Evva Hanes, a North Carolina farm woman, transformed a centuries-old Moravian cookie tradition into a thriving family business. She learned this tradition from her mother, who would bake the cookies on a wood-fired stove. Sadly, Evva Hanes passed away on June 22 at the age of 90 from complications of brain cancer.
The Moravians, a pre-Reformation Eastern European Protestant group, sought refuge in Germany before migrating to Pennsylvania with a recipe for a ginger cookie called Lebkuchen. Eventually, they settled in North Carolina and established a religious community that would later become Winston-Salem. The North Carolina Moravians, similar to the Pennsylvania Dutch, have maintained a strong baking tradition that spans centuries.
Initially, Moravian cookies were only found in the Winston-Salem area, with limited distribution elsewhere in the state. Evva Hanes grew up watching her mother, Bertha Foltz, bake and sell hundreds of these thin cookies to supplement their income from a small dairy farm. To stand out and extend the selling season, Mrs. Hanes started baking a crispy vanilla-scented version of the cookies. By the age of 20, she had taken over her mother’s business and gradually expanded it to include different flavors like lemon and black walnut.
In recognition of their popularity, Oprah Winfrey included Mrs. Hanes’ Moravian cookies on her favorite things list in 2010. The success of the cookies can be attributed to their meticulous handmade production process, with about 10 million cookies being rolled, cut, and packed by hand each year. The company’s small factory, located next to the family’s home, attracts both local customers and a wide range of national and international buyers.
Evva Hanes’ dedication to her business was evident in her efficiency and commitment to producing high-quality cookies. She once mentioned in an interview that she could make 100 pounds of cookies in just eight hours. Despite her success, she maintained a humble work ethic and a love for basketball, which she played during her high school years. Her annual holiday letters to customers demonstrated her passion and commitment to her craft.
In addition to her achievements in the cookie business, Evva Hanes published a cookbook called “Supper’s at Six and We’re Not Waiting” in 1998. She and her husband, Travis Hanes, who worked as a salesman, built the family business together. Over the years, they expanded their enterprise by attending trade shows and attracting customers from various avenues. To accommodate their growing business, they built a bakery next to their home, where a dedicated team of mostly women continue to carry on the tradition today.
Evva Hanes is survived by her husband, four children, six grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren. She was an active member of the Friedberg Moravian Church, which is conveniently located on the same road where her great-grandfather built their family home in 1842. Her philosophy of continuously striving to make and sell more cookies each year lives on through her children and grandchildren, who remain involved in the family business.
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