Chocolate is perhaps the most delicious delicacy of all confectionery products. Regardless of the time of year, the economic situation in the country and other factors, people regularly use it. And even those who adhere to proper nutrition or are on a diet do not refuse a couple of slices of bitter or diet chocolate. Therefore, the business idea for the production of chocolate looks very tempting. The main thing is to know some of the nuances, as well as to study the technology.

Pros and Cons of a Chocolate Business Plan

Chocolate production provides the following benefits:

• High demand for products
• Small investment if you plan to organize a home business or mini-workshop
• High income, profit of 200% or more
• Simple and clear production technology.

But there are also disadvantages:

• Difficult to compete with major manufacturers
• High investment to open a full-fledged plant
• The need to create an exclusive product or original packaging in order to win over the target audience.

If you want to get the expected profit, you need to work on the assortment. The stores offer a wide selection of chocolate: milk, bitter, white, with additives and fillers.

Equipment and technology for the production of bitter and white chocolate are not much different. So, do not limit yourself to one type of product!

Legal aspects

It is worth starting the implementation of a business plan for the production of chocolate by registering activities. This step is not as easy as it seems. After you have opened an individual entrepreneur or registered an LLC, you will need to get a few treasured "papers", without which it is impossible to implement such an idea.

One of them is a certificate for the production of food products, which is issued by Rospotrebnadzor. To obtain it, it is necessary to draw up a plan-project of the workshop and indicate sanitary standards. This document also contains all methods of chocolate production with technological maps.

If you are not well versed in this area, it is better to contact experienced specialists to draw up the necessary documents. Otherwise, there will be many problems on the way to obtaining permits.

Raw materials for chocolate production

Each plant has its own recipe, but the main set of raw materials remains unchanged:

• cocoa powder
• Powdered sugar
• Cocoa butter.

Modern industries use various substitutes to reduce the cost of production. So, for the manufacture of dark chocolate, palm oil is added instead of cocoa butter - a cheap analogue. Also in the course of various aromatic and flavoring additives.

The more natural raw materials in chocolate, the tastier it is!

It is necessary to purchase raw materials only after the technologist has worked on the product formulation.

Chocolate making step by step

The production process in a factory on a special line is different from recipes at home. The technology includes the following steps:

1. Roasting cocoa beans. You can buy ready-made ingredients, but to create a really high-quality product, it is better to carry out a full production cycle.
2. Processing cocoa beans with a forklift. At this stage, the beans are peeled, refined and ground into cereals.
3. Getting cocoa butter. To do this, the powder prepared at the previous stage is heated to 95-105C and pressed. Then cocoa powder, butter and powdered sugar are mixed, after which they are crushed again.
4. Conching. This is the process of mixing the mass under the influence of high temperature. During this stage, various flavors and flavors are mixed in. The longer mixing takes place, the richer and brighter the taste. So, mass conching for elite varieties of chocolate is carried out for 3-5 days without stopping!
5. Tempering. In this process, chocolate is given a beautiful shine and presentation. This is done by cooling the product to 28C, after which it is heated to 32C.

Each item must be strictly observed. Temperature discrepancies and heating and cooling times are not allowed.

The last stage - chocolate is poured into molds, raisins, nuts, etc. are added. according to the recipe. At the end, the finished product is aged in the refrigerator, after which it is packaged.

Equipment

The chocolate production line consists of the following units:

• Container for melting cocoa butter
• conche machine
• ball mill
• Tempering unit
• Refrigeration unit for cooling the mass.

Additionally, you will need a conveyor belt, a refrigeration tunnel, an aeration unit, chocolate molds, thermostats, and a packaging machine.

All of the above equipment will require a considerable amount. The new line will cost 3.5-8 million rubles. But you can reduce the cost by abandoning the automated line in favor of a cheaper analogue with less power. Such an installation will cost 1.5-2 million rubles.

The high cost of equipment is the only negative

Business Profitability Assessment

Even taking into account the high costs of purchasing equipment and organizing production, the profitability in such a business is high. The investment will pay off fairly quickly.

Example: the cost of dark chocolate is 600 rubles per 1 kilogram. In stores, 100 grams of the same chocolate costs a maximum of 100 rubles.

But in order to reach a regular profit, you will need to find regular wholesale customers.

Other ways to make money on chocolate

If it is not possible to organize the production of chocolate, but the "sweet" business is still of interest, you can consider other options.

For example, to acquire a franchise of a well-known brand. Franchise sales are carried out on specialized sites. As a result, the franchisor will help you at all stages of the business, consult and, if necessary, train you. The advantage of buying a franchise is that you get a completely finished idea and a promoted product that does not need advertising.

You can also open a small shop selling your own chocolate or make chocolate-covered fruits, chocolate fountains, etc.

Alexander Kaptsov

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The competition in the field of chocolate production is so high that it is time for a novice entrepreneur to think about how to attract the attention of buyers. The originality and exclusivity of chocolates can be of great help in this matter. Yes, and for a natural product, without additives and impurities, consumers are willing to pay more. If you choose the right direction for business development, then it will soon become profitable and promising.

Chocolate home business: where to start?

