Our Family Story
At Brown & Haley®, we are the proud maker of some of America’s most beloved confections.
For over 100 years, we’ve been crafting decadent treats in our Tacoma factory that have stood the test of time, with flavors to suit any taste and occasion. From classic Almond ROCA to our treasured Mountain® Bars, our products have become part of family traditions world-wide.
Not only have our popular Almond ROCA gift tins delighted the world since 1923, but it became the largest exported gift candy in the United States in the 1990's. Today, ROCA is exported to 65 countries worldwide. A new fan favorite, ROCA Bites, was introduced in the spring of 2020, and we continue to innovate new products with a focus on premium ingredients and sustainability.
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1912
Harry L. Brown (who had a love for making candy) and J. C. Haley (who had a love for business) meet at church in Tacoma, Washington in 1908 and founded their business partnership in 1912.
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1914
Harry L. Brown and J. C. (Jonathan Clifford) Haley incorporate their business partnership under the name Oriole Candy Company.
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1915
Brown and Haley® begin marketing the Mount Tacoma Bar (the name was later changed to MOUNTAIN Bar).
A favorite with the troops at nearby Camp Lewis (now named Joint Base Lewis McCord).
Read More MOUNTAIN Bar History.
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1919
Brown and Haley® purchases a shoe factory in Tacoma and converts it into their new manufacturing plant where ROCA is still produced today.
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1923
Almond ROCA is born. Brown & Haley® struck gold with the creation of this crunchy, log-shaped candy piece infused with butter and coated with chocolate and diced almonds – named Almond ROCA by a Tacoma librarian.
Read more Almond ROCA History.
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1927
Almond ROCA is placed in the now famous pink tin, extending its shelf-life, making the product export ready.
The first sale was to Canada in 1927, and then to the Philippines in 1929.
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1930 - 1950
Almond ROCA becomes known as the “Candy that Travels”. During World War II, Brown & Haley® supplies the United States soldiers with Almond ROCA, spurring its popularity overseas.
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1950 - 1960
Almond ROCA develops a broad following among adventurers and world travelers. Sir Edmund Hillary even carried Almond ROCA on an ascent of Mt. Everest. Not surprisingly, it didn’t last until summit!
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1960
Brown & Haley® exports Almond ROCA to Japan where the fine confection wrapped in gold foil becomes recognized as an exceptional treat.
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1972
Brown & Haley® continues to innovate new products, and the Peanut Butter MOUNTAIN Bar is born.
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1980 - 1985
Brown & Haley® narrows their product line and focuses on productivity, increasing production to 40,000 lbs of ROCA daily, and exports 20% of their total production.
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1988
Brown & Haley® exports Almond ROCA to China. In a culture that places an emphasis on family and gift giving, the famous pink tin filled with ROCA has phenomenal success in the Chinese market.
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1990 - 2000
Almond ROCA is sold in sixty-three countries and is ranked as the largest exported gift candy in the United States. The company produces up to 800,000 pieces of candy daily.
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2002
Mocha ROCA is introduced.
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2012
Brown & Haley® celebrates 100 years of business. The ROCA packaging and company logo are given a fresh look. Brown and Haley® produces 2.1 million pieces of ROCA daily. 40% of sales come from abroad. Dark ROCA makes it’s debut.
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2017
Brown & Haley® places 41 in the Candy Industry’s top 60 of candy manufacturers and distributors in the United States.
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2018
Brown & Haley® increases production with the installation of a new production line, increasing their production capacity to 3 million ROCA produced each day.
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2020
Brown & Haley® introduces ROCA BITES made with 100% sustainably sourced cacao.
See AlsoToffee
Almond ROCA® History
The Post War Years
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Post: World War One
J. C. Haley and Harry Brown decided that the key to success was to innovate. In 1923, the company struck gold with a crunchy, log-shaped candy piece infused with butter and coated with chocolate and diced almonds. This delicious confection was dubbed Almond ROCA by a Tacoma librarian.
