credit Phil Mansfield

...blog

OCHO Candy Rolls Out PB&J Bars to Local Safeway Stores

For Immediate Release

OCHO CANDY™ ROLLS OUT PB&J BARS TO LOCAL SAFEWAY STORES 
Oakland-based OCHO Candy introduces its eighth flavor, PB&J, as an exclusive to most Albertsons / Safeway banners nationally

OAKLAND, Calif. – February 12, 2018 – Founded in 2010, OCHO Candy™, a fun, organic alternative to traditional chocolate bars, has introduced its newest creation: The OCHO PB&J Bar (SRP $1.99/bar). The classic flavor combination of peanut butter and raspberry jam, enveloped by milk chocolate, is now available at checkout in nearly 200 select OCHO Candy PB&J BarSafeway stores throughout the Bay Area and more than 1,500 Albertson’s and Safeway stores nationally, as well as online at www.ochocandy.com.

“While OCHO is already available in more than 10,000 storefronts across the country, this exclusive deal with Albertsons (Safeway, Vons and other banners) is a significant step forward for our brand awareness and our efforts to turn a homegrown Oakland-based business into a national player in the organic market,” said CEO Scott Kucirek.

“Albertsons is pleased to be the very first retailer to rollout OCHO’s new PB&J bar,” said Terry Fowler, National Confections Buyer at Albertsons, which includes Safeway, Vons and other banners. “We’re proud to be a leader in introducing innovative products and is excited to present this original, high-quality organic candy bar to our product mix.”

To achieve the classic flavor and texture of a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, OCHO fills custom designed organic milk chocolate molds with smooth, organic peanut butter and a fruity layer of organic raspberry jam. The new bar packs the goodness of this nostalgic flavor combination into a neat, portable, chocolate-wrapped treat. All OCHO products are made onsite at the company’s state-of-the-art West Oakland candy factory.

The high-quality organic chocolate that OCHO uses is tempered at the factory, which gives every bar a beautiful sheen and a distinctive snap that is noticeably different from supermarket candy bars. OCHO Coconut MiniFillings are made with simple, expertly sourced ingredients that are chosen for their quality and unique flavor profiles. Wrapped in bright, colorful packaging, OCHO Candy bars and minis are as distinctive on the outside as they are on the inside.

With the introduction of PB&J, OCHO Candy now manufactures eight candy bar flavors in two formats, single-serve bars (1.5 oz.) and minis (.35 oz.), in addition to limited-batch seasonal flavors and shapes. The other flavors in the OCHO Candy product line are:

  • OCHO Coconut Bar, OCHO Coconut Mini – a select cut of organic coconut covered in smooth dark chocolate (SRP $1.99/bar, SRP $4.99/3.5 oz. pouch, SRP $8.99/8 oz. pouch)
  • OCHO Peanut Butter Bar, OCHO Peanut Butter Mini – peanut butter filling with a pleasing mixture of salt and sugar covered in milk chocolate (SRP $1.99/bar, SRP $4.99/3.5 oz. pouch, SRP $8.99/8 oz. pouch)
  • OCHO Caramel & Peanut Bar – creamy caramel filled with peanuts layered over nougat and covered in milk chocolate (SRP $1.99/bar)
  • OCHO Dark Chocolate PB Bar – peanut butter filling with crunchy peanut pieces covered in dark chocolate (SRP $1.99/bar)
  • OCHO Caramel Mini – a classic combination of creamy caramel with milk chocolate (SRP $4.99/3.5 oz. pouch, SRP $8.99/8 oz. pouch)
  • OCHO Dark Caramel Mini – creamy caramel with dark chocolate (SRP $4.99/3.5 oz. pouch, SRP $8.99/8 oz. pouch)
  • OCHO Peppermint Mini – a cool and refreshing peppermint cream center covered in dark chocolate (SRP $4.99/3.5 oz. pouch, SRP $8.99/8 oz. pouch)

Every OCHO Candy bar and mini is manufactured at the company’s 25,000-square-foot West Oakland factory, which is home to a unique combination of equipment that does everything from melting and tempering the chocolate, to filling and packaging the bars. All products are certified organic, non-GMO and gluten-free. The OCHO Dark Chocolate PB Bar and OCHO Coconut Bar are vegan.

OCHO Candy was founded by natural food expert Denis Ring, the mastermind behind Whole Foods’ 365 Everyday and Safeway’s O Organics. He saw a missed opportunity to create a fun organic chocolate, so he started to experiment with his own chocolate bar creations (with some help from his two children). Ring wanted honest feedback, so he brought his early samples to friends, fellow dad, and entrepreneur Scott Kucirek, the co-founder of zipRealty, Inc. Kucirek became a believer after just one bite. Ring invited Kucirek to join him in building a truly innovative organic candy company: OCHO Candy. In late 2011, after a few months of tweaking, OCHO bars had a winning recipe.

The bars sold fast and the company grew so quickly that Ring and Kucirek couldn’t keep pace with demand. They decided to build a bona fide candy factory in West Oakland, which, like OCHO, was up-and-coming and ready to shine. The company takes great pride in hiring and nurturing a diverse workforce, as well as creating a work environment that is as fun and positive as its products.

Other OCHO candy products are available at Target, Whole Foods, Kroger, Albertsons/Safeway, Lucky, ShopRite, and other supermarkets nationally, as well as online at www.ochocandy.com.

For more information, visit www.ochocandy.com or join the OCHO Candy community on Instagram at ochocandy, Facebook at @OCHOCandy and Twitter at @OchoCandy.