The chocolate business, like any other, requires official registration with the tax office. If it is supposed to produce chocolate or chocolates, selling products through a network of outlets or your own store, then. Wholesale customers and suppliers prefer cooperation with legal entities.
However, the matter does not end with registration with the tax office.

The entrepreneur will need to visit:

1. In SES and fire inspection in order to obtain a conclusion on the compliance of the working premises with the standards provided for the declared activity. It must be equipped with engineering communications, ventilation, fire-fighting system. In the production of food products, it is better to entrust the solution of this issue to experienced lawyers.
2. In Rospotrebnadzor , where you should submit the recipe for manufactured goods and receive a certificate of their compliance with existing standards.

Note: To work with the product group, you need a medical book.

If you plan to open a store to sell your own products, then you should also obtain permission for it. In general, the costs of registering an enterprise and taxes will cost around 19,000 rubles.

How to organize the process of production of chocolates at home?

An important condition for the production of delicious chocolates is strict adherence to the technological process. The recipe for their manufacture is easy to find on the Internet, but let a specialist do it. Complex recipes, selected by chocolatier - for exquisite sweets. The standard technology for making chocolate at home does not require much effort and expense.

Required Ingredients:

• Flour - 1 teaspoon.
• Cocoa - 5 tbsp. spoons.
• Milk - 150 ml.
• Butter - 50 g.
• Sugar - 5-7 tbsp. spoons.
• Forms for pouring the finished product.

Milk, cocoa and sugar are mixed in a small saucepan or bowl, the resulting mixture is brought to a boil over low heat. Oil and flour are gradually added to it, with continuous stirring. When a homogeneous mass is obtained, the chocolate is ready. It remains only to pour the filling into it (chopped peanuts, walnuts, raisins, waffle crumbs) and pour into molds.

If, according to the technology, you need to put whole nuts in chocolate, then the mold is filled halfway, the filling is poured into it, which is poured with chocolate on top. After a few hours, the sweets harden and you can eat them.

With the correct organization of the production process, the following conditions must be met:

1. Maintaining the temperature regime during storage of finished products within 15-180C. The split system and refrigerators do an excellent job with this.
2. Compliance with the terms of product implementation - no more than 2-6 months. So that chocolate does not lose its taste and presentation, it should be stored refrigerated.
3. Transportation of chocolate is carried out in specially equipped vehicles.
4. Use for business premises with an area of ​​at least 60 sq.m. It allocates 2 premises for a warehouse for storing raw materials and finished products, a place for a production workshop, and a sink.

Advice. It is very important to purchase good equipment when making chocolate yourself, since the taste of sweets depends on it.

True, in 99% of cases, small businesses do not produce their own chocolate, but buy a ready-made product, process it and produce delicious sweets.

Assortment of handmade chocolate products

To attract as many customers as possible, it is desirable to diversify the assortment of chocolates.

Current offers include:

• Gift Baskets.
• Chocolate figurines, postcards, portraits, sculptures.
• Truffles.
• Praline.
• Milk, black, white chocolate.
• Chocolate fountains.
• Diet chocolate and more.

Recently, one of the fashion trends among culinary specialists is a non-standard mixture of tastes and aromas. So, for example, the taste of chili peppers, olives, ginger and other spices is increasingly manifested in chocolate. Confectioners offer chocolate-covered bacon, sweets with dried tomatoes, candied fruit, thyme. Sweets filled with fragrant aromas of coffee, roasted sesame and grated nuts activate the senses. The original packaging further enhances the pleasure of the exquisite taste of sweets.

In this case, the size of one candy should not be too large. To enhance the taste, it must be completely in the mouth. For example, the most common weight of truffles, loved by many, does not exceed 3-7 g.

Where to sell homemade chocolate products: chocolate candy market

There will be no problems with the sale of manufactured products if you agree in advance with retail outlets, cafes and restaurants on the supply of chocolate. True, given the fact that homemade sweets have a short shelf life, it is better to produce them on order.

You can offer chocolate delicacies or organize holidays. If things go well, then opening your own store will only increase turnover.

How much will it cost a beginner to organize a chocolate business: an approximate business plan for the production of chocolates at home

We offer an approximate business plan for the production of chocolate at home with the opening of your own store.

Start-up costs

If the entrepreneur does not understand the intricacies of chocolate production, then a specialist will have to be sent to the chocolatier courses, and these are additional expenses of 15,300 rubles.

Summing up, the calculation is given for the production of dark chocolate bars:

Chocolate is a sought-after product that is popular all over the world. He is loved by both children and adults. After all, this is not only a delicacy, but also a useful product that reduces stress, energizes and stimulates mental activity. The chocolate business is a pleasant investment. It features a significant initial investment and high profitability.

The prospects of the chocolate business

Russians love chocolate: not a single holiday is complete without it, and even on weekdays, few people refuse to treat themselves to this delicacy. In addition, chocolate is widely used as a gift - from an ordinary bar to a set of elite sweets and handmade figurines. Therefore, the demand for chocolate is stable in any economic situation. During the holidays, the demand for chocolate increases 3-4 times. Moreover, according to some reports, sales increase by 1.5-2 times every year. All these factors make the production and sale of chocolate a promising business area.

