SCOTT SEMEL, founder, barkTHINS: Our growth has just been meteoric
barkTHINS - dark chocolate ‘bark’ covered in nuts, seeds, dried fruit and grains in re-sealable packs – first hit shelves in August 2013, were an immediate hit, and are now available nationwide in chains from Whole Foods to Kroger, says founder Scott Semel.
“Our growth has just been meteoric. I’ve been working in this industry for a long time, and to go from start-up to scale in the timeframe that we have with barkTHINS, I think only a handful of other brands have done it. It just took off like a rocket ship.”
While you could argue that all chocolate is ‘snacking’ chocolate, that’s not how consumers or retailers necessarily see it or merchandise it, says Semel, who says simply adding on-trend ingredients (almonds, quinoa), presenting the chocolate in individual pieces, and putting it into re-sealable bags (4.7oz packs and 2oz single-serve packs) has effectively created a new category.
“I think what makes it work is that it is unique, yet familiar. People love the taste, the authenticity and the fact it consistently delivers from a value standpoint the 4.7oz bags typically retail at $4.49-$4.99].
“It has been amazing how fast everything has happened. We’ve gone from being a start-up to employing close to 40 people in 25 months.”
Click HERE to read more about barkTHINS.