Gilliam Candy Company


Gilliam Candy Company is an American candy manufacturer established in Paducah, Kentucky by Cleve Gilliam in 1927. They are known for making candy sticks. Gilliam also made Kentucky Blue Grass nickel candy bars in its early years. In the 1930s, the company expanded with Bacon Slice, Tummy Full, and Cello Sally lines.
In recent decades, after James Lacy purchased the company, it expanded its candy lines to include Kits, BB Bats, Slo Pokes, and Sophie Mae Candies.
The company has been producing one of its most popular products, BB bats, since the 1920s. The primary difference between Gilliam's Kit toffee and BB Bats is mainly that BB bats have a stick at the bottom, forming a type of lollipop. Most of the primary flavoring of BB Bats are artificial in nature, such its vanilla or banana flavors.