Made in Washington: A rare glimpse inside the world's only Almond Roca factory

Описание: It looks like a river of molten toffee, it is Almond Roca being born. It comes from cookers in an upper story room where cameras aren't allowed. From there it flows through a vintage building in Tacoma that produces a countless amount of the iconic chocolate-coated, almond-dusted, gold foil-wrapped candy.

"We make 3 million pieces every single day in the one and only factory that makes Roca in the world here in Washington state,” said Kathi Rennaker, marketing director for Brown & Haley.

This building has been churning out the sweet stuff ever since Harry Brown and J.C. Haley bought it in 1918 to house their growing candy business.

"This thing that they built together, it's pretty amazing. And it's still sitting right here, you know," said Rennaker from inside the same office the company's founders once worked in.

Brown & Haley's Almond Roca is sold in more than 65 countries, thanks to its location in Tacoma. This place is one of the keys to more than a century of success. The factory close to Fort Lewis and the Port of Tacoma meant this candy’s trademark pink tins traveled to the Pacific Front during World War II.

“Because our candy was able to travel in airtight tins, we had a contract with the US Government for our candy to be used by our soldiers overseas,” Rennaker said. The candy wasn't just a sweet treat for GI's — it could occasionally serve as trading currency.

Today, Almond Roca is worldwide — but they make another candy here that's only available in the Northwest. The Mountain Bar has been around since 1923, and it is the number one selling item on the Brown & Haley website because it's only sold in stores in the Northwest. Mount Rainier's on the wrapper — and your favorite flavor may be a tell for which side of 'The Mountain' you live on. Rennaker explained the peanut butter Mountain Bar is the number one seller everywhere, except Eastern Washington, where the best seller is the cherry Mountain Bar.

Right next door to the factory is more history. The factory store with the giant tin of Roca spinning atop it was part of the 1962 World’s Fair. Elvis was actually in this building, there’s a plaque on the wall that attests to it. After the fair the building was trucked to Tacoma, the giant pink tin was added, and now it's a place to get a sweet deal on candy that isn't quite perfect.

Brown & Haley recently updated some production machinery but that Almond Roca recipe is the same one from a century ago. The folks behind this ‘Made in Washington’ candy know it's their job to keep it tasting just like it always has and to keep it coming.

Rennaker summed up how everyone who makes Almond Roca feels about this nearly 100-year-old confection.

“We get the honor of making Almond Roca still, and the public really owns the brand. When it's lasted this long, it's one of those things where we're just kind of the caretaker for it.”

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Evening on KING 5 celebrates the Northwest. Watch it LIVE weekdays at 7:30 on KING 5 or streaming on https://www.king5.com. Find more stories like this on our website: king5.com/evening

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