While I love indulging in a decadent bite of chocolate every now and then, my intrigue automatically skyrockets when I find curious flavor pairings. I am doubly intrigued when I find out the chocolate also uses raw honey. Cue Christy Goldsby, Founder of Honey Mama’s, the creator of delicious goodness. I caught up with Christy to find out what made these bars not only tasty but good for you as well.
“Our bars are made up of five nutrient-rich whole food ingredients and are sweetened only with raw honey, making them more of a healthy snack or treat than a typical chocolate bar,” Christy tells me. “Retailers benefit from our line for a few reasons: we are a higher ring at $5.99 a bar, and we have super strong velocities—consumers buy once and repurchase regularly. We are the only better-for-you indulgence in the refrigerated set, and our flavor and texture profiles have created a cult following, driving a strong core demographic to keep consumers coming back for more.”
Honey Mama’s bars are self-manufactured right in Portland, Oregon, producing about 10,000 bars a day. Retailers and consumers alike can look forward to the launch of a new bar: Tahini Tangerine. The company is set to drop the new flavor in May, which exudes a peanut flavor without the risk of afflicting those with allergies or sensitivities. For now, the rest of Christy’s brilliant line can be found in over 2,500 grocery stores.
“We are located in the refrigerated grab-and-go or dessert shelves of grocery stores because we use coconut oil, a healing, medium-chain fat, instead of cocoa butter,” Christy continues. “Our line of chocolates uses no emulsifiers, gluten, soy, dairy, or grain in any of our products for ease of digestion and a clean eating experience.”
The ingredients may be clean, but the chocolates sure taste decadent. Christy is a professional baker by trade but harnesses a passion for food as medicine. She launched the company in Oregon at the Portland Farmers Market in 2013 as a way to offer consumers the opportunity to celebrate taking care of their health by way of a delicious and healing treat. The line boasts an expansive flavor profile that includes Ginger Cardamom, Nibs & Coffee, Lavender Red Rose, Oregon Peppermint, Dutch, CocoNoNut, Peruvian Raw, and my personal favorite Mayan Spice.
Honey Mama’s doesn’t have any foodservice partners yet, but word has it—from Christy herself—to look forward to some potential new ones in the next year or two. A packaging redesign is also in the air along with some very exciting innovation coming in the fall.
“This is a pivotal time for refrigerated snacking, and we could not be more excited to be making the investment necessary to address the overwhelming demand we are receiving from our consumers,” concludes Christy. “We see incredible consumer demand for simple and authentic products that go beyond just swapping bad ingredients for good ones. Consumers are looking for fresh, nutritious, and high-quality products that enable them to fully enjoy eating and also feel great both physically and mentally.”
With the development and creative takes on charcuterie boards nowadays, I wouldn’t be surprised to find more indulgent chocolate flavors as pairings. Stay with us as we report more from the specialty food, deli, and dairy sector on Deli Market News.
