Brown and Haley's Almond Roca Factory - Tacoma, WA - Iconic Factories on Waymarking.com

The following information about the history of Brown & Haley and Almond Roca candy is from a section of their Website:

Harry L. Brown owned a small confectionery store and enjoyed experimenting with chocolate and sugar candies. J. C. Haley, worked for Shilling and Company, a spice company, and had a flair for sales and advertising. Together J.C. and Harry created confections known world-wide, and the enterprise we have the honor of carrying forward today.

They met in church in Tacoma, Washington in 1908, after J. C. Haley moved from West Virginia seeking his fortune. After beginning to work together in 1912, they incorporated their candy manufacturing business in 1914. By 1916, Brown & Haley was marketing a full line of candy products, including a chocolate and nut confection with a vanilla-cream center called Mt. Tacoma Bar, later known as MOUNTAIN® Bar.

In 1923, the company hit the jackpot with a crunchy, log-shaped candy piece suffused inside with butter and coated with chocolate and diced almonds. This delicious buttercrunch confection was dubbed ALMOND ROCA® by a local librarian. The same librarian also suggested the ancient Sicilian coat of arms that inspired an early Brown & Haley logo.

Word spread quickly about this foil-wrapped luxury confection. In 1927, the company decided to seal it in the now-famous pink tin, extending the product's shelf life threefold. This ability to travel, and the candy's exquisite taste, spurred worldwide sales of ALMOND ROCA® buttercrunch toffee.

ALMOND ROCA® confection traveled with U.S. troops to Europe, the Middle East and the Pacific during World War II, then to Korea and Vietnam. It continues to be a favorite of our troops around the world. Over time, overseas troops introduced it to locals in foreign markets, which fueled company exports. "The candy that travels" has been found in 63 countries including Europe, Africa, South America, Australia and Asia.

Now the line of rocas has been expanded to include peanut roca, cashew roca, and the delicious mocha roca. To try some of these variations be sure to visit the outlet candy store next door to the factory. The store is open Monday - Saturday 9:30 A.M. - 5:30 P.M.; Sunday 11:00 A.M. - 4:00 P.M. When we visited they had 16 oz. containers of an assortment of Roca seconds for 99 cents!!!

For more information about the Brown & Haley products be sure to visit their Website.

Product manufactured here: Almond Roca, a chocolate and almond covered buttercrunch confection sold around the world Address: 110 East 26th Street Tacoma, WA USA 98421 Web Page: [Web Link]

Visit Instructions:
A unique picture of the location would be appreciated. Try to include yourself or your group in the frame if you are not shy. Give your impressions of the location in your log. You can also log a visit by including a photograph of one of the products made by the factory "in situ". You'll have to look it up. Log type should be "write note" in this case. Include a comment as to where you found the product and some other details you noted. Be sure to make it clear that product was made by the factory in question. Your posted image should clearly indicate this. When you post a visit of this type, please send a note to kbarhow to indicate you have completed one of these.

Recent Visits/Logs:

Date Logged Log User Rating   05/26/2023 giacaches visited it 01/11/2017 Cool Cow Cachers visited it 08/21/2016 Karate Hiker visited it 11/08/2012 Go-pher-It visited it 11/09/2007 Hikenutty visited it

View all visits/logs