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Unlimited PTO is a common corporate perk. But what about unlimited … chocolate?
Candy company Unreal Snacks let’s its staff expense as much chocolate as they like, from any brand they choose. As of August 1, the company says employees have ordered 1,300 pounds of the sweet treat. It anticipates the 70-person team will order close to 3,000 pounds by years’ end.
“It’s really meant to keep us really close to the products, for our product, but also other brands on shelves,” McCarthy told Business Insider. “And really know how we’re tasting in the market; how other products are tasting in the market; what other brands are doing.”
The mostly-remote company is based in Boston and makes snacks like chocolate-covered pretzels and peanut butter cups with up to 51% less sugar than conventional brands. Its products are currently available at 35,000 retail locations, including Whole Foods Market and Target.
Achieving a similar taste to mainstream candy requires understanding what competitors are selling, McCarthy said.
“That product experience, that bite, is really where we capture our consumers. Because again, we’re an indulgent product. We’re a chocolate product,” McCarthy said, adding that it’s “really important” for the brand to be close to that.
McCarthy said the company is focused on health and wellness, and it offers a range of other perks including a wellness stipend that can be used for a wide range of services or products that support physical, mental, or emotional health.
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The company also offers professional-development stipends, tuition reimbursement, donation-matching programs, co-working stipends, and up to 18 weeks of paid parental leave with a one-month phase back to work period at 60% hours.
McCarthy said that the unlimited chocolate benefit existed informally for years before becoming an official perk in 2023.
“Understanding what other brands are on shelves isn’t just any one person’s job. It’s our whole team’s job,” McCarthy said.
The CEO said in addition to helping the team get market insight, it’s also just a “really fun thing.”
McCarthy said that allowing employees to share the product with others is a way to “create more super fans.” He said the network effect takes over with team members sharing Unreal products with family and friends.
“We’re a chocolate company. One of our core values is to radiate good vibes,” McCarthy said.
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