Huge selection of chocolates

Business Ideas

There are several options for organizing a business related to chocolate - from the sale of ready-made European chocolate to the production of unusual chocolate bars.

chocolate boutique

The easiest option is to open a chocolate shop where ready-made chocolate from foreign and Russian manufacturers will be sold. The simplicity of this business lies in the fact that you do not need to bear the cost of purchasing equipment, renting a workshop, hiring confectioners and technologists. It is enough to rent an outlet in a place with a good flow of potential consumers (for example, in a shopping center or in a business part of the city), to hire several sales assistants. Of course, in this case, you will have to invest in the purchase of chocolate (up to 1 million rubles).

The range of chocolate boutique includes thousands of items

Typically, chocolate boutiques cater to upper-middle-income consumers who are in high demand for high-end chocolate. Among Russian manufacturers, these are Korkunov, U Palych, Konfael, but European manufacturers (Belgian, Swiss, German, Italian, American) certainly set the brand. These are the world famous brands Toblerone, Amedei, Wittamer, MoserRoth, Leonidas, Ghirardelli and others.

It is reasonable to open a small cafe with hot chocolate and various chocolate desserts for a boutique. The aroma of hot chocolate in the boutique will encourage customers to buy sweets, and you can attract attention with the help of a chocolate fountain. Some cafes add a glass wall to the kitchen so customers can watch the handmade treats being made.

To prepare a hot drink, melt chocolate pieces in milk.

Chocolate production line

An automated chocolate production line is expensive equipment, but it allows you to produce large volumes of products and minimize human intervention in the production process. To establish such a production, you will need an experienced technologist.

Chocolate and handmade sweets

Handmade chocolate is usually made from ready-made chocolate: it is tempered (melted), after which nuts, fruits, spices and other ingredients are added, and then new bars are formed. Such chocolates look very attractive, so they are in demand as an original gift. The same goes for handmade sweets. Usually, Belgian chocolate is used as the raw material, as it has an amazing taste.

And from sweets you can even make chocolate bouquets.

A bouquet of chocolates looks very unusual

Fruits in chocolate

Fruits in chocolate are a great alternative to regular chocolates, in which the inscriptions "strawberry", "cherry" most often mean fudge with the addition of flavors. Citrus fruits, bananas in chocolate - a natural delicacy that will delight relatives and is suitable as a present. The disadvantage of such products is a short shelf life. And the main advantage is that you don’t need to bother with the independent production of chocolate, it’s enough to buy high-quality tiles without additives and melt them.

Most often, strawberries are covered with chocolate, but there are other options: cherries, tangerine and orange slices, kiwi

Chocolate figurines

Chocolate figurines are often used as a romantic gift. They do not have a very long shelf life, and due to the fact that the figurines are usually made by hand, their cost is quite high. Small figurines cost 80-200 rubles, and large compositions cost the consumer several thousand rubles. To implement them, you can open your own store or make products to order.

Chocolate hearts are usually chosen as a gift for a beloved girlfriend or wife, children like figurines of animals and cartoon characters, and it is quite possible to give a car enthusiast a chocolate car of his dreams. There are also neutral themes. For example, the boss is presented with a horseshoe as a symbol of good luck or a chocolate million dollars. Chocolate paintings and medals are in demand. Corporate clients demand chocolate figurines with a corporate brand, which are usually ordered in large quantities as a present for clients and business partners, company employees.

Large chocolate figurines are usually made hollow

Chocolate cakes and pastries

Another chocolate product is chocolate cakes. The easiest way is to make them to order. Cakes to order with personalized greetings are popular products that are bought for children's and adults' birthdays, corporate parties, New Year's holidays, March 8, anniversaries, weddings and more.

Chocolate cake with the name of the hero of the day - a great gift

Where to start: registering a business

You can organize a chocolatier business in any form convenient for you. If you plan to start with a small amount of investment, register as an individual entrepreneur and choose one of the simplified taxation systems. If you plan to do business with partners, it is better to establish a limited liability company. Are you planning to sell chocolate in bulk to large customers? The LLC format would be preferable.

The registration procedure itself is simple, the tax office registers individual entrepreneurs and LLCs within three days. Provided that you properly prepare the documents.

Documents for registration of IP:

• application for state registration of IP in the form P21001 - filled out by hand or in printed form;
• a copy of the passport (during a personal visit to the tax office, you must also provide the original so that the inspector compares the data);
• a copy of the certificate of assignment of an individual tax number (TIN);
• original receipt for payment of state duty (800 rubles).

Documents for registration of LLC:

• application in the form P11001;
• the decision of the sole founder or the protocol of the general meeting of founders on the establishment of the LLC;
• charter of LLC (2 copies);
• receipt of payment of state duty (4 thousand rubles);
• documents confirming the presence of a legal address.

If you plan to make chocolate yourself, then choose the following codes for the classification of types of economic activity (OKVED):

• 15.84 - Manufacture of cocoa, chocolate and sugar confectionery;
• 52.61 - Retail sale on orders;
• 52.62 - Retail trade in stalls and markets;
• 52.63 - Other retail sale outside stores.

