Tastely Box is hiring a 'Chief Candy Officer'

Tastely Box
Tastely Box

Move aside, Willy Wonka: A Canadian candy company called Tastely Box is hiring a professional taste tester, with a salary of up to $100,000 per year.

The eye-catching role has attracted widespread attention — a moment for whimsy in the stressful yet humdrum realm of job listings.

In this role, the main objective would be approving candy for sale and making decisions about whether to award a "CCO Stamp of Approval." This all happens in the company's "Candy Intelligence Agency."

Last week, the Peterborough, Ontario-based company posted a job listing for what it describes as the world's first chief candy officer. The chosen applicant will be responsible for taste-testing roughly 3,500 products each month, running company board meetings and approving new candy inventory with their "CCO stamp of approval," according to the LinkedIn post.

That's a lot of candy: about 113 pieces per day, nearly five times more than the recommended amount of daily sugar, according to dietary guidelines released by the U.S. Departments of Agriculture and Health and Human Services.

Thankfully, the listing says the chosen applicant will have "extensive dental coverage."

The job requirements are minimal: applicants must be at least 5 years old, reside in North America and have an "obvious" love for sugar. The listing says parents can apply for their children, and that the CCO will undergo extensive palate training to certify their "golden taste buds" before they're entrusted to select Tastely Box stock.

"Like the love of candy — the position isn't bound by age," the listing says. "All that is needed is a passion for candy, pop culture, and a sweet tooth."

The CCO will be able to work from home or in person in Newark, New Jersey, or Toronto, Canada. They'll have the option of working a regular 40-hour workweek, unless they're under 18 years old, in which case the position will adapt to accommodate their schedule.

The position doesn't have an expiration date. If a 5-year-old is selected, they could potentially hold the CCO title for their entire life.

The job listing says applicants should be "natural born leaders," and have an "enthusiasm and eagerness to try confectionary products." Applicants don't necessarily need taste-testing experience to submit a resume and a cover letter, but an interest in media is a bonus.

That interest in media may have something to do with Tastely Box's TikTok presence: The company has 2 million followers on the platform, so the eventual CCO will get plenty of social media exposure. The company also appears to be currently hiring for social media personalities, paid up to $24 per hour.