Rocky Mountain Chocolate facts for kids
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| Public | |
| Traded as | NASDAQ: RMCF Russell Microcap Index component |
| Industry | Chocolate and other confectionery |
| Founded | 1981 |
| Headquarters | Durango, Colorado, United States |
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Number of locations
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323 (2022) |
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Key people
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Rocky Mountain Chocolate is a company that makes and sells delicious chocolates and other sweet treats. It's a big company with stores in the United States, Panama, and the Philippines. The company started in a town called Durango, Colorado.
Rocky Mountain Chocolate makes its candies in a large building that is about 53,000 square feet. This is where they create around 300 different kinds of chocolates and sweets. These include many types of clusters, caramels, creamy fillings, truffles, and shaped chocolates.
Since 1985, the company's shares have been traded on the NASDAQ stock exchange. This means that people can buy and sell parts of the company, like owning a tiny piece of it.
How Rocky Mountain Chocolate Started
The company was started by Frank Crail with his friends Jim Hilton and Mark Lipinski. They opened their very first store on May 23, 1981. It was located on Main Avenue in Durango's historic area, right next to the famous Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad.
In 1982, Jim Hilton and Mark Lipinski decided to leave the business. They sold their shares to Frank Crail. That same year, the company built a new production building in Durango. They also opened their first two franchise stores. One was in Colorado Springs, Colorado, and the other was in Park City, Utah. A franchise is a store that uses the company's name and sells its products, but it's owned by a different person or group.
Exciting Partnerships and Awards
In 2013, a big food company called Kellogg's worked with Rocky Mountain Chocolate. They created a special, limited-edition cereal together. This cereal had sweet corn flakes, almond slices, and chocolate pieces, all inspired by Rocky Mountain Chocolate.
In 2022, Rocky Mountain Chocolate received a special award. The magazine Newsweek named it "America's Best Chocolate and Candy Store." This was a great honor for the company.
Changes and New Names
In 2023, Rocky Mountain Chocolate made a big change. They sold off their frozen yogurt brands, which were part of their U-Swirl, Inc. company. This meant they would focus even more on their main chocolate business.
Later in September 2023, the company announced another change. They decided to remove the word "factory" from their name. Now, they are simply known as Rocky Mountain Chocolate.
