The Pacific Northwest is home to lots of great food products, some of which you may have seen elsewhere. In addition to the vibrant wine, cider, beer, and spirit makers in the region (and there are so many), we’re home base for some fun foods—Jones Soda, Brown & Haley candy, Oh Boy! O’Berto, Almond Roca, a bunch of chocolatiers, and Tim’s Cascade Chips, to name just a tiny fraction. You’ll be able to find many of these in local shops, including the Bartell Drugs store at 5th and Olive, while you’re at the convention. Here are a few of our favorites:
Chukar Cherries: Apples and berries aren’t the only things that grow well in Washington—we’re also a major grower of stone fruits, including cherries. Chukar Cherries makes a wide range of snacks made from dried fruit, chocolate, and nuts, and makes great gifts. If you’re looking for a quick pick-me-up that you can stash in your pocket for those long convention days, Chukar Cherries has got you covered. They have a stall at the Pike Place Market, just down the street from the convention center.
Brown & Haley: Founded in Tacoma in 1912, Brown & Haley make Mountain Bars, which might not be familiar to folks from outside the region, and Almond Roca, which has a wider renown. Look for Almond Roca’s signature pink tin, which was created as a way to extend the shelf life of these chocolate-coated toffee candies.
Tim’s Cascade Chips: A relative newcomer, Tim’s has only been around since 1986, but they are Washington natives taking advantage of Washington’s and Idaho’s suitability for growing potatoes. While they’re most popular here, they can be found all over the U.S. and even in parts of Asia.
Tree Top: Tree Top is the first grower-owned fruit-processing cooperative in the U.S. Tree Top’s juice, applesauce, and other fruit products are widely distributed throughout the Western United States and abroad.
Local Chocolatiers: Seattle is home to several great chocolate brands. While you’re here, check out Theo Chocolates, the first U.S.-based fair trade and organic cocoa producer. Seattle Chocolate Company produces fantastic bite-sized truffles that can be found anywhere that tourists go. Fran’s Chocolates has only been around since the 1980s but has been credited with “sparking the artisan chocolate renaissance in the United States.”