Made in Kentucky: Airheads

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Between the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky airport and Turfway Horse Park is a factory that makes sweet treats for all of North America that most people don't know even know is there.

"They say I had no idea," said Mehmet Yuksek, President and CEO of the Perfetti Van Melle plant.

A place that if you can't find it, you can almost just sniff your way there.

"As soon as you get out of the car in the morning, you can smell it. Whether it's the cherry or whatever flavor we're running for the day," said Rick Speed, VP of Manufacturing at Perfetti Van Melle plant.

The Perfetti Van Melle plant makes mentos and airheads. The main production of airheads is based in the greater Cincinnati area. If you're unfamiliar with the candy, it's basically a soft taffy with a big taste.

Yuksek said, "What really makes airheads special is its flavor and its texture."

Airheads come in bar, bite, and belt form, and the factory in Erlanger has a machine for all of it.

"We've got a 5 day, 24 hour operation. On Extreme we run basically 7 days a week," said Speed.

From the mixing of sugars and sweeteners to the thinning and forming process, to the packaging. Machines churn out a total of 3,000 pounds of taffy.

"Between three and four million bars a day," said Speed.

We tried a taste right off the line. The plant ended up in Erlanger because Cincinnati is a big Midwestern hub. People in the Bluegrass just happen to be capitalizing on it. Sweet for Kentucky business and for the people across the continent eating airheads every day.

Yuksek said, "We make life sweeter."