COLUMBUS, Ohio — Love has no price tag, but the National Retail Federation projects we will spend a record-setting $27.5 billion on our valentines this year, even as inflation continues to impact many of our budgets in a big way.

What You Need To Know

  • National Retail Federation projects Americans will spend a record-setting $27.5 billion this Valentine's Day, even amid inflation

  • Of those who say they plan to give gifts for the holiday, the majority plan to purchase candy, according to the National Retail Federation

  • Anthony-Thomas Candy Co. is a family-owned business based in Columbus that sells chocolate-covered strawberries for Valentine's Day with a record number of orders this year

That is making bite-sized tokens of affection a top choice for gift-givers, and one family-owned candy business in Columbus understands the way to someone’s heart is through their stomach.

For more than 70 years, Anthony-Thomas Candy Company has helped Ohioans celebrate special occasions, and on Valentine’s Day their chocolate-covered strawberries are the big item. They plan to make more than 70,000 of them for this year’s holiday.

“When I was a kid my role was enjoying the strawberries,” said Nick Trifelos.

As the company’s national sales and marketing manager, he now wants others to enjoy the sweet treats. He jumped in to help the team prepare berries for their chocolate coating Thursday.

“Being able to cut the stem off makes it so you can eat the whole piece all together,” he said while chopping off the leaves from a fresh berry.

He is the fifth generation working in the family-owned business and said this year they had more advance orders for the seasonal treats than ever before.

“All hands on deck to help us, both shifts,” he said. “Almost everyone will be helping make these strawberries.”

Including his mom, Candi, who said she never gets sick of the sweet stuff.

“Kind of like your cup of coffee in the morning, I really don’t,” she said.

She hand-dipped the bottoms of berries in their special blend of chocolate before placing them on the conveyor belt to be coated by a curtain of melted chocolate.

It’s a process she said started about 25 years ago.

“Through efficiencies we’ve been able to keep our costs down and try to keep our prices reasonable,” she said.

The chocolate-covered strawberries are only sold for Valentine’s Day and Mother’s Day and made fresh on the days they’re sold.

Down the line in packaging, Joe Zanetos helped wrap the product they started making at the request of customers and never expected would be such a hit.

“It’s much bigger than we thought it would be,” he said.

And so is the price of chocolate. He said it went up more than 250% in the last year and a half.

“We’ve never seen anything like this before,” he said.

And Zanetos has seen a lot in his more than 50 years at the business. He worked his way up to become the president of the company, continuing a legacy started by his dad and grandfather.

“They would be shocked, I think, if they saw how it looks today compared to when they were here,” he said. “Had a lot of growth in the last 10, 15 years. It’s much bigger probably than they ever thought it would be.”

Helping other families show their love without sacrificing his family’s name.

“It’s still a good price compared with other things,” he said. “You know, if you’re trying to buy jewelry, or even flowers or anything else, chocolate’s still a bargain.”

Something customers are counting on.

“We don’t cut corners as far as quality is concerned,” he said. “If we have to raise our price to raise our price, we won’t make a cheaper product.”