About Essential Candy
Certified Women-Owned. Purpose-Driven.
Essential Candy® is a Certified Women-Owned brand based in Greenville, South Carolina. We craft plant-powered botanical lozenges (dietary supplements) and supportive hard candies made with organic ingredients and real plant botanicals—because small moments of comfort can matter a lot.
Our Story
In 2018, founder Tracy Ernst set out to help a close friend through a difficult health journey. What began as a simple, caring idea—infusing plant botanicals into small batches—became Essential Candy®. The goal was never “just candy.” It was to create a little sweetness with genuine care behind it.
That original spark still guides us today: clean ingredients, thoughtful craft, and kindness in action.
Candy With A Purpose™
Your purchase helps someone. Through our ongoing Candy With A Purpose mission, we donate bags to people and groups navigating tough moments—patients, caregivers, and community support organizations. We set aside product for giving and ship boxes as needs arise to verified partners and nominated individuals.
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Some recipients are “adopted” by Essential Candy®—we stay in touch and send care when we can.
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At community events, when someone shares that they’re going through a hard season, we’ve been known to hand them a bag on the spot.“
"Their mission is beautiful and sincere… We were also blessed with a donated bag; these folks are absolutely the real deal.” — Recent 5-star Google review
What We Make
We keep it simple, honest, and delicious.
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Botanical Lozenges (Dietary Supplements): plant-powered, thoughtfully formulated.
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Supportive Hard Candies: simply sweet, made with the same care and clean ingredients.
Always: Organic ingredients • Non-GMO • Vegan • Gluten-Free • Soy-Free
Never: Artificial colors, flavors, sweeteners, or preservatives
Thoughtful details: Individually wrapped for on-the-go moments • Made in the USA
We extract directly from plants and work with trusted USDA Organic Certified suppliers to keep ingredients as true to its source.
How We Make It
Quality is non-negotiable.
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FDA-registered facility
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GMP certified for good manufacturing practices
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Inspected by the South Carolina Department of Agriculture
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Small-batch production with meticulous QA
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In-house use of plant botanicals and careful sourcing
(We’re also pursuing additional certifications as we grow.)
Meet Tracy, Founder & Maker In-Chief
Tracy started Essential Candy® in 2018 with a simple act of care: make small-batch sweets infused with real plant botanicals to comfort a friend during a hard season. That moment became our North Star.
Today, as the creative force behind the brand, Tracy:
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Leads product R&D for our botanical lozenges and supportive hard candies, balancing flavor with clean, organic ingredients.
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Extracts directly from plants and oversees sourcing, keeping formulas close to nature.
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Runs production and quality on the GMP floor, training the team and safeguarding consistency, batch after batch.
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Stewards our give-back mission, from donation allocations to personally handing a bag to someone who needs support at community events.
Tracy’s path blends craft and care. She’s a culinary-school graduate, a certified yoga instructor with 20+ years of practice, and a lifelong vegetarian—a combination that shapes how she thinks about comfort, simplicity, and everyday support. She brings that same steady determination to life outside the kitchen (she completed a Half Ironman in 2024), and to our mission to show up with kindness, one bag at a time.
As a Certified Women-Owned business, Tracy champions transparency, clean labels, and products you can feel good about sharing.
Meet Dean Ernst — Co-Owner, Growth & Customer Experience
Dean is a serial entrepreneur who turns purpose into momentum. He leads growth, partnerships, and customer experience at Essential Candy®, building the systems and relationships that move the brand forward.
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Sales & Partnerships: Guides retail and wholesale strategy, buyer outreach, and trade show plans; nurtures long-term relationships with retailers, distributors, and co-manufacturing partners.
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Marketing & Brand: Oversees brand storytelling, content, email/SMS, and performance marketing—pairing clean design with data-driven decisions to scale what works.
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Customer Experience: Sets a high bar for service across DTC, marketplace, and wholesale channels—closing the loop between customer feedback, product improvements, and repeat purchases.
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Operational Readiness: Aligns inventory, forecasting, and fulfillment so launches land on time and every order reflects the quality of the brand. Donation logistics are part of this cadence, ensuring boxes are shipped as needs arise to partners and “adopted” recipients.
Dean keeps the team focused on what matters most: a consistent, trusted experience for customers and partners—and a mission that reaches more people, one thoughtful shipment at a time.
What We Stand For
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Clean labels, real ingredients
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Consistent quality you can trust
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Compassion in action through donations and “adopted” recipients
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Transparency in how we make, label, and share our products
A Note on Responsible Communication
Our products are foods and dietary supplements meant for enjoyment and everyday support. They are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Everyone’s experience is unique; please consult a healthcare professional with specific questions.
Quick Facts
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Founded: 2018
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HQ & Facility: Greenville, South Carolina
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Ownership: Certified Women-Owned (Supplier Gateway); pursuing additional certifications
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Facility: FDA-registered, GMP certified, SC Dept. of Agriculture–inspected
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Mission: Candy With A Purpose—donations to patients, caregivers, and support groups