Unusual Job Perk: The Ability to Expense Unlimited Chocolate

Unreal Snacks, a Boston-based candymaker, is taking employee perks in a distinctly sweet direction: It lets its staff expense as much chocolate as they'd like. They certainly take their employer up on the offer, with Business Insider reporting that the 70-strong team expensed more than 1,300 pounds of chocolate in the first seven months of the year and are expected to hit nearly 3,000 pounds by year's end. The twist? Employees aren't limited to Unreal's own products—they're encouraged to sample chocolate from any brand.

CEO Kevin McCarthy says the aim isn't just about satisfying cravings. "It's really meant to keep us really close to the products, for our product, but also other brands," he tells Business Insider. The company specializes in chocolate that's made from whole ingredients, with less sugar and no artificial additives, per Food Dive, and McCarthy says it's important for his crew to understand the "mainstream" flavors they're trying to replicate in a healthier way. "Understanding what other brands are on shelves isn't just any one person's job. It's our whole team's job."

It's not the only company to offer atypical perks. As one example, USA Today flags BambooHR's $2,000 annual travel stipend, which each employee gets to help facilitate flights, hotels, and other expenses tied to the vacations they take.