As you know, there are currently a sufficient number of chocolate manufacturers on the Russian confectionery market (including chocolates, bars, bars, etc.). However, this situation is far from being an obstacle for new manufacturers to enter the market.

Moreover, despite the seeming abundance of confectionery (and in particular, chocolate) products, the emergence of new manufacturers, especially those producing high-quality and so-called. "Premium" brands are strongly encouraged.

Many novice businessmen are reluctant to start a business with food, and even more confectionery. Chocolate and other sweets are not considered essential commodities, which can be produced quickly to wrap up the invested capital, and the food and light industries in general are traditionally considered not very profitable.

In addition, many are confused by the need for repeated sanitary and epidemiological checks, both of the products themselves and of production facilities, since the relevant authorities always pay special attention to food manufacturers.

However, having examined the arguments and counterarguments in more detail, it is easy to see that they are untenable.

Chocolate, although formally not a basic commodity, does not significantly lose sales even during the crisis. It is one of the favorite products of the population: it, like any sweetness, is loved by children, and adults, by and large in this regard, are just big children - they very actively consume chocolate, for example, with tea or coffee, instead of a full meal or just for fun.

A box of chocolates is the most common "bribe"; a thing given in gratitude to petty officials, kindergarten teachers, school teachers and university teachers, doctors and / or nurses in the clinic, etc., not to mention chocolates as one of the attributes of a romantic date.

So, the fears of a novice entrepreneur about finding a sales market and payback are in vain.

As for the increased attention from the authorities that control the quality of products and their compliance with sanitary and epidemiological standards, many people forget that any production (even not only food production) is still considered by them in this regard.

So attention is paid to everyone without exception: manufacturers, for example, of many building materials (paints and varnishes, any products related to woodworking, etc.) are subject to increased fire safety requirements. Do not be afraid of the excessive pickiness of sanitary officials - if everything is really in order with you, no one will do anything to you.

Summing up all of the above, we can safely say that the production of chocolate and chocolate products is one of the most interesting and profitable business areas.

Description of technology and specifics of chocolate production

Generally speaking, there is nothing complicated in chocolate production technology. Yes, raw materials - cocoa beans require a carefully selected warehouse: a well-ventilated but dry room with an artificially maintained temperature of 16 ° C. But this is where the special requirements for chocolate production are limited. The rest - the shop, the presence of sanitary books among the personnel, etc. meet normal food processing requirements.

The main stage in the production of chocolate is conching. It is a continuous stirring of the heated chocolate mass until it turns into a homogeneous mass. Conching is carried out in special conches (or, as they are also called, conches).

Pre-mixed chocolate mass (consisting of cocoa liquor, powdered sugar, cocoa butter and additives), which has undergone milling - preliminary grinding in special mills.

The main secret of conching is the duration of mixing. It has been found that continuous mixing significantly improves the quality of the chocolate mass. Therefore, many elite varieties of chocolate are conched for 360 hours, or 5 days.

The norm is the duration of this process about 72 hours (3 days). For cheaper varieties, one day of conching is enough.

The conching itself is carried out in three stages: first, the dry mixture (cocoa powder and powdered sugar) is mixed, in the second, excess moisture is evaporated from the mixture, and in the third, cocoa butter (or its substitute) is added to the dry mixture.

Of course, the taste and quality of chocolate is influenced by various flavoring and aromatic additives (flavors, alcohol, wines and the like), and the percentage of natural components (for example, instead of rather expensive cocoa butter, palm, coconut, peanut, milk fat is often added) or they combine these components with each other; instead of cocoa powder, carob, carob powder, is sometimes used). Ultimately, however, the recipe for the resulting chocolate is usually a firm secret.

The second most important stage in the production of chocolate is molding, i.e. giving the chocolate mass an appropriate shape (bars, candies, bars, etc.) and filling (if, of course, it is provided by the manufacturer) with crushed nuts, candied fruits, waffles, etc.

