Hotel Chocolat is a UK chocolate company known for its upmarket retail outlets. The pandemic forced the company to review its strategy, and it made a successful pivot to selling online. The company already had plans to expand into the US and Japan before COVID struck, but the move, which focused on being online, looked […]
WHAT PROSPECTS FOR HOTEL CHOCOLAT BUSINESS AFTER JAPAN JV LOAN WRITE-OFF? Read More »
Scharffen Berger is an established US chocolate maker with a focus on sustainability, and in particular, it seems their approach to sustainable farming. The company has gone through a rebranding exercise to focus on this aspect of its business, which underlines the value of sustainability as a competitive edge. As the company explains on their
SCHARFFEN BERGE CHOCOLATE MAKER UNWRAPS NEW BRANDING TO FOCUS ON ‘FARM TO BAR’ Read More »
Sometimes an afternoon walk through London can lead to an entirely new direction in life and, sometimes, business. An instant affinity was born between Albert Chau of U.K.-based Fifth Dimension Chocolates (5D) and Chau-Jean Lin, founder of Marulin teas in London and a teacher at the U.K. Tea Academy, which has turned into one of
TEA & CHOCOLATE PAIRING DONE RIGHT Read More »
The fourth Cacao & Chocolate Summit was held virtually in May 2022. Participants had the opportunity to connect and hear from experts in the chocolate industry, producers, chocolate makers, pastry chefs, NGOs, and representatives of the government. The event was founded by Conexión Chocolate in 2019 and organized in partnership with the Fine Chocolate Industry
These days in the world of fine chocolate, even Instagram hashtags can lead to sometimes heated debates of chocolate definitions, terms like “bean to bar,” “single origin,” and “chocolate maker.” While the average consumer of chocolate may just want to eat and enjoy, those in the industry and aficionados are determined to speak with specificity
CHOCOLATE DEFINITIONS POINT OF NEW FCIA CHOCOLATE GLOSSARY Read More »
Part three …… To Mondelēz/Olam I am not writing this article to virtue signal. I may have done precisely if not more of what Mondelēz/Olam is doing. As a for-profit organisation with shareholders to please, with your staff demanding salary increments and the rise in risk posed by health-conscious eating to your business model and
MONDELĒZ AND OLAM OUTSMARTING FARMERS. CONCLUDING THOUGHTS Read More »
Events do not just happen, they are created with a lot of work and stress. The organisers’ Jack Steijn and Philippe Kauffman, supported by a magical team including Caroline Lubbers, and Vera Geling and Cristina Castellanos Stephens from Into Choco, put it all together in record time. This year, for the first time, Chocoa was
CHOCOA 2022. WRAPPING UP THE INDUSTRY’S FAVOURITE SHOW Read More »
West African Cocoa farmers face ongoing struggles with poverty, some living below the international poverty line of $1.90 per day, despite producing approximately 70% of the global Cocoa output. A premium chocolate maker in Côte d’ivoire, Axel Emmanuel Gbaou, seeks to improve conditions for farmers by increasing their value offering, enabling them to earn more
FARMERS’ WIVES DRIVE IVORIAN CHOCOLATIER’S ‘COCOA REVOLUTION’ Read More »
GUAN Chong Bhd (GCB) saw its net profit rise 57.2% to RM53.3m ($12.14m) in Q1 2022, from RM33.9m ($7.72m) in the previous corresponding quarter. However, this gain should be weighed against the 30.5% drop in net profit for YE 2021. The company had shown a strong financial performance until last year, with profitability gains every
MALAYSIA COCOA GRINDER GCB Q1 2022 PROFIT GROWTH Read More »
With 9 kg of chocolate consumed per capita every year, Switzerland is the wonderland of sweet taste buds. The country is renowned worldwide for producing the finest chocolate a palate can desire. But before discovering the best Swiss chocolate you can buy, it’s important to answer a question: why did Switzerland even become famous for
WHAT SWISS CHOCOLATE BRANDS ARE WORTH BUYING? Read More »
Luxurious ingredients, delicious fillings, refined textures and the guarantee that you are buying the best in the world. This is what comes to mind when we think of Belgian chocolate. What is Belgian chocolate? It might surprise you that Belgian chocolate doesn’t actually have specific quality requirements or manufacturing protocols that define it. Some food
13 BEST BELGIAN CHOCOLATE BRANDS THAT WILL SURPRISE YOU Read More »
Barry Callebaut, one of the global leaders in chocolate and cocoa production, has announced plans to expand its presence in North America with the unveiling of a new factory in Ontario, Canada. The project marks the largest ever capital investment by the Barry Callebaut Group in the Region – projected to cost USD $104 million
BARRY CALLEBAUT BIGGEST INVESTMENT YET IN CANADIAN FACTORY Read More »