Permits

Since the manufacture of chocolate belongs to the food industry, it is necessary to notify Rospotrebnadzor (which now functions as a sanitary and epidemiological station) about the start of activities. Rospotrebnadzor will be able to conduct a scheduled inspection only after three years, and an unscheduled one - if you receive a complaint. It is necessary to provide the recipe to Rospotrebnadzor in order to obtain a certificate of conformity.

Another instance is the fire department. It issues a conclusion on the compliance of the working premises with the standards (availability of communications, fire protection system, ventilation).

Chocolate production is regulated by the national standard GOST R 52821–2007, adopted in 2010. GOST contains general specifications: it defines the composition of various types of chocolate, its taste and smell, texture, appearance, requirements for raw materials, labeling, packaging, etc.

Room selection

If you plan to only produce chocolate without opening a retail outlet, then the location of the workshop does not matter. You can even place it in the suburbs, as rent is usually cheaper there. When opening a chocolate boutique, it is better to choose a place with high traffic - in the city center or in a shopping center. The store is best placed in a shopping center next to gift shops.

It looks like an equipped room for chocolate production

As for the requirements for the workshop, they are standard - as for any food production: an area of ​​​​40 square meters, good ventilation, the presence of heating, hot and cold water. Walls up to a height of 1.5 meters must be tiled, above the level of 1.5 meters - covered with non-toxic paint.

The room should be divided into several functional areas: a place of direct production, a warehouse for raw materials and finished products, a rest room for employees, a toilet. The warehouse of raw materials and products must be at a constant temperature - 16 degrees. After all, if the temperature regime is not observed, the finished chocolate will melt and then solidify, which will lead to the formation of an ugly white coating.

Can you make chocolate at home?

Unfortunately, when running a legal business, food production in an apartment or a private house is prohibited. Even if you plan to make a small volume with your own hands, it is necessary to remove the production premises from the housing stock. And to do this for a room in a residential building will not work.

Staff

For a chocolate workshop, you will need a confectioner-technologist, workers, equipment maintenance personnel, a loader, a driver with a truck, a cleaner, an administrator, a sales manager, an accountant, a manager. And if there is a store, then there are sales assistants. Of course, at first you can do with small forces, but still you will need a technologist. You can perform the rest of the functions yourself, it is better to outsource something (for example, accounting, equipment maintenance and transport services).

In order for chocolate products to be in demand among consumers, care should be taken to hire highly qualified personnel.

In addition, the chocolate business often becomes a family business, so feel free to involve your wife (or husband), parents, adult children. If you do not have experience in the field of chocolate production, it would be useful to take specialized courses (their cost is about 15 thousand rubles).

All employees working directly with chocolate must have health books.

Raw materials

Ready-made chocolate can be used as a raw material - just melt it, add your ingredients, pour into molds and cool. But if you're planning on making chocolate from scratch, you'll need cocoa powder, cocoa butter, and powdered sugar.

The fruits of the chocolate tree are cocoa beans, from which powder and butter are made.

They are inexpensive: cocoa powder - about 120 rubles, cocoa butter - 66 rubles, powdered sugar - 55 rubles per kilogram. GOST allows the addition of carob (carob) to chocolate, which is half the price of cocoa powder - about 60 rubles per kilogram. And cocoa butter can be partially replaced with vegetable (palm) - it costs about 50 rubles per kilogram. And also as a cheaper substitute for cocoa butter, milk fat, peanut and coconut oil are used. The use of such additives makes it possible to save up to 10% on raw materials.

But it should be borne in mind that the use of cheaper ingredients affects the taste of chocolate. So if you plan to produce elite chocolate and emphasize its high quality, use the classic recipe.

Chocolate is very versatile. The most popular types: black, milk, bitter, white, aerated chocolate. You can produce chocolate for diabetics, vegans, those who are on a diet.

Porous chocolate is saturated with air bubbles, and white chocolate is made using cocoa butter (without cocoa powder)

The composition of the main types of chocolate is regulated by GOST. So, dark chocolate must contain at least 55% cocoa powder and at least 33% cocoa butter, dark chocolate - 40 and 20%, respectively, milk chocolate - at least 25% cocoa products, at least 12% milk solids, at least 2 .5% milk fat.

Alcohol is sometimes used as an aromatic additive. And of course, chocolate with grated, crushed and whole nuts is very popular: hazelnuts, almonds, cashews, peanuts, peeled pistachios, etc. Whole nuts must be roasted and fresh, otherwise a rancid nut will spoil the taste of the whole bar. Pieces of fruit, raisins, waffles, cinnamon, sesame seeds, puffed rice, marmalade and much more are added to chocolate. There are also completely unusual combinations: chocolate with figs, chili peppers, lemon zest, thyme, olives, ginger, dried tomatoes. The fillings for sweets and chocolate bars are also very diverse. In addition to nuts, these are various sweets, soufflés, jelly, nougat. Truffles, pralines are also popular with sweet tooth.

It is important to consider that chocolate is usually stored for a short time - 2–6 months.

Experiment, track what kind of chocolate is in demand, come up with something new and unusual to interest the consumer.

