The Sweet History of C&H Sugar: From Hawaiʻi’s Cane Fields to Candy Kitchens

Introduction: For more than a century, C&H Sugar has been a fixture in American kitchens – from grandma’s cookie jar to modern handcrafted candies. This post explores the C&H Sugar history, tracing where C&H Sugar comes from and how it evolved into a beloved brand. We’ll journey through its sweet beginnings in Hawaiʻi and California, key milestones over the decades, and the cultural role C&H Sugar plays in baking and candy-making today. By the end, you’ll see why use C&H Sugar in candy and why Sparko Sweets trusts it for top-quality treats.

Sweet Beginnings (1906): A California & Hawaiian Partnership

The story of C&H Sugar starts in 1906 in the tiny town of Crockett, California. Hawaii’s sugar planters, tired of middlemen taking profits, teamed up to refine their own cane sugar on the mainland. They acquired a struggling refinery near San Francisco and named their venture the California and Hawaiian Sugar Company – “C&H” for short. The name itself tells the origin: sugarcane was grown and initially processed in Hawaiʻi, then shipped to California where it was refined and packaged. This partnership meant Hawaiian cane sugar could reach American tables with both quality and profit staying in growers’ hands.

It took a visionary leader to get things rolling. Enter George Morrison Rolph, who converted an old beet sugar factory in Crockett into a state-of-the-art cane sugar refinery. Rolph didn’t just build a refinery – he built up Crockett as a company town. He invested in worker housing, a community center, and even a park to ensure a loyal, stable workforce. In the early days, cargo ships would arrive from Hawaiʻi loaded with raw cane, and the refinery buzzed with activity. By the 1920s, C&H employed about 490 people and produced tens of thousands of tons of sugar annually. In fact, an astounding 95% of Crockett’s residents worked for C&H in the 1920s, and by the eve of World War II the company had over 2,500 workers – truly a “Sugar Town” community built around sweet success. It was clear from the start that C&H was growing as America itself grew, laying the foundation for a sugar legacy.

From Company Town to Household Name (Mid-Century Growth)

The iconic C&H Pure Cane Sugar neon sign at the Crockett refinery has been a beacon over the San Francisco Bay since the mid-20th century. At 22 feet tall, it’s impossible to miss – a glimmering pink “Pure Cane Sugar” beacon above the tiny town of Crockett. Generations of Californians recall driving over the Carquinez Bridge at night and seeing that sign welcoming them to “Sugar Town.”

By the 1950s and 1960s, C&H Pure Cane Sugar had become a household name across the western United States. Little pink-and-white bags of C&H sugar graced pantry shelves in countless kitchens. The brand also made its way into pop culture with a memorable advertising jingle. Many Boomers can still sing the tune: “C&H... pure cane sugar... from Hawaii, growing in the sun!” This catchy jingle aired throughout the 1970s and ’80s and became stuck in the minds of millions. The ads emphasized that C&H’s product was “pure cane sugar from Hawaiʻi”, at a time when most competing brands used sugar beets. This marketing struck a chord – the exotic image of Hawaiian sunshine and the promise of quality cane sugar helped cement C&H’s reputation for quality and consistency. For younger readers who never saw those commercials, just ask an older family member – chances are they’ll smile and hum a few bars of the C&H jingle!

Beyond advertising, C&H Sugar was simply everywhere in mid-century America. Home bakers reached for the C&H box when whipping up birthday cakes, holiday cookies, and homemade candy. Restaurants and candy companies on the West Coast insisted on C&H for that extra sweet touch. The brand stood for reliability – you knew that “Pure Cane Sugar” meant your recipes would turn out right. In essence, C&H had grown from sustaining a small company town to sweetening daily life across the nation. It was now not just a refinery in Crockett, but a cherished part of American culinary culture, synonymous with baking happiness.

Changes, Challenges, and Continuity (1970s–Present)

No gold age lasts forever, and by the late 20th century C&H Sugar faced new challenges. Cheaper global sugar, changing diets, and industrial automation began to reshape the sugar industry. In the 1970s, C&H had to modernize its operations – old-fashioned hand-sewn sugar sacks and large work crews gave way to automated packing and a leaner workforce. The Crockett refinery was still productive, but the era of C&H being the benevolent “father” of the town started to fade as economic realities set in. Despite these changes, the company remained a significant sugar producer, and it began looking for partners to stay competitive.