The prepared chocolate mass with a temperature of +40 to +45 ° C is poured into special molds (molds). Then it is quickly cooled to 33 ° C, and kept at this temperature for 30-40 minutes, is constantly mixed. This allows the cocoa butter to crystallize properly. This process is called tempering.

Equipment cost and profitability of chocolate production

Of course, the list of equipment for the production of chocolate is not limited to a conche machine and a set of molds. A chocolate production line requires a lot more equipment to function properly.

For example, to melt fat (cocoa butter), a special fat melting boiler is required (at a cost of about a third of a million rubles - for a boiler with a capacity, i.e., a working volume of 200 kg of butter); primary mixing of components (rolling) is carried out on ball mills filled with balls of special steel, like bearings, with which the mixing process takes place.

Such a mill costs about one and a half million rubles. It comes with 1 conche, but taking into account the technology - the chocolate mass should be mixed for at least a day - you will have to purchase additional conches (each of which costs about 8000-9000 €) in order not to stop the conveyor.

In addition, you will also need a tempering machine (about 1 million rubles) and a vertical refrigeration tunnel, which produces rapid cooling of molded products, which is required according to the technology. Such a tunnel will cost about 2.5 million rubles.

This is just the basic technique needed to make chocolate. Additional - hoods and thermostats for the finished product warehouse, conveyor belts, aeration plants, special planetary pumps and heated pipelines for moving liquid chocolate mass from unit to unit, molds and a stamping machine for their production, packaging and other machines in total will not be pulled less than 4-5 million rubles.

As you can see, the total costs are not too high - something about 10 million rubles, but they are quite sensitive for a novice businessman.

But these costs pay off very quickly if we consider in more detail the ratio of the cost of chocolate and its selling price, i.e. calculate profitability.

If we consider the usual - bitter - chocolate, without the addition of soy, palm oil and other cheap substitutes (namely, it is the least profitable), then it consists of about 60% (by weight) cocoa powder (about $ 1870-2010 for 1 tons), and 40% from powdered sugar (about $ 1000 per 1 ton), we get the cost of 1 ton of chocolate (taking into account a small percentage of cocoa butter) at about $ 1500-1600, or $ 15-16 (less than 500 rubles) for 1 kg.

Even considering for simplicity 1 kg of dark chocolate equal in cost to 500 rubles. (with labor costs, taxes, depreciation and other costs), and the price of a bar of such chocolate is equal to 100 rubles, we get a minimum profitability of 200%.

This is the lowest limit. Adding various cost-saving additives to a chocolate recipe increases profitability literally by several times.

Compare: carob, carob powder costs about 50-67 rubles. per 1 kg versus $ 18.7-20.1 (565-608 rubles) of real cocoa powder. Adding even 5% carob can save about 8-10% ($ 120-160) per ton of chocolate.

Video about the production of chocolate

You can dream of your own chocolate shop for a long time, presenting it in the style of Willy Wonka, this is the one who invited Charlie to his own chocolate factory. Or maybe build your own gingerbread house and wait for your Hansel and Gretta? Also no? Indeed, the story of the owner of that chocolate shop did not end well for her. And the young racketeers were not even punished for destroying private chocolate property. However, these characters have nothing to do with reality. Let's go back to chocolate and the modern reality of doing business.

To open a chocolate shop, you first need to:

1. Have initial capital.
2. Pick up a room.
3. Find quality suppliers.
4. Take care of the staff.
5. Purchase equipment.

Still, first you need to decide what to open - a chocolate retail store or a workshop store? It should be borne in mind that a shop-workshop is more expensive to open.

In all cases, you should look for quality suppliers, and after finding, continue this search, because chocolate suppliers often fail (more on this below). You also need to understand the types of chocolate raw materials yourself, in the methods and technologies for making chocolate. This will allow you to create a unique interior and exterior of the store. Marketers claim that high-quality advertising for chocolate increases the demand for it.

Choosing the format of a chocolate store

The format of the store depends on the choice of the direction of sales. The directions can be as follows:

• Sale of expensive exclusive chocolate,
• Selling good chocolate from different price segments.

Other destinations, such as selling inexpensive factory-made bars and chocolates, turn your store into a regular pastry shop. That is, a perfect “informal” of this business idea.

