She scrunched up her face and began to do a little dance after shoving the smallest piece of candy in her mouth. It was no surprise that my best friend’s Northern tastebuds could not handle the tangy sourness of the candy. But to be fair, it wasn’t just any candy. It was Chamoy Picosita Belts made by Alamo Candy Co.—a San Antonio-based candy company that specializes in all things chamoy and chilito.
Alamo Candy Co. opened its doors in 1991, when Felix and Juanita Samame decided to bring their unique recipes to life. With the help of their three children, the business blossomed and has become San Antonio’s largest candy company. Their shop, located at 2738 Blanco Rd., is 3,000 square feet of sweet, sour and spicy puro San Antonio treats.
In a warehouse fashion, their heavy duty industrial shelves are stocked with their homemade specialities, Mexican and American classics and even “old fashioned” candies. For my mom, those novelty sweets were a blast from the past—she hadn’t seen many of them since her childhood days, such as Dulce de Camote.
Their own signature products are well known for combining sweet, sour and spicy by putting Mexican-infused twists on everyday candy such as their Cherry Bombs. A cherry sour coated in handcrafted chili powder, the bite-sized chewy treats have a layer of spiciness, followed by a sugary aftertaste.
My personal favorite from Alamo Candy Co. are their Chamoy Picosita Belts. The candy is a concoction of sour belts, chili powder and chamoy. Unlike the Cherry Bombs, the Chamoy Picositas Belts do not have a sweetness to them and is way more tart than the other fan favorite. They are picosita, indeed! You can also purchase the belts without the chamoy if you’d like to avoid sticky fingers. Alamo Candy Co. also makes other specialties, including Chinese candy, beer salt and pickles.
While you’re welcome to stop by the store, the Alamo Candy Co. supplies to a variety of businesses across Central and South Texas. From your local H-E-B to the ice cream truck cruising your neighborhood, these South Texan treats are within reach.
Their dedication to innovating their chamoy and chilito craft has provided savory treats to satisfy San Antonians sweet (and spicy) tooth for the past two decades. And without a doubt, I’m sure we’ll continue to enjoy Alamo Candy Co.’s treats for more decades to come. I wonder what combination will be next? Chamoy, chili powder and Warheads?! I’m ready.
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