Technological process and equipment

There are fully automated chocolate production lines that allow you to save on hiring employees. But this is expensive equipment. For example, the Russian-made automatic line for molding chocolate products AC 275 One Shot costs 6.65 million rubles in the basic configuration. An automated line can be operated by 1-2 people, while manual production will require 8-10 people.

Scheme of chocolate production on an automated line

To understand what equipment you need to make chocolate, you need to familiarize yourself with the production technology. It includes several stages:

1. Rolling - grinding components in a special mill.
2. Conching - thorough mixing of all ingredients. First, cocoa powder and powdered sugar are mixed, then liquid evaporates from the mixture, after which the dry mixture is mixed with cocoa butter. As a result, a homogeneous (homogenized) mass is formed. Conching rollers are made of granite, as steel and plastic are not suitable for stirring heated chocolate. Conching directly affects the taste of chocolate - the longer it is conched, the better. Therefore, elite chocolate is conched for 5-15 days, ordinary chocolate - 1-3 days.
3. Tempering - cooling (or heating) and crystallization of chocolate at a controlled temperature.
4. Molding - filling molds (special molds for chocolate) with the finished mass and solidification.
5. Wrapping - wrapping chocolate in foil.

If you plan to make handmade chocolates and sweets from ready-made bars, the whole process comes down to three steps: melting the chocolate (tempering), adding the filling and molding.

As you can see, chocolate production technology is quite simple. However, it requires a significant investment in equipment. You will need:

• zhirotopny boiler for melting cocoa butter;
• ball mill for rolling, filled with steel balls similar to bearings;
• 3–4 conche machines (melanger) for continuous mixing;
• vertical cooling tunnel for cooling molded chocolate or candies.

For small production, conche machines with a volume of 200 kg are suitable

Additional equipment includes industrial air conditioning, hoods, thermostats, conveyor belts, heated pipelines, molds and punching machine, packaging machines (ways to wrap up to 360 tiles per minute), paddles, scrapers, etc.

To sell chocolate in a store, you will need refrigerated display cases that maintain a temperature of 15-20 degrees.

Table: cost of basic equipment for a chocolate production workshop

Chocolate distribution channels and marketing

How you sell chocolate depends on what products you will be producing and who you will be targeting. If you have a workshop with large production volumes that can boast of high-quality products, then you can offer it to other confectionery enterprises that produce desserts, sweets and other sweets, as well as cafes and restaurants. If you are focused on end consumers, have developed attractive packaging and a memorable brand, then try to negotiate directly with stores and retail chains. It is not easy to get on the shelves of large networks, but their turnover is high. You can negotiate with chocolate boutiques, which are in almost all big cities.

Another option is to open your own shop. This may be a point directly at the workshop, but it is better to focus on shopping centers and city streets with a large flow of pedestrians.

An elite chocolate shop today can be found in every major shopping center

Many small businesses, especially those with manual production, only make chocolate to order. You can promote it through your own website, social networks, local media, city portals and forums. This method avoids the risk of overproduction and spoilage of unclaimed chocolate.

Of course, at the initial stage, you will have to invest in advertising. Use all the methods available to you - from handing out leaflets on the streets (they can be sprinkled with a special chocolate-scented perfume) to advertising on television. If you are planning to open a chocolate boutique, host a grand opening with free tastings. In the future, tasting of new positions can be held once a month.

Franchise or own brand

The main advantage of a franchise is that you will work under an already promoted brand known to consumers. The franchisor will help you organize production and establish distribution channels. However, to become a franchisee (buy a franchise), you need to pay from 50 thousand rubles. Some franchises involve royalties - monthly deductions from profits to the franchisor.

Frade handmade chocolate outlet

Most franchises on the Russian market are offers for the sale of finished products of popular brands. For example, you can become a franchisee of the Belgian company Baccarat, which offers handmade sweets. Among Russian companies, the franchise is offered by Frade, a handmade chocolate manufacturer from Kazan. You can sell Frade chocolate in your city by paying a lump-sum (entry) fee of 50-100 thousand rubles. Franchise "Konfael" costs from 150 thousand to 12 million rubles, "Shokonel" - from 620 thousand rubles, Candy Shop - from 600 thousand rubles.

Financial plan

Below are the approximate costs of opening a chocolate shop.

Table: initial and ongoing costs for organizing the production of chocolate

Cost and profitability

Chocolate production is highly profitable - an average of 200%. Judge for yourself: the cost of 1 kg of chocolate is 400-600 rubles, a bar of chocolate in a retail network (200 grams) is 100-200 rubles. This allows you to receive from 300 thousand to 2 million rubles of profit per month.

Given the high cost of equipment, the average payback for chocolate production is from 10 months to 2 years.

Video: how to run a chocolate business

Thus, if you decide to invest in the production of chocolate, it is better to focus on the production of a high quality product with unusual additives, because it is in constant demand. Although the equipment is quite expensive, the costs will quickly pay off. In this area, you can earn up to 2 million rubles a month.

In Russia, the chocolate market is developing rapidly. From 2013 to 2019, chocolate consumption increased from 6 to 8 kg per person per year. Despite the trend towards proper nutrition and a healthy lifestyle, people continue to buy sweets and candies: for themselves and their families, as a gift for the holidays. The chocolate production business pays off in a matter of months and brings stable profits to the owners.

