Through trial and error, CandyLabs perfects intricate designs in their tiny treats. | All photos courtesy La Confiserie CandyLabs
Large lollypops and candy cartoon characters adorn the front window. Inside, the shop displays shelves of tiny, colourful hard candy in small jars and air-sealed bags. Whimsical artwork adorns the remaining walls.
A tray of candy “sushi” shows shoppers just how imaginative Geng and He’s candy designs can be.
The idea for a handmade-candy store came when they saw one like it on their travels in Barcelona. Watching someone manipulate sugar into intricate designs, Geng was hooked.
“It was amazing,” he says. “It was the first time in my life I saw something like it, something that takes so much work to turn the white sugar that we eat every day into delicious little works of art.”
While backing from his family wasn’t immediate, Geng’s mother eventually got on board, supporting the couple financially as they embarked on their venture.
“I don’t want to do anything that’s already been done,” says Lin Geng (centre) with May He (left) and an employee.
A tray “sushi” made of candy demonstrates the imagination behind Geng and He's candy designs.