Step aside Willy Wonka. Fayetteville candymakers find the sweet spot

Sometimes, candy is just candy.

But sometimes, it’s so much sweeter.

Kanitra Blount, 34, opened Sweet Factory in Fayetteville’s Freedom Town Center last summer. Since then, the candy store has become a hub for community events like book signings and art activities for kids — and a go-to stop for anyone in need of something sweet.

This month, Blount began partnering with other local women-owned businesses to bring a variety of homemade treats to her storefront.

Three local confectioners’ treats can now be found on Sweet Factory shelves, including items from Thee Treats, Pretty Stickie and Addictive Kravings.

Blount, a military therapist at Womack Army Medical Center and mother of two, said she sought collaboration to help give other businesses a platform as her shop grows.

"We want to make this a community, a sisterhood,” she said. “It’s not just about selling products; it's about incorporating camaraderie.”

The Atlanta native, who now lives in Spring Lake, said she expects the new program to expand in the coming months. There are already a dozen businesses on the vendor waitlist.

Here’s a look at the women behind the treats that make life in the Fayetteville area a little sweeter.

Nafisa Haneef, Pretty Stickie

Since 2019, Nafisa Haneef has sold custom cookies, gourmet caramel-dipped apples and dessert displays for parties and events from her Hope Mills home.

Haneef, 35, hails from Montgomery, Alabama. She's a mother of two and a foster parent to three teenagers, and her knack for impressive dessert displays was sparked by a passion for making foster children feel special, she said.

“When they see a cookie with their face on it, they light up,” she said.

While Haneef's cookies are on sale at Sweet Factory, she also plans to teach people how to make their own. Classes where participants can learn to make and package goodies to start their business, and date night cookie-decorating classes where wine is served are both in the works, she said.

Haneef said she’s excited to see where the partnership with Sweet Factory goes.

“This group of women and this talent has the potential to be something amazing,” she said.

Tamara Lee, Thee Treats

Tamara Lee, who is a sixth-grade social studies teacher at Lewis Chapel Middle School when she’s not filling orders for her signature chocolate-dipped strawberries, pretzels and Rice Krispies Treats, started her business, Thee Treats, last year.

Lee, 33, said she was inspired to start making her own desserts when she struggled to find an affordable option for her baby shower. Working as a teacher steered the Greensboro native toward the candy business, too.

“I don’t know a kid that does not want candy or something sweet,” she said.

The mother of two and Fayetteville State University graduate said her 13-year-old son is the “best and worst critic” of her work and isn’t afraid to be brutally honest.

Lee said she’s excited for the future of her business at Sweet Factory.

“I started out of my home, from my kitchen, doing occasions, parties and gifts,” she said. “The greatest part of my journey has been the Sweet Factory because it's more than I can do on my own.”

Food, dining and culture reporter Taylor Shook can be reached at [email protected] or on Facebook. Want weekly food news delivered to your inbox? Sign up for the Fayetteville Foodies newsletter. 

This article originally appeared on The Fayetteville Observer: Sweet Factory brings treats from Fayetteville-area businesses to shelves