By Joe Dutra, Special to the RGJ, February 26, 2025
Twenty-five years ago, I founded Kimmie Candy — a company focused on creating high-quality, American-made candy products that bring people joy. The idea was born by combining my family’s legacy as multigeneration farmers and my passion for confectionery. Together, these traits have made Kimmie Candy what it is today a small, family-owned, award-winning candy company that proudly operates in Reno and brings smiles to every kid who walks through our door.
As a manufacturer operating in the Silver State, one of my proudest achievements is our ability to put “Made in America” tags on all our products. While you may not even think of what that means before you rip the tags off to enjoy your treats, they’re a symbol of the continued fire that has fueled the manufacturing industry in the U.S. for decades despite the rise in global competitors like China. Perhaps more importantly, it’s a recognition that the products were made by Americans — ensuring we keep critical job opportunities on our shores.
While manufacturing has always been the backbone of our state and national economies, today, America’s producers are being required to adapt to new and transformative technologies. The rise of artificial intelligence is playing an increasingly pivotal role in manufacturing across the country. However, our ability to implement these technologies and compete will be heavily influenced by the decisions our state lawmakers make this session. Suppose they follow the lead of states like Colorado and press forward with sweeping regulations. In that case, they are likely to hamstring manufacturers like me from accessing the technology needed to compete in the age of AI.
Nevada’s manufacturers cannot afford to be left behind. To remain competitive in this evolving landscape, manufacturers like me are already turning to these emerging technologies to enhance efficiency, improve product quality and streamline operations. Meanwhile, given the severe labor shortages the industry is facing, the need for automation is self-evident. However, AI is doing more than just filling in labor gaps — it is improving products through data-driven quality control and giving small business owners a powerful new assistant to help with everything from product ideation to worker safety planning.
For us at Kimmie Candy, AI is becoming more important to our success. Thanks to generative AI, we have a new hand in supporting marketing and administrative work that would otherwise consume hours — allowing us more time and resources to think through the next best treat. Even in that process, the capabilities of AI to explore new marketplace trends, consumer demands, and more have emboldened us to create new candies uniquely tailored to shifting consumer choices.
If we are to revitalize American manufacturing in Nevada and beyond, one of our top priorities must be preserving technological innovation. Overstepping state-by-state regulations will force American businesses to compete both domestically and globally with one hand tied behind their backs.
As a producer, I look forward to continuing to integrate AI into my operations to grow strategically, reinvest in our community, and provide new job opportunities for Nevadans. I hope Nevada’s lawmakers are on the same page.
Joe Dutra is the founder of the Kimmie Candy Company in Reno.