coated the clusters with chocolate. The process could require several separate sittings, reflecting the layered construction of the original recipe rather than a single molded piece. Johnson’s Candy Company became DeMet’s Candy Company in 1923, and the Turtles trademark continued under the DeMet’s name. The brand therefore represents both a named product innovation and a long-running confectionery trademark. Over time, Turtles products have been made in different sizes, forms, and recipes. Some versions retain an irregular cluster profile, while others use modern molds to create a more explicitly turtle-shaped piece. The core sensory combination remains consistent: nut texture from pecans, chewy caramel, and a chocolate coating. Ownership of the brand has changed in the United States. Nestlé owned the U.S. brand for a period before selling it to Brynwood Partners’ DeMet’s Candy Company in 2007. Brynwood Partners subsequently sold the company to Yıldız Holding in 2013. In Canada, Turtles products continue to be sold and distributed under the Nestlé brand rather than the U.S. DeMet’s structure. Canadian marketing presents the product as a longstanding local tradition dating from 1949, and the candy is particularly associated with the Christmas and holiday season. Canadian packaging uses Mr. Turtle, an anthropomorphic turtle character depicted in formal evening attire, including a tuxedo, top hat, and monocle. The Canadian product is manufactured in New Brunswick for the domestic market and is widely distributed through major retailers, especially during the holiday period. As a result, the brand has somewhat different corporate identities by market: DeMet’s and its Yıldız Holding ownership are central to the United States business, while Nestlé remains the consumer-facing brand owner and distributor in Canada. Across both markets, Turtles is positioned as a traditional, indulgent chocolate treat with a recognizable shape and a simple signature recipe.

Turtles originated in 1918 at Johnson’s Candy Company. The brand’s creation is associated with a salesman named Earnest Woollard, who entered the company’s commissary dipping room and presented a candy to one of the workers. A candy dipper observed that the confection looked like a turtle, and Johnson’s subsequently began producing and selling the candy under the Turtles name. The early confection consisted of pecans and caramel covered with chocolate. Its irregular cluster form, rather than a precisely molded shell, created the resemblance that inspired the name. Production was initially labor-intensive. Workers assembled the ingredients on a rectangular marble board and returned to the candy at different stages of preparation, making the original product a multi-step confection. This method differed from later industrial approaches that could use molds and more standardized shapes. Johnson’s Candy Company became DeMet’s Candy Company in 1923. The corporate name changed, but the Turtles trademark continued. Pecans covered in chocolate had been made by other confectioners before the brand appeared, yet Johnson’s was the company that established and protected the Turtles name for this type of candy. The trademark consequently became an important part of the product’s identity, distinguishing the branded confection from the broader category of chocolate-covered nuts. Later production expanded the range of Turtles formats. Products have appeared in multiple sizes, shapes, and recipes, and modern mold-making techniques have allowed some pieces to look more explicitly like turtles. The signature combination of pecans, caramel, and chocolate, however, has remained the central reference point for the brand. The ownership history diverged by market. Nestlé owned the Turtles brand in the United States for a period and sold it in 2007 to Brynwood Partners’ DeMet’s Candy Company. In 2013, Brynwood sold DeMet’s to Yıldız Holding. The United States brand is therefore associated with DeMet’s and Yıldız Holding, while the Canadian product remains sold and distributed under Nestlé. In Canada, Turtles is promoted as a tradition dating from 1949 and is strongly linked with Christmas and holiday retailing. The product is manufactured in New Brunswick for the Canadian market and is sold through major retailers. Canadian packaging features Mr. Turtle, a formally dressed anthropomorphic turtle wearing a tuxedo, top hat, and monocle. This character provides a market-specific expression of the brand while reinforcing the product’s name and visual identity. Today, Turtles remains an active chocolate confectionery brand. Its commercial proposition is based on a recognizable shape, a small number of complementary ingredients, and a heritage narrative extending from early twentieth-century candy production to contemporary packaged and seasonal formats.

• 2013

  DeMet’s is sold to Yıldız Holding

  [1]Turtles (chocolate)en.wikipedia.org

  Yıldız Holding acquired DeMet’s Candy Company from Brynwood Partners, becoming the owner of the U.S. Turtles business.

• 2007

  Nestlé divests the U.S. brand

  [1]Turtles (chocolate)en.wikipedia.org

  Nestlé sold the U.S. Turtles business to Brynwood Partners’ DeMet’s Candy Company.

• 1949

  Canadian tradition date used in brand positioning

  [1]Turtles (chocolate)en.wikipedia.org

  Canadian marketing identifies Turtles as a cherished Canadian tradition dating from 1949.

• 1923

  Johnson’s Candy Company becomes DeMet’s Candy Company

  [1]Turtles (chocolate)en.wikipedia.org

  The company adopted the DeMet’s name, while the Turtles trademark continued under the renamed business.

• 1918

  Turtles confection developed by Johnson’s Candy Company

  [1]Turtles (chocolate)en.wikipedia.org

  Johnson’s Candy Company developed a pecan-and-caramel confection coated in chocolate and began selling it under the Turtles name after its turtle-like appearance was noted by a candy worker.

A traditional indulgent chocolate confection centered on the combination of pecans, caramel, and chocolate, with strong associations with gifting and the Christmas season in Canada.

• Chocolate confectionery · 1918

  Original Turtles

  The core Turtles confection combines pecans and caramel with a chocolate coating. Historically, the pieces were assembled manually on a marble board and had an irregular cluster shape. Contemporary versions may use molds and can vary in size, shape, and chocolate recipe, but the defining ingredient combination and turtle-like appearance remain central to the product.

• Seasonal chocolate confectionery · 1949

  Canadian Turtles

  The Canadian-market range is sold under the Nestlé name and is especially prominent during the Christmas and holiday season. Canadian packaging uses Mr. Turtle, a tuxedo-wearing turtle mascot, and the products are manufactured in New Brunswick for domestic distribution. The range is based on the brand’s established pecan, caramel, and chocolate format.

• 2013

  Yıldız Holding acquisition of DeMet’s Candy CompanyM&A

  Background

  Brynwood Partners owned DeMet’s Candy Company after acquiring the U.S. Turtles business from Nestlé.

  Action taken

  Brynwood Partners sold DeMet’s Candy Company to Yıldız Holding.

  Aftermath

  Yıldız Holding became the owner of the U.S. Turtles business through DeMet’s Candy Company.

  Source

• 2007

  Sale of the U.S. Turtles business to DeMet’sM&A

  Background

  Nestlé had owned the Turtles brand in the United States before deciding to sell the business.

  Action taken

  Nestlé sold the U.S. business to Brynwood Partners’ DeMet’s Candy Company.

  Aftermath

  The U.S. Turtles brand returned to the DeMet’s corporate structure, while Canadian Turtles continued under Nestlé.

  Source

1. 1Turtles (chocolate)en.wikipedia.org