Choosing a store location

If you have a really good assortment, the location of your chocolate store will not be as obvious as a factor in the profitability of the business, but a good location is always a plus for the company's success. Good places might be:

• Place with high traffic of people (near shopping centers, entertainment centers);
• Availability of recreation sites (parks, squares);
• Consider the location of competitors. It has long been known that opening a store next to a competitor increases the level of sales.

Assortment of the chocolate shop

Having decided on the place and suppliers, we approve the assortment. The assortment is the kind of thing where you can let your imagination run wild. The brighter and more eccentric your products are, the more buyers there will be.

Assortment example:

1. Chocolate of different shapes with mint, candied fruits, nuts.
2. Chocolate products (portraits, medals, weapons, boxes).
3. For diabetics, it is also necessary to select product options.
4. You can organize sets of sweets "For beloved mom", "dad", "husband" and so on.

Don't forget about related products. Various souvenirs and, most importantly, coffee. Coffee sells well in chocolate shops.

Product storage

It is very important to comply with all temperature conditions and shelf life of products. Temperature changes can not only spoil the appearance of the product, but also spoil the product itself as a whole. When displaying products on a display case, it is best to use a display case-refrigerator or refrigerated chest.

It is best to write off and dispose of expired and stale goods, you should not chase profit, neglecting the store's reputation, of course, you can recycle expired chocolate many times, but a customer dissatisfied with the product will come to your store only once.

Wholesale chocolate suppliers

Explore the entire product market that suppliers can provide, try to display the products of the world's leading chocolate houses on your windows.

• Belgian: Leonidas, Neuhaus and Godiva, Wittamer;
• Swiss: Toblerone;
• German: Moser Roth;
• Italian, one of the best: Amedei.

Remember, one supplier can always fail. Not even of their own free will, but because of technical failures. Therefore, be sure to enter into partnerships with several suppliers, whose assortment overlaps in a number of areas.

Suppliers must supply you with both high-end brand name chocolates and several low-cost brands, but they must have the same product. This will increase your target audience and average check, because in this area of \u200b\u200bbusiness, the client is always eager to try something new.

Chocolate shop design and interior

Successful design is a successful startup... A rule that works in any business idea. An excellent design solution would be to create your own brand or label for a branded chocolate store. You can create your own takeout bags with a store image, bags for storing candy, and so on. When visiting your store, the customer should plunge into the magical world of sweets, where everyday problems and worries are absent.

In my opinion, one of the most successful design decisions was the work of the Japanese studio Wonderwall. I was amazed at the effect of hot chocolate dripping from the ceiling and running down the walls of the store.

A great solution would be to set aside space in the store for a couple of tables and chairs. An opportunity to drink excellent coffee and taste delicious chocolate. This will only add only charm and eccentricity to your store.

Staff for the chocolate shop

After your store is almost ready to open, you should select quality staff. They should be young, energetic young people, 18-25. They should know the types of chocolate, be able to make coffee, advise buyers. It is recommended to conduct an internship (for example, many suppliers have such a service) so that employees fully understand the entire product and its features.

It would be nice to use incentives: financial and non-financial. The atmosphere in the team should be friendly and warm. Non-financial incentives include the establishment of the best employee of the month, the issuance of a certificate, and the presentation of store attributes in a festive atmosphere. An excellent solution would be to install uniforms in the store.

Financial incentives, you guessed it, include the issuance of bonuses, time off, career growth.

It should be remembered that the staff must have a health book. And the employment contract that you conclude with them must be registered at the employment center at the place of registration of your company.

Material costs for opening a store

Start-up costs include:

1. Purchase and installation of the necessary equipment - $ 1,800
2. Purchase of assortment for sale - $ 4400
3. Premises rental - $ 700
4. Other, unforeseen expenses - $ 1,000

Advertising

Any store needs good advertising. Prepare beautiful flyers, business cards, order an advertising banner. Business cards and flyers can be scented with a chocolate scent - this will directly attract customers to the store. In the store itself, large screens can be placed that will broadcast videos of the chocolate making process. Additionally, you can arrange various weekend tastings.