Chocolate Making Business Ideas

There are two models of the organization of the technological process: home or industrial production of chocolate.

By choosing the first option, you can start a business at home in the kitchen, investing a minimum of money in equipment. But it will not be possible to officially register such a business, so the responsibility for working without registration with the Federal Tax Service and paying taxes will lie with you.

In the second case, you will have to comply with the requirements of the inspection authorities, rent and prepare a workshop, hire employees and set up a streaming production of chocolate products.

Making handmade chocolate

"Chocolate boutique" is a concept that came to Russia in 2016. The boutique sells elite handmade chocolate made according to home recipes. The owners of such establishments rely on the uniqueness of products, yielding to large workshops in production volumes.

The range of chocolate boutique includes:

• dark, white and milk chocolate bars;
• chocolate with fillers - fruit and berry;
• truffles;
• sweets with non-standard fillings;
• gift sets of different types of chocolate.

Customers can order custom sets, chocolate fountains and even engraved sweets.

The fashion trend of gourmet boutiques is a combination of incongruous tastes. High-end chocolate manufacturers offer ginger, chili, candied fruit, and even bacon as fillings. They sell fragrant sweets exclusively in original packaging.

Handmade chocolate is a delight for gourmets, so it will always find its buyer

Making fruits in chocolate

Strawberries, apples and bananas are fruits that are in demand all year round. Combined with chocolate, they form a unique delicacy. The advantage of the fruit-covered chocolate business is the minimal competition in the Russian market. The disadvantage is a pronounced seasonality. In winter, the cost of fruit increases, and the demand of buyers falls.

A possible way out of the situation is to rent an area in a city shopping center in order to work even in the cold season, in a place with maximum traffic. In advertising, you can focus on the saturation of products with vitamins.

There is nothing tastier than fruits in chocolate: neither children nor adults can resist this delicacy

Making figurines from chocolate

The technology for making chocolate figures is simple - hot chocolate is poured into the molds, then cooled until hardened and the halves are taken out. The edges of each are carefully heated and glued together. Cakes and pastries are decorated with figurines, they are given for holidays to children and adults.

To prepare a chocolate butterfly or openwork lace, you need:

• melted chocolate;
• glass bowl for heating;
• Silicone forms.

Instead of molds, you can use any objects: cups, stacks, spoons, paper sheets and others. Combining different types of chocolate and adding food coloring, confectioners give the figurines a unique design. Show your imagination and an unprecedented result will not keep you waiting.

Chocolate figurines are ordered to decorate wedding and anniversary cakes.

Where to start: registering a business

Chocolate production belongs to the food industry, so be prepared for numerous checks by the SES and Rospotrebnadzor. Register a business before starting work by choosing one of the forms - LLC or IP.

Advantages of the status of an individual entrepreneur:

• registration within 5 working days;
• minimum state duty when registering a business;
• minimum documents.

The main disadvantage of IP is the responsibility to creditors with all property. If you own an apartment, and your business has accumulated debts, be prepared for the property to be put up for sale.

Advantages of opening an LLC:

• financial responsibility within the authorized capital;
• a participant in a legal entity can withdraw from it by alienating a share of the company;
• the company can be sold or donated if necessary;
• in case of suspension of activities, the organization does not transfer contributions to pension and insurance funds.

The disadvantages of an LLC are a complicated registration procedure and the need to deposit an authorized capital of 10 thousand rubles or more, as well as a state duty of 4 thousand rubles. for setting up a company.

When registering, choose the tax system that is comfortable for you. Small businesses should consider a simplified regime (USN 6 or 15%). When planning to open a large-scale production, think about UTII (fixed tax on imputed income). The amount and procedure for paying taxes depends on the system chosen.

Table: comparison of tax regimes

Obtain permits from Rospotrebnadzor and Pozhnadzor, as well as the conclusion of the SES on the possibility of starting work. Issue a health book, even if you make sweets in minimal quantities.

Organization of home production of chocolate

An exclusive home confectionery can compete with large-scale productions due to the quality of products, the use of natural ingredients and proven chocolate recipes. When working on your own, pay close attention to the quality of the product. Experiment with flavor combinations, offer customers a variety of products. The disadvantage of a home business is the inability to officially register a company. This is due to the fact that the kitchen must be removed from the housing stock in order to organize food production in it. All the risks associated with informal entrepreneurship, in this case, you take on yourself.

Recipe and manufacturing technology

Follow the recipe and the technological process in the manufacture of chocolate - the taste and shelf life of the finished product depends on this.

The simplest chocolate recipe at home:

1. Mix 5 tbsp. spoons of cocoa, 7 tbsp. spoons of sugar and 150 ml of milk in a bowl. Bring the mixture to a boil over low heat, stirring constantly.
2. Gradually add 1 teaspoon flour and 50 g butter. Continue to stir the composition until a homogeneous mass.
3. Pour hot chocolate into molds, after pouring the filling into it (wafer crumbs, nuts, raisins).

When choosing chocolate, customers first of all pay attention to the appearance and taste.

Once the chocolate has cooled, it can be eaten. You can store homemade sweets for 2-6 months at temperatures up to 17 degrees. Transportation of chocolate is allowed only in vehicles equipped with cooling systems.