One big change was in ownership. After operating for decades as a cooperative owned by Hawaiian sugar growers (from 1921 onward), C&H Sugar eventually changed hands in the 1990s. In 1993 the Hawaiian plantation owners sold C&H to Honolulu-based Alexander & Baldwin, ending the co-op era and transforming C&H into a regular corporation. A few years later, A&B passed majority ownership to Citicorp Venture Capital. Then, in 2005, American Sugar Refining (ASR) – a Florida-based company that is the world’s largest cane sugar refiner – acquired C&H Sugar. (ASR is also known for brands like Domino Sugar.) Despite these shifts in ownership, the C&H brand and its commitment to pure cane sugar continued. Shoppers in the grocery aisle likely never noticed the behind-the-scenes changes – the familiar C&H name and quality endured.

Perhaps the most symbolic change came in the 2010s: the end of Hawaiʻi-grown sugar. For over 100 years, Hawaiʻi’s sunny plantations had supplied raw cane to the Crockett refinery. But due to high costs and global competition, the last sugar plantation in Hawaiʻi shut down in 2016. In early 2017, C&H’s Crockett facility processed its final shipment of Hawaiian sugar. It was truly the end of an era – no more “pure cane sugar from Hawaii” in literal terms. However, this wasn’t the end for C&H sugar by any means. The refinery adapted by sourcing raw sugar cane from other parts of the world, such as Australia and Central America, while still refining it in California. In fact, today the Crockett plant continues churning out cane sugar from these new sources. It remains a major player in the industry, employing roughly 450 people and producing about 14% of the nation’s cane sugar. So even without Hawaiian cane, C&H Sugar carries on its sweet legacy with the same focus on quality.

Sweetness in Every Kitchen: Cultural Legacy & Candy-Making

Through all its changes, C&H Sugar has maintained a special place in American food culture. For many older Americans, the brand brings a wave of nostalgia – memories of mom or grandma baking pies with C&H, or of those sunny TV commercials from childhood. For younger generations and modern foodies, C&H represents authenticity and quality in ingredients. It’s the pure cane sugar you turn to for baking that perfect cake or crafting a beautiful batch of candy. In an era when people care about ingredients’ origins, C&H’s long history and emphasis on cane (not beet) sugar make it stand out. Essentially, C&H has become “your baker’s favorite sugar”, earning trust in home kitchens and professional bakeries alike.

One area where C&H Sugar truly shines is candy-making. Pure cane sugar is prized by confectioners for how it performs in recipes. Why do candy makers insist on cane sugar like C&H? Here are a few sweet reasons:

• Smooth melting: Cane sugar has a lower melting point than beet sugar, which means it melts quickly and evenly without scorchingimagesofoldhawaii.com. This is crucial for confections like lollipops or caramels, where a smooth melt produces the best texture.

• Clean flavor: Cane sugar contains trace minerals but lacks the more “earthy” impurities that some beet sugars can have. It doesn’t carry off-flavors or strange odors, so the candy’s flavor stays pure and sweetimagesofoldhawaii.com.

• Better texture: Cane sugar crystallizes differently. It blends easily and is less likely to foam or form unwanted crystals while cooking. The result? Candies come out crystal-clear and glossy, with no grainy bits – just the way candy lovers like them.

Because of these qualities, professional bakers and candy artisans have long noticed that cane sugar often yields superior results in sweets. C&H Sugar, being exclusively cane sugar, naturally became a favorite for anyone serious about high-quality desserts. Whether you’re making a silky frosting, a batch of fudge, or Sparko Sweets’ signature lollipops, starting with fine cane sugar ensures a difference you can taste and see.

Moreover, C&H’s cultural legacy continues to foster a sense of shared tradition. Baking with C&H sugar is like connecting with generations past – you’re using the same trusted ingredient that families used decades ago for their holiday candies and bake-sale brownies. That pink C&H package in your pantry isn’t just a baking staple; it’s a little piece of American culinary history. In an age of ever-changing food trends, there’s something comforting about a heritage brand that’s been delivering sweetness since Teddy Roosevelt was president (yes, C&H is that old!). Gen Z readers might discover that the brand their grandparents trusted is still cool today – especially when they taste the difference in a homemade treat.

A Sweet Conclusion: Tradition Meets Handcrafted Quality

From its origin in Hawaiʻi’s cane fields to its iconic refinery in California, the journey of C&H Sugar is a classic American success story. Over the years, the company has navigated earthquakes (it survived the 1906 San Francisco quake in its founding year!), world wars, economic upheavals, and changing consumer tastes – all while keeping things sweet. The C&H Sugar history shows a pattern of adaptation and commitment to quality: always pure cane, always striving to deliver the best sugar for every purpose. It’s a brand that managed to become both a hometown hero in Crockett and a national symbol of quality in the kitchen.

Today, C&H Sugar remains as relevant as ever. In a world of artisanal foods and DIY baking, a trusted ingredient like C&H is gold. That’s why Sparko Sweets uses C&H Sugar – because it’s simply the best for handcrafted quality. We believe that when you start with the finest pure cane sugar, you end up with candy that sparkles (and tastes) just a little more magically. C&H’s century-old legacy of sweetness perfectly complements our mission to craft candies that spark joy.

