RJ Naturals' Nature's Candy Bar Fuels Rapid Southern California Retail Expansion

RJ Naturals is accelerating its Southern California retail footprint as demand builds for its flagship refrigerated and frozen product, Nature's Candy Bar.

Founded by married co-founders Russell Menez and Julia Menez, the Orange County-based real-food snack brand is now carried in more than 40 locations across Southern California, including natural grocers such as Mother's Market & Kitchen, Clark's Nutrition, and Lassen's Natural Foods & Vitamins, along with independent coffee shops, wellness studios, and gyms.

The bars are currently offered in two flavors: Cinnamon Roll and Salted Matcha.

Nature's Candy Bar was first created by Julia Menez for Russell Menez during his cancer battle with stage four Hodgkin's lymphoma. After Russell Menez entered remission, the couple began sharing the bars with friends and members of their community. What started as a personal solution quickly grew into a brand built around a simple mission: to make cleaner eating more accessible to people everywhere.

In stores, shoppers often fall in love with the bar's rich, satisfying taste first, before learning about its short ingredient list and whole-food approach.

"Our goal has always been to create something real and comforting using ingredients you can trust," said co-founder Russell Menez. "Seeing customers discover our bars in stores across Southern California has been incredibly meaningful, and we're excited about the momentum we're building."

RJ Naturals differentiates itself in the category by producing bars made with grass-fed butter, organic whole-food ingredients, and no preservatives. The bars are designed to be stored refrigerated or frozen, giving retailers flexibility while preserving freshness and quality.

To support continued growth, RJ Naturals is investing in new production equipment, upgrading manufacturing capabilities, and expanding its team to meet rising demand, while maintaining its hands-on approach to quality and community engagement.

RJ Naturals is preparing for additional retail expansion in 2026.