By Amy Procaccini
In what has become a beloved tradition, the San Diego Convention Center announces a sweet suite of limited-edition chocolate bars to be sold during this summer’s world-renowned Comic-Con International: San Diego (Comic-Con) event. 5,000 handcrafted bars, 1,250 of each flavor, will be sold during Comic-Con from July 20-23, 2023.
The Convention Center’s Executive Chef Sufi Karaien and Pastry Chef Kristianna Zabala teamed up to develop four new flavors that honor the fun and whimsy of the convention. The Sodexo Live! culinary team makes 100 candy bars every 90 minutes inside the onsite kitchen, hand-wrapping each one with care during the weeks leading up to the major pop culture event.
First Look at the 2023 Flavors
A s’more like never before, the Oooh Bay bar is a fresh take on the classic fireside snack. Overflowing with torched ube marshmallow and house-made ube graham, the white chocolate shell brings it all together for a chocolate bar as picturesque as the San Diego Bay.
The champion of our childhoods comes to save the day again! The Lunchbox Hero bar evokes the classic PB&J in a milk chocolate shell with peanut butter rice crisps and concord grape jelly.
Strange sightings in the fields at night can only mean one thing: the out-of-this-world flavors of the 
Crop Circle Crunch bar (pictured) brought visitors from beyond! This sweet blueberry cornbread creation features white chocolate, crispy sweet cornbread, dried blueberries, and honeycomb candy.
Flavors pop like colorful costumes in the Cosplay Crackle bar, a spectacular combination of dark chocolate, strawberry Pop Rocks, freeze-dried strawberries, and basil garnish.
“Beyond the creative combinations, the flavors reflect the diversity of our culinary team and our region, especially evident through the vibrant ube flavor of the ‘Oooh Bay’ bar,” Karaien said. “Here in our kitchen, you know it’s summer when the chocolate-making begins!”
After the chefs develop the concepts, the Convention Center’s creative team tastes the chocolate for inspiration while developing names and themes. The bars are then brought to life through design by Grayson Van Loon, Graphic Designer and video animations by Dylan James, Digital Communications Specialist.
The craft chocolates will be priced at $10 each. In 2022, the Convention Center’s food and beverage team created more than 4,000 chocolate bars over four days, selling out every day of the convention. This tasty tradition started in 2016 as an exclusive offering for event attendees.
Golden tickets will be hidden inside four of the chocolate bars. Each golden ticket can be redeemed for a $100 Starbucks gift card. Concessions available during the event include Starbucks, Auntie Anne’s Pretzels, Craft Beer-Battered So Cal Fish Tacos, Carne Asada Burritos, and additional grab-and-go options throughout the building.
With a robust program of speakers, exhibits, films, and games, Comic-Con attracts more than 135,000 attendees, creating a regional economic impact of more than $160 million and tax revenues of more than $3 million to the City of San Diego.
Amy Procaccini is Strategic Brand Communications Manager for Sodexo Live!