In the end, the story of C&H Sugar is more than just a timeline of a company. It’s about the sweet traditions that bring generations together – the recipe passed down, the candy shared between friends, the familiar brand that earns a place in our fondest memories. From Hawaiʻi’s sun-kissed cane fields to the candy in your hand, C&H has been there, adding a spoonful of sweetness to life’s moments. And as we at Sparko Sweets can attest: the recipe for happiness often starts with C&H Sugar, then and now.

Sources for C&H Sugar History Blog Post

• C&H Sugar Official Website – “Our History” (Company website) – Provided core historical facts from C&H’s own records, such as the founding year (1906) in Crockett, CA, and initial production figures (67,000 tons of cane sugar in the first year with 490 employees). It also notes the refinery’s current scale (processing ~700,000 tons of cane sugar annually), establishing the company’s long-standing presence chsugar.com. (Source: C&H Sugar official site) – C&H Our History

• SFGATE – “The story behind the Bay Area’s ‘Sugar Town’ and that iconic brightly lit sign” (Madeline Wells, SFGate, Dec 12, 2022) – This news article explores Crockett’s identity as “Sugar Town” and the famous 22-foot C&H Pure Cane Sugar neon sign. It provided vivid context on how C&H shaped the town’s history and culture, and detailed the sign’s significance (a “glimmering beacon” visible for miles) as well as the evolving relationship between C&H and local residents sfgate.comsfgate.com. (Used for local history anecdotes and the sign’s backstory.) – SFGate – Sugar Town Sign Story

• San Francisco Chronicle – “Sugar ship’s long, final voyage into history” (Carl Nolte, SF Chronicle, Jan 14, 2017) – A Chronicle column describing the last shipment of Hawaiian raw sugar to the Crockett refinery in 2017. It recounted how the cargo ship Moku Pahu delivered the final load of cane sugar from Maui, symbolizing the end of a 145-year era of Hawaii-to-Crockett sugar tradesfchronicle.com. The article confirmed that after this voyage C&H would source cane from other regions (as the Hawaiian sugar industry had shut down)sfchronicle.com. (Contributed details on the end of C&H’s Hawaii sugar operations and its significance.) – SF Chronicle – Final Hawaiian Sugar Shipment

• San Francisco Chronicle – “Sugar, Sugar: Cane and beet share the same chemistry but act differently in the kitchen” (Miriam Morgan, SF Chronicle, Mar 31, 1999) – An in-depth feature comparing cane sugar and beet sugar, which helped explain why C&H always touted “pure cane sugar.” Food editor Miriam Morgan conducted baking tests (crème brûlée, cookies, cakes) and found that treats made with cane sugar were consistently superior in texture and taste to those made with beet sugarsfgate.com. The piece discussed subtle differences (trace minerals and processing methods like bone char filtering) that, despite both being 99.95% sucrose, can affect performance in recipessfgate.com. (Used to highlight the quality distinction of cane sugar vs. beet sugar in the blog.) – SFGate/Chronicle – Cane vs. Beet Sugar

• Images of Old Hawaiʻi – “C&H” (Historical blog by Peter T. Young) – A public history blog post outlining the company’s origins and evolution from a Hawaiʻi perspective. It recounted C&H’s formation and cooperative years (operated 1921–1993 as a growers’ cooperative in Hawaiʻi)en.wikipedia.org, and noted the major ownership changes afterward – for instance, the 1993 sale of C&H to Alexander & Baldwin and later transitions (including American Sugar Refining acquiring C&H in 2006)en.wikipedia.org. (Provided a reliable historical timeline of C&H’s corporate history and ties to Hawaiʻi’s sugar industry.) – Images of Old Hawaiʻi – C&H Company History

• Beat of Hawaii – “Hawaii Sugar Cane + C&H | Do You Remember?” (June 12, 2021) – A Hawaiʻi-focused history blog entry reflecting on the legacy of sugar plantations and C&H’s role in it. This source provided background on the decline of Hawaiʻi’s sugar industry (noting that the last sugar mill in Hawaii closed in 2016, ending a long era of sugar production)beatofhawaii.com. It also summarized C&H’s journey for readers, from its start as a co-op in 1921 through its sale to Alexander & Baldwin in 1993, and eventually to its acquisition by American Sugar Refining, highlighting how high local costs and low sugar prices ultimately brought an end to “pure cane sugar from Hawaii”beatofhawaii.com. (Used for context on Hawaiʻi’s sugar history and C&H’s famous Hawaiian identity/jingle in the blog.) – Beat of Hawaii – C&H History Overview