Our Family
Four Generations Strong
Welcome to the Joyva family! For those who have known us their whole lives, we couldn’t be happier to see you; for those new to us, we’re delighted that you’re here. We are Richard, Sandy and Ben – third and fourth-generation owners of Joyva. For over 115 years, the care and pride our founders have lived by is the driving force behind our beloved products. From deliciously nutritious tahini to our artisanal halvah to our classic Marshmallow Twists and Jell Rings – we’re here every day in the heart of Brooklyn working hard to keep our traditions alive, to bring you some Joyva joy and to help create new and lasting memories. Our cherished family recipes were passed down to us, and it's our honor and pleasure to bring them to you. We hope you enjoy eating our products as much as we love making them.
We can't thank you enough for your support. Feel free to reach out anytime; we would absolutely love to hear from you!
From our Family to Yours,
1906
1906
Nathan Radutzky moved from Obuchuv, a small town outside the city of Kyiv in Ukraine, to New York at the age of 21 with a dream and a recipe for Halvah. After arriving at Ellis Island, he lived in the tenements on the Lower East Side of New York, where he would meet his wife, Ray.
1907
1907
Nathan establishes a small retail and wholesale store on Orchard Street, from which he would sell his Halvah off of a pushcart to both other vendors and the public
1908
1908
Nathan and Ray move to Penn St. in Brooklyn, New York, not far from where Independent Halvah and Candies, Inc. would be formed at a larger location at 90 Meserole St.
1909–1922
1909–1922
Nathan and Ray get married in Manhattan and have their first three children – sons Alex, Harry and Max – over the next three years, followed 10 years later by the birth of their fourth son, Milton, in 1922.
1931
1931
Construction on the factory at 53 Varick Ave. in Bushwick Brooklyn, where Joyva still operates today, is completed.
1931–1950
1931–1950
Brothers Alex, Harry, Max and Milton join their dad and begin working at the new Joyva factory.
1951
1951
Independent Halvah and Candies, Inc. introduces the Joyva brand, so named after the birth of Harry’s daughter, Roslyn Joy – using the combination of Joy from her name and the “-va” from Halvah.
1954
1954
Joyva purchases advertising space in Times Square, putting up their first billboard – a depiction of the Joyva Sultan alongside a 6oz tin of marble almond halvah.
1961
1961
Sesame Crunch is launched
1962
1962
Jell Rings and Marshmallow Twists are launched, soon to become staples on the Passover tables of families all across the United States.
1964
1964
Joyva begins selling Tahini, the crushed sesame seeds used in Halvah, as a viable retail item that would become widely available on store shelves across the country.
1980
1980
Brooklyn’s Brookdale Hospital, founded in part by Nathan Radutzky as the Beth-El Hospital, honors the four brothers for their philanthropic contributions to the construction of the Radutzky Emergency Care Pavilion.
1988
1988
Richard and Sandy join the four brothers.
1993
1993
The four Radutzky brothers are inducted into the National Candy Hall of Fame.
2008
2008
Marshmallow Joys, 3-pack Jell Rings and individually wrapped Jell Rings are released in stores, making the classic treats more snackable on the go.
2015
2015
Milton Radutzky, the last of Nathan’s four children, passes away at 93 – he was still coming to work every day. Richard and Sandy officially take control of the family business.
2019
2019
Ben Radutzky, a 4th generation Radutzky, joins Richard and Sandy.
2020
2020
Joyva brings on Farrah Bezner, CPG marketing veteran formerly at Kraft and Mondelez Intl., as CMO; the first non-family member to join the executive team.
2023
2023
The new Joyva is launched, honoring the integrity and traditions of the past while bringing the beloved brand into the future.
Our Values