Also take care of promoting your store on social media. Don't forget radio and television advertisements.

Pros and cons of opening a chocolate shop

Opening a chocolate shop, like any business, has its pros and cons.

Pros:

• High profitability.
• Seasonal shopping explosions. Especially on holidays and event days.
• Constant demand.
• Fast payback.

Minuses:

• Large opening costs.
• Difficulty registering and obtaining a hardware license, product certificate and retail permit.
• Perishable products.
• Difficulty finding reliable suppliers of products.

A chocolate shop is a great startup idea that has its challenges and pitfalls, but with hard work you can achieve tremendous results.

In addition, a small chocolate business brings great benefits and pays off quickly enough.

To open a chocolate business, you need to rent the right premises, since cocoa beans - a raw product - are very demanding in terms of conditions of detention. Therefore, the room for the chocolate production must be very well ventilated and always dry - chocolate does not like moisture, and the temperature in this room should be no more than 17 degrees.

Like the production of any other food product, the chocolate business requires the premises to comply with sanitary standards, complete cleanliness and a constant fight against dust and dirt.

Equipment for the production of chocolate

In order to open the production of chocolate, it is necessary to purchase special equipment. First of all, it is a boiler in which the fat will be melted. Its average cost is from 300 thousand rubles. A ball mill for mixing components will cost more than one and a half million rubles, and a temporizing machine will cost at least a million.

For production to be continuous, there must be several conches, each worth at least half a million. Cooling the molding will require a special refrigeration tunnel, the cost of which is from two and a half million.

In addition, a large number of ancillary equipment will be required: conveyor belts, hoods, thermostats in order to stack the finished chocolate, as well as pipelines. All additional equipment will cost an entrepreneur an average of 5 million rubles.

Raw materials

Raw materials for the production of chocolate are made up of three main ingredients: powder, cocoa butter and powdered sugar. The most important ingredient - powder - costs from 500 rubles per kilogram, but in some industries it is replaced with carob powder - carob, since it costs only 60 rubles per kilogram.

At the same time, the quality of the chocolate deteriorates. And cocoa butter can be substituted for milk fat or palm oil.

Sales

How do you feel about sweets? More specifically, do you like chocolate? If yes, then today's article on the production of chocolate should please you doubly - you will learn how you can make money on the manufacture of your favorite delicacy. At first glance, the production of chocolate is the prerogative of large confectionery factories. But, this is only at first glance. In fact, it is not world-famous brands that are beginning to enjoy much more popularity today, but chocolatiers, who produce their products in very limited volumes.

Business brief analysis:
Business setup costs:from 1.5 to 8 million rubles
Relevant for cities with population:with no restrictions
Industry situation:the sphere of production is developed
Complexity of business organization:4/5
Payback: 3-4 years

For connoisseurs of "sweet life" and owners of "sweet" business, the blog has published a lot of business ideas: about the production of marshmallows, the production of caramel, about how to open a candy store and a business plan for a cafe-confectionery. Today another "sweet" idea is next in line - the production of chocolate.

The domestic market of chocolate products today literally "teems" with manufacturers of various "calibers", but this circumstance is not at all an obstacle for another participant to enter the market. In fact, finding a really worthwhile product among the huge variety of products on offer is quite difficult. To be honest, as a great connoisseur of chocolate, personally in the past who had experience in organizing a small chocolate studio, I single out only a few varieties of chocolate products (I will not name them so as not to make free advertising :)).

The production of chocolate is a process so simple that it can be organized even at home. Although, of course, in order to enter the market with your product, you need to arrange everything as required by the "letter" of the law.

"Secret" ingredients of a sweet product

It's time to get acquainted with the composition of real chocolate, although it should be noted right away that confectionery products made today at various chocolate factories have a variety of additives that distinguish one brand from another, and each of them has its own connoisseurs. But any chocolate, without exception, contains:

• cocoa powder made from cocoa beans;
• cocoa butter, also obtained from the processing of cocoa beans;
• and powdered sugar.

