Claxton Fruit Cake on quest to be named ‘Coolest Thing Made in Georgia’

By Frank Sulkowski

Click here for updates on this story

    CLAXTON, Georgia (WJCL) — A sweet Southern staple is in the running to be named the ‘Coolest Thing Made in Georgia’.

Claxton Fruit Cake has been nominated to compete in the annual contest put on by the Georgia Chamber of Commerce.

Since 1910, Claxton Bakery, Inc. has been baking, packing and shipping the iconic product. The Claxton Fruit Cake a holiday tradition for millions here in Southeast Georgia and around the world.

“We bake about 4 million pounds a year,” said Paula Parker Claxton. “We do a majority of our business around the holidays, but many of our customers enjoy our signature cakes year-round.”

Claxton Bakery was opened by Savino Tos, an Italian pastry-maker, who immigrated to the United States in the early-1900’s.

In 1945, Tos decided to retire from the bakery and devote his time to other business interests. He sold the business to Claxton local and long-time employee Albert Parker.

The Parker family has led the Claxton Fruit Cake to global success ever since.

In 1964 and 1965, Claxton Fruit Cake gained global exposure with an exhibit at the New York World’s Fair where people from all over the world sampled the delicacy. Participation in the World’s Fair earned the company many new customers and opened the door for expanded sales opportunities.

The Parker family also took advantage of other innovative ways of marketing its unique product, such as sponsoring elaborate floats in the nationally-televised Orange Bowl Jamboree Parades in Miami, Florida, and the Cherry Blossom Festival Parade in Washington, D.C..

The Coolest Thing Made in Georgia contest, presented by Synovus, is an initiative of the Georgia Chamber of Commerce to celebrate the innovation, entrepreneurship, and craftsmanship found across our state.

As Georgia’s leading business advocacy organization, the Chamber is committed to showcasing the products and people that drive our state’s economy forward.

Claxton Fruit Cake is one of 64 nominated products from Georgia currently taking part in the tournament style competition. Each round will feature head-to-head matchups between products, with the winner advancing to the next round.

The outcome of each matchup will be determined by public voting on the official Coolest Thing Made in Georgia website. Enthusiasts, customers, and supporters from across Georgia and beyond can vote for their favorite products, generating buzz and excitement for the competition. Voters can vote once per day per email address.

To vote for Claxton Fruit Cake, visit coolestthingmadeinga.com.

The product crowned as the Coolest Thing Made in Georgia will be announced at the Georgia Chamber’s Congressional Luncheon on August 20, 2025, in Columbus, Georgia.

Please note: This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.