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A Famous Tin is Born
The company introduced the now famous pink tin in 1927, extending the product’s shelf life three-fold. This spurred worldwide sale of Almond ROCA Buttercrunch. Word spread quickly about this foil-wrapped luxury confection, and when American troops introduced Almond ROCA overseas during World War II, the distinctive pink tin and gold foil wrapping made a lasting impression.
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Brown and Haley® 1950 - 1960
The 1950’s and 1960’s were a period of growth throughout America, and the Northwest was no exception. Brown & Haley® continued to grow, supplying a full range of confections to retailers across the country, with an emphasis on the West Coast.
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Advertising Evolved
Advertising in this period evolved from posters and placards to magazines and television. The company began to spread its marketing wings with a mix of elegant and cheeky campaigns. The most memorable slogan of all, though, dates to the early days. “Brown & Haley® makes ‘em daily (‘cept Sunday)”.
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The Modern Era
Beginning in the late 1970’s, the chocolate marketplace changed dramatically. Local retailers became regional and then national. Network television led to national television advertising and national brands. The days of a company salesman calling on every store and providing 40 different chocolate items were ending.
Once again, Brown & Haley® responded by focusing its energy on the Almond ROCA and MOUNTAIN Brands. Throughout the 1980’s investments were made to increase production capacity. At the same time, the company was gradually narrowing its product line.
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Mocha Roca® Buttercrunch
In an exclusive arrangement with Starbucks in 2002, Mocha ROCA was introduced. The company’s R & D team had experimented with different ROCA flavors, but until then, only company employees were able to enjoy these treats. This new era of flavors for the ROCA brand let customers choose how to enjoy America’s Finest Confection.
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100 Years of Brown and Haley®
In 2012, Brown & Haley’s® centennial year, marked a renaissance for the ROCA brand: all-natural ingredients, new pink packaging, a new logo and two new flavors, Dark Chocolate ROCA and Peppermint ROCA. Award-winning Dark ROCA Buttercrunch features cocoa powder and rich dark chocolate. Dark Chocolate Peppermint ROCA is a delightful blend of holiday flavors. Fans around the world have good reason to look forward to the next hundred years.
MOUNTAIN Bar History
Learn More About the MOUNTAIN Bar
MOUNTAIN BARS All Over the Map | Peanut Butter MOUNTAIN BAR Turns 45
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The Mount Tacoma Bar
In 1915, the Mount Tacoma Bar was first marketed by Brown & Haley®. The timing was fortunate. With the emergence of war in Europe, nearby Camp Lewis (now Joint Base Lewis McCord) swelled with doughboys training to fight over seas.
The soldiers had a collective sweet tooth, and Brown & Haley® happily supplied them with everything from taffy chews to the new Mount Tacoma Bar.
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Manufacturing
To make the bar, Dippers rolled a fondant vanilla center using their hands. The Dipper then immersed the fondant in a puddle of tempered chocolate mixed with freshly ground peanuts. After the bar was finished, it was deposited on a wax card and put in a blue, hand-folded box that had a picture of Mount Tacoma (now Mt. Rainier) on it.
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Changing the Name
By 1923 the name of the bar had changed to just plain “Mountain” due to the fact that sales were spreading beyond Tacoma, and the name “Mount Tacoma” conflicted with the name used in Seattle - Mount Rainier.
With a shortage of sugar during World War ll, Brown & Haley® focused on producing and manufacturing its leading brands, Almond ROCA and Mountain®.
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The Cherry Mountain® Bar
Shortly thereafter, the company renamed Cherry Bounce (one of its other candy bars) to Cherry MOUNTAIN Bar.
The Peanut Butter MOUNTAIN Bar was introduced many years later in 1972.
MOUNTAIN Bars are no longer made by hand - state of the art equipment turns out 592 per minute.
ROCA® Masters
Discover the skilled confectioners who work behind the scenes creating ROCA Buttercrunch.
Learn more