Using only such ingredients, you can get real black (bitter) chocolate. Sweetness is achieved by changing the proportions of sugar (powdered sugar) and cocoa powder.

In the same way, other ingredients are added to make other types of chocolate. For example, in order to get milk chocolate, you need to put either milk powder or dry cream into the mixture. To make white chocolate, cocoa powder is excluded from the recipe.

The rest of the ingredients are added exclusively according to the imagination and recipe of a particular manufacturer. The technology for the production of chocolate at many confectionery factories provides for the addition of:

• cinnamon;
• pepper;
• vanilla;
• milk;
• and other aromatic spices and seasonings.

How to start a chocolate business?

I must say right away that in order to organize a chocolate factory with a production volume that allows you to enter a wide sales market, it is possible only if you have a solid start-up capital. For aspiring entrepreneurs, on whom, in fact, this article is focused, it is best to start their chocolatier journey by opening a small production.

If you want, you can call your business something attractive, even a little poetic - a handmade chocolate studio, a chocolate workshop, a chocolate laboratory, or something like that. This publication can help you come up with a name for your business.

At first glance, there is nothing difficult in organizing a business: register an individual entrepreneur or LLC, solve “technical” issues related to production facilities, equipment, and know how to trade.

But behind the "tip of the iceberg" there is always a more massive "underwater part" invisible to the eye. So it is here. Before starting a business, you need to draw up a competent business plan, which, if it does not help to avoid all the mistakes that lie in wait for you on the path of an entrepreneur, but will definitely minimize them.

The first step is to:

• find channels for purchasing raw materials for production, and points of sale of finished products;
• conclude preliminary agreements, even if only in words;
• develop a concept for product promotion;
• come up with a packaging design, and only after that arrange a business.

Chocolate making process

The process of making chocolate in an industrial setting is significantly different from those recipes for making sweets at home, which can be found on the Internet. The technology of making chocolate according to the classic recipe consists of several stages:

For the manufacture of chocolate, it does not matter whether it is handmade or on an industrial scale, the same equipment is used, the cost of which depends on the possible volume of production. The main equipment for the production of chocolate consists of:

• Boiler for kindling cocoa butter;
• Ball mill;
• Conche machine;
• Tempering apparatus;
• Cooling tunnel for cooling the chocolate mass.

Additionally, you will need to install hoods, a conveyor belt, thermostats, an aeration unit, purchase or make molds for chocolate, a packaging machine, and a bunch of other equipment. As you can see, the amount that needs to be spent on equipment is rather big. Therefore, the best option is to buy a ready-made production line. It will cost you (depending on the manufacturer and configuration) in the amount of 3.5 to 8 million rubles.

To organize a mini-shop for the production of chocolate, you can get by with less money - 1.5-2 million rubles. Is it expensive? Then you can consider the possibility of purchasing used equipment (in whole or in parts), or independent production of all working elements of the production line.

Franchise or your own brand?

For those who prefer not to take the "heights" of success personally, but to use ready-made schemes, there is an option of acquiring a franchise of a famous chocolate brand. You can learn more about what a franchise business is in this source -

The chocolate business: is it worth the candle?

As consumers' incomes rise when choosing chocolate products, they are increasingly interested in quality. One of the places where exclusive handmade sweets are offered are chocolateries. How to run this business, Caffe & Bar I asked the experts.

Chocolate crisis

"Handmade figured chocolate in the world is often used as a gift for all occasions"

Recently renowned global communications agency JWT identified 10 key trends that will shape the 2012 worldview. One of them is the little joys of life. Some companies are already promoting their products as stress relievers. Among them is chocolate.

“A lot of it is eaten during a crisis. In addition, handmade figured chocolate is often used in the world as a gift for all occasions, ”says Andrey Kalmykov, managing director of the consulting company Trade Help ... He noted that the consumption of sweets was growing in 2009-2011 as well.

At the same time, according to experts, the volume of chocolate consumption in Ukraine is 2 kg per capita per year, which is 2-4 times lower than in European countries. This suggests that the market has reserves for growth.

