Grandmother credited for Clodhoppers

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This article was published 26/08/2009 (6244 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Chris and Larry may have produced Clodhoppers for candy lovers, but Edith Baker — Chris Emery’s grandmother — was the one who came up with the recipe for the family’s favourite treat.

Baker, 93, died on Aug. 22.

"She was quite a character and she was part of a really incredible story," Emery said on Tuesday.

"She was an integral part of a product that will be around as long as people are eating candy. She was very proud that she had played a role in this."

Krave’s Candy was created by Winnipeg high school buddies Emery and Larry Finnson to produce Clodhoppers in 1996.

Clodhoppers were based on Baker’s recipe for bite-sized pieces of graham wafer and chocolate candy.

The company grew to have a local production plant, more than 20 employees, and sales of millions of dollars’ worth of Clodhoppers across North America.

But in 2006, Abbotsford, B.C.-based Brookside Foods bought the assets of Krave’s Candy.

Surprisingly enough, Baker’s recipe wasn’t something that she made for her own children and then her grandchildren.

"She probably only came up with it a year before Larry and I went with it," Emery said.

"I’m a bit fussy and I was a little freaked out by it when I first saw it, but once I tried it, it was amazing and very addictive."

Emery said his grandmother made the generic candy recipe that was being handed around from family to family.

Emery said he soon became convinced the candy could be marketed and sold commercially. "My roommates at the time were stealing it from my closet," he said.

"When people steal all the time, that a good sign for food."

Larry Finnson said he remembers them receiving the ultimate compliment from Emery’s grandmother.

"She said ‘boys, you’re doing a good job and I think your recipe is even better," Finnson said.

"She was Chris’ grandmother, but it was like she was mine too. She played a great role in my life too."

Ironically, Emery said in later years his grandmother stopped making the candy at home.

"She just bought the candy all the time to give to people – she was one of our biggest supporters," he said. "And she had unreal chocolate chip cookies and cupcakes. They were also unbelievable."

Baker is survived by two daughters, four grandchildren, one great grandchild and her sister. She was predeceased by her husband, Howard, in 1974.

kevin.rollason@freepress.mb.ca