Alfonso Porras: Hitting the sweet spot.

• Author: Haraldsen, Tom
• Position: Around Utah Spotlight

Alfonso Porras didn't know that when his sister went to live with Walter Zittle and his family in New Jersey nearly 30 years ago, it would pave the way to his professional future. From such kindness of one family came the dream for another.

Zittle and his wife became friends of Alfonso and his wife, Alejandra, visiting them in Mexico City and sharing a book Zittle had on the art of candy making.

"I found it fascinating," Porras says. "It gave us an idea of how to make candy from home." And it inspired the Porrases to master the skill. Armed with the knowledge they'd gained from Zittle, and their desire to share their candy recipes with others, the Porrases ventured into their own business, naming their company in honor of their friend.

That led to the creation, in 1997, of Sir Walter Candy Company, based originally in Monrovia, California. The couple began developing products and corporate gifts that were both unique and delicious. Ten years ago, they moved to a larger facility in Utah, where they operate today from a location that includes a retail store in South Salt Lake.

"When we started in California, we built a little trailer and ran our business at night when I came home from my day job," Porras says. "The first products we made were kettle corn, which I loved as a kid, and an original cornflake/chocolate candy. It was the first of many original items we've created over the years. We started selling at local farmers' markets. As customers tasted our candies and saw how original and different they were, the business grew from there."

They also made truffles and candies with sweet toasted pecans and almonds. Their products were very different from anything else competitors were manufacturing. As more and more customers discovered Sir Walter Candy, they began making requests for other things. They opened their...