At the same time, as he says Saule Rapnikene, founder of the Kiev boutique of Belgian chocolate "Basic Instinct" , people are increasingly monitoring the quality of the food they eat. Therefore, over time, "long-lasting" chocolate will give way to handmade chocolate from natural products. Handmade chocolate is made either in special separate workshops, and then transported for sale to various points, or produced directly in a food establishment and immediately offered to customers. We will consider the second option.

According to Bela Arutyunova, Marketing Director of Volkonsky-Ukraine , the chocolate market in our country is gaining momentum. It is more fully represented in Western Ukraine, where Lvivska Mysternya to Chocolate operates (in addition to Lviv, its points also exist in Kiev, Uzhgorod, Ivano-Frankovsk and Zhitomir, where they operate under a franchising scheme). And in the capital it is not enough yet. And this is despite the fact that in addition to the named establishments, there are also such well-known cafes-pastry shops as "Reprise", "D. A. Semadeni ”, Greguar,“ Papier - Mache ”,“ Kalina ”,“ Golden Ducat ”and others.

The level of provision of cafes and pastry shops (we also include chocolates in this segment) even in the largest cities of Ukraine, as a rule, is almost an order of magnitude inferior to similar indicators for megalopolises of developed European countries (for example, in Bruges there are 54 chocolate shops per 120 thousand inhabitants), - He speaks Maxim Klyagin, analyst of the consumer market of the investment company "Finam" - nevertheless, this segment itself looks very promising. After all, chocolate is a rather interesting concept that is in demand among consumers, and at the same time it is a rather marginal segment of the market.

Sweet life

The fact of the profitability of chocolate products, taking into account the novelty of the direction and insignificant competition, contributes to the entry of new players into the market.

The fact that the profitability of chocolateries, taking into account the comparative novelty of the direction and still insignificant competition, may well form at very high levels (according to Maxim Klyagin, about 30% and more), contributes to the entry of new players into the market. If you decide to start this business, Saule Rapnikienė advises to study the market first. Namely: is there a sufficient number of potential buyers in your city. For example, she predicts that Kiev can "swallow" dozens of such establishments. But not in every city the income of the population allows buying high-quality chocolate.

Natalya Chernaya, analyst of the Proconsul group of companies , recommends choosing a premise for your point on the first or in the basement on the central streets of the city (among the paying public), on red lines, in places with active pedestrian traffic (to ensure attendance at the level of 300-400 people per day). Mandatory requirements include: front entrance, room area: 60-100 m2, display windows are required. A big plus is the area in front of the entrance to the coffee shop, where you can take out tables in the summer.

Maxim Klyagin says that if the building has free space, then even 200-300 m2 can be borrowed for an institution. On the additional area (exceeding 100 m2), it is possible to equip a couple of more tasting rooms for visitors, as, for example, it was done in the "Basic Instinct". Or, in addition to the chocolate shop, create an ice cream shop, like in Papier-Mache (experts are not sure that establishments based on a single product can survive on the market). Or create a chocolate museum. The only similar establishment in Ukraine was opened by Simferopol confectioner Nikolay Popov in his Salon Du Chocolat cafe. There is a sculpture of a chocolate tree with figures of Indians, a life-size chocolate girl, and the Eiffel Tower, as well as a piano, Simferopol train station, boxes, chocolate eggs, chocolate still lifes and landscapes, portraits of famous people enclosed in chocolate frames. Visitors can order their own chocolate portrait from the museum.

Chocolatier Toolkit

The volume of investments in opening a chocolateria, depending on the format, is $ 200-400 thousand. Director of the consulting company RestCon Andrey Petrakov specifies that it is possible to focus on the cost of $ 2.5 thousand per m2 of the total area.

Since the recipe for making chocolate products by hand requires high skill, the institution will need good specialists - chocolatiers. There are few professional confectioners in Ukraine. Therefore, they often have to travel abroad for training, master classes - to France, Belgium or Switzerland.