The weight of the candy should not exceed 3–6 g, so that the client can put it in his mouth as a whole and taste it without biting.

Requirements for the premises

Technical conditions for the production of chocolate are determined by GOST 31721–2012. In the document you will find information on the quantity of ingredients for the manufacture of various types of cocoa-based products, as well as requirements for equipment and workshop. Despite the lack of registration and checks, try to comply with the maximum requirements of the standard. The room should be ventilated, with an artificial temperature regime and a low level of humidity. The optimum temperature for storing chocolate is up to 17 degrees.

Purchase of equipment and raw materials

A home bakery can be opened with minimal investment if you work to order and use kitchen equipment. Purchase raw materials for chocolate production:

• chocolate mass or cocoa;
• cacao butter;
• sugar;
• vanilla;
• emulsifiers;
• milk or cream.

Buy quality ingredients. To save money, replacing cocoa butter with palm, and cocoa with carob, you risk the taste of future chocolate.

At home, use a coffee grinder to grind cocoa beans into powder.

As your business develops, start purchasing professional equipment:

• high power juicer for cocoa butter;
• grinder to remove excess moisture;
• tamper for quick crystallization of chocolate;
• various shapes and stencils.

The cost of a home kit for the production of elite sweets does not exceed 150 thousand rubles.

Sales and advertising company

At first, sell candy directly to customers. To do this, create groups on social networks, take attractive product photos and place ads. Invite friends and acquaintances to groups, set up targeted advertising for members of competing groups.

When you develop the business and open a kitchen outside the home, having received permits from the SES, negotiate with retail chains and coffee houses that do not have cooking and supply sweets for sale. The main thing is to comply with the terms of delivery and storage of goods.

Financial calculations

Home production does not require special costs and pays off within a few months.

Table: business start-up costs

Table: systematic costs

Planned income

The cost of one bar of exclusive handmade chocolate is 200 rubles, the cost of making it is 25–35 rubles, depending on the filling. On average, 200 tiles can be sold per month, the total income is 40 thousand rubles. Net profit per month - 15 thousand rubles, the payback period for a home business is 5 months.

Business plan for the production of chocolate on an industrial scale

Industrial production is different from domestic production. You will not be able to cope with the volume of production alone, you will need to attract employees. Equipment for a full-fledged workshop costs dozens of times more, and manufacturing technology is more complicated than homemade.

First of all, hire a technologist for the enterprise. He will be responsible for the process of making chocolate and working out recipes. Buy raw materials only after working out each recipe.

To obtain chocolate, cocoa beans are roasted, ground and mixed with the remaining ingredients in a conche machine, and then cooled and formed into bars.

The process of making chocolate in the workshop is automated and includes the following steps:

• dosing of components;
• initial mixing;
• mixing in a conche machine up to 3 days;
• heating the chocolate mass to 50 degrees;
• filling in forms;
• cooling to 33 degrees and holding for 40 minutes;

The production of different varieties of chocolate differs in the initial set of ingredients and technology adjustments. To make aerated chocolate, it is enough to add air when loading raw materials for conching, and for bitter one, you will have to use more cocoa powder.

Room selection

To organize a chocolate shop, a room with an area of ​​60 sq. m. Requirements for the workshop:

• not part of the housing stock;
• equipped with ventilation;
• there are sinks with cold and hot water;
• the walls are tiled up to 1.5 m from the floor;
• the rest of the walls are painted.

To make tiles and sweets perfectly even, buy a molding machine in the workshop

Indoors, equip a place for a product warehouse with an optimal temperature, as well as an office and a workshop with equipment directly.

Purchase of equipment

The cost of purchasing equipment ranges from 1 to 10 million rubles. Industrial equipment for the chocolate shop:

• ball mill for mixing ingredients;
• boiler for kindling oil;
• conche mixing machine;
• refrigeration equipment;
• tamper for crystallization of chocolate.

In conche machines, the chocolate mass is kept under constant stirring for 24–72 hours.

Auxiliary equipment:

• conveyors;
• ventilation system;
• thermostats;
• planetary pumps;
• hoods;
• molding equipment;
• packaging unit;
• printing press for wrapping.

Purchase of raw materials

Chocolate is made from cocoa beans, which can be purchased in Africa, Australia, and Asia. There are three varieties of beans suitable for chocolate production:

• "Creole" - selected beans of the highest class;
• "Foreigner" - medium quality;
• "Pumpkin" - low-grade beans.

Cocoa beans go through three stages before turning into powder:

• frying at a temperature of 150 degrees;
• separation of liquid and husks;
• grinding into powder.

In addition to the powder, buy cocoa butter, sugar and milk, as well as filling ingredients if you plan to make candies.

Do not save on ingredients: the more natural ingredients, the higher the quality of chocolate

Recruitment

For the normal functioning of the workshop, hire employees. Make sure everyone has a valid health book.

Composition of employees:

• manager;
• accountant;
• technologist;
• confectioners;
• driver;
• cleaner.

Sign non-disclosure agreements with the company's recipes with employees.