The chocolate business is best developed in these countries. And they also house most of the firms and brands that supply chocolate as raw materials for chocolates (Belcolade, Blommer, Cacao Barry, Callebaut, Carma, El Rey, Felchin, Ghiradelli, Guittard, Lindt, Scharffen Berger, Valrhona, Van Leer, Wilbur ). The highest quality chocolates are from Cacao Barry, Valrhona, Callebaut and Carma. Moreover, its cost is quite high (about 80 UAH per kg). It depends on the amount of labor attracted by farmers to harvest cocoa beans, the rise in world prices for energy and fertilizers, and fluctuations in foreign exchange markets.

... And what about the assortment?

Fruit varieties of confectionery flavors are beginning to play an increasingly active role in the world, - says Andrey Kalmykov, - in addition, more and more non-standard tastes and aromas are used - chili pepper, ginger. Products with changing taste, with a wide range of aromas in one product - one of the trends in today's global confectionery market. By the way, herbal fillings are now especially popular in Belgium. They also make sweets with olives, dried tomatoes and spices.

As for the size of the product, according to the leading confectioners in the world, the chocolate candy should not be large. For example, in Belgium it is believed that the weight of a truffle (one of the most popular sweets in Ukraine) should not exceed 3-7 g. The candy should be in the mouth completely the first time. It is clear that it is not necessary for an institution to immediately "swing" at a large assortment of goods. They usually start with several items. It should be noted that some chocolate establishments rely on sweets (for example, the Kharkov chain "Shokoladka"), while others focused on the production of only curly products (Petit Paris in Kharkov). According to Andrey Kalmykov, most chocolateries in Europe use only exclusive recipes for chocolate products. The owner of the establishment studies and implements them. At the same time, the basic tastes of the country are always in great demand. For example, in Ukraine it is milk chocolate, in the Baltics it is bitter. Of course, in our country there are also many cases when all recipes are branded, author's. It depends on the skill of the chocolatier.

How to make money on chocolate?

Now let's talk about financial and economic indicators.

Typically, the margin for handmade chocolate ranges from 25 to 100%. Curly products (for example, animals in Petit Paris) are sold for 30-80 UAH. And the price of individual chocolate works can go up to 250 UAH. (Interestingly, Russian chocolatiers sell their products about 1.5-2 times cheaper. Thus, they hope to form a new consumer culture.)

The assortment of one institution can include up to 50 items. Experts say that up to 400 kg of handmade sweets can be sold at one point per year, and if this point is in the center of a large city, then even more. But this chocolate is not the whole income of the establishment. Candy can provide, say, 50% of the revenue.

Some economic indicators of chocolates in Ukraine, depending on the format *

* According to market participants and open press

** - no data available or do not sell candies by weight

The fact is that maintaining a separate confectionery shop is not a cheap pleasure. Therefore, the owners of such establishments use two more earning opportunities. First, they sell their products to the outside. “With the possibility of full loading of production, retail and HoReCa is not only a possible, but a necessary sales market for additional income,” Bela Arutyunova notes. However, when cooperating with retail, it is worth considering two nuances. When delivering sweets, it is important to preserve the appearance of fragile compositions, especially in summer. In addition, unsold goods have to be taken back. Developing in this direction is also hindered by the high requirements that retailers place on suppliers.

It is difficult for a small company to work on a deferred payment scheme. Experts advise interacting with premium supermarket chains. If you offer them valuable chocolate for sale, then it is now customary to put it in boxes of muted natural colors, tied with pastel ribbons, or even with ordinary twine.

Another opportunity to earn extra money, says Andrei Kalmykov, is the introduction of various “savory” dishes (in particular, pancakes), fruits, alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks into the chocolate menu. Tea (medium + or premium level), coffee (including with milk), hot chocolate and cocoa at prices from 25 to 30 UAH will always be relevant in the institution. Naturally, the revenue, profitability and payback period of chocolates also depend on the format. For example, Saule Rapnikienė said that in their format, the payback comes after the opening of the fourth boutique of the Basic Instinct type.

Pavel Guk, www.caffe-bar-hotel.com.ua