Formation of the assortment

Large confectionery factories use a similar recipe, and their production volumes do not allow producing exclusive chocolate in small batches. In a small workshop, you can make chocolate according to original recipes, varying the composition of the components and fillings.

Together with the technologist, evaluate the possibilities of production, calculate the expected volumes of output. Develop your own specifications. Based on the planned purchases of raw materials, make a menu. Design them and post them on the company's website or in a group in social networks.

The range of high-end chocolate boutiques usually includes handmade sweets and cakes, as well as beautifully packaged gift sets.

Possible distribution channels and advertising

Chocolate lovers (82%) buy their favorite product in supermarkets at the same time they buy other goods. At the same time, 21% of them are ready to specifically go to the store for chocolate. More often than others, milk tiles are chosen, less often - bitter ones. Only 4% of consumers love white chocolate. Gaining momentum "chocolate boutiques" with exclusive varieties of your favorite product.

Possible distribution channels for products:

• supermarkets;
• grocery stores outside the chains;
• stalls, tents;
• coffee houses, cafes;
• fairs, exhibitions.

• shops, coffee houses;
• Internet, social networks;
• city ​​magazines;
• issue of own catalogues;
• sponsoring events.

So that your product does not get lost on the shelves of the store, do not skimp on the original packaging and catchy advertising.

Business calculations

The calculations are given on the example of a workshop with an area of ​​60 sq. m., equipped with everything necessary and operating under a license.

Table: opening costs

Table: recurring costs

Expected income

The cost of one chocolate bar is 100 rubles, the cost of making it is 20–35 rubles. On average, only through retail chains per month you can sell 5200 tiles, the total income is 520 thousand rubles. Net profit per month - 260 thousand rubles, the payback period for a home business is 2 years.

Business profitability reaches 200% even when using natural ingredients. If you replace cocoa powder and cocoa butter with cheap analogues, it will increase by another 1.5 times.

Franchise or own brand

You will need an impressive amount of capital to start your chocolate business from scratch. There is an exit. If you doubt your abilities, buy a franchise. Notable franchised chocolate factories:

• "Chantimel";
• Podarilli;
• Frade.

Franchise Benefits:

• work under a well-known brand;
• proven production technology;
• the opportunity to buy equipment at a discount/leasing;
• consulting assistance;
• business mechanics;
• feeling of teamwork.

Franchising Disadvantages:

• the need to pay the franchise seller a monthly remuneration - royalties;
• high cost of business;
• excessive requirements for the incoming partner;
• the need to comply with the conditions of the franchisor.

A franchise buyer always runs the risk of running into an unscrupulous company that, instead of the existing mechanisms for effective work, gives only a couple of instructions for doing business.

Franchise "Konfael" allows you to ensure stable turnover and gives you the opportunity to get higher profitability compared to a business created from scratch

Rookie Mistakes

Beginners in the chocolate business often make mistakes. The key problem is the underestimation of consumer requests. Manufacturers in small towns are especially guilty of this. They rely on the uniqueness of the product, not paying attention to consumer qualities. As a result, the client receives an exclusive candy in an expensive package, but it turns out to be obscene in taste. Naturally, the client does not come again. In general, in provincial towns, people make excessive demands on the quality of food products, compliance with which is the key task of an entrepreneur.

Having decided to start a chocolate production business and having enough funds, do not hesitate. Assess the market in your city, analyze the demand of potential buyers. Calculate your expenses and income and get started. If you doubt your abilities, choose a popular franchise and follow the proven methods of professionals.

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Any kind of confectionery at all times are in good demand. Along with this, in the production of confectionery, the first place is occupied by the production of chocolate. The business plan of such a business attracts many entrepreneurs today. To a large extent, this is due to the fact that investors are very willing to invest their money in the production of chocolate, since such investments, as an asset, have an acceptable level of liquidity.

The confectionery market in Russia has developed, is developing and continues to develop. The rather difficult state of the country's economy cannot prevent this in any way. All new entrepreneurs keep showing up in this business. Investors continue to invest in this business.

As for the issues of demand, we can safely say that there is demand. Despite the fact that many of us keep ourselves in good physical shape, try to lead a healthy lifestyle, we are not averse to indulging in chocolates. We all buy chocolate treats quite often. That is why the demand is great.

Relevance of the chocolate business

Today, everyone knows that the confectionery market is more than filled with offers - the offers completely cover the demand. However, this does not prevent new entrepreneurs from entering the market arena, starting to engage in the production of chocolate at home. It should also be added that the emergence of new stores selling chocolate products is welcomed by consumers in every possible way. Therefore, it is possible to start engaging in such labor activity as the production of chocolate. This business is quite relevant today - you will also find your buyer.

Today, not every entrepreneur wants to engage in the production of chocolate. This is due to the fact that chocolate is not an essential product. Therefore, many believe that this business pays for itself for a long time. But, this opinion is not always correct. Firstly, the payback of this business depends on the demand itself, and on how full the chocolate market is in your city. In this matter, the quality of chocolate products also matters. The chocolate market may be overflowing with offers, but there are differences between chocolate and chocolate. Explore this market directly in your city. Maybe in your locality it makes sense to open a new chocolate outlet.

Chocolate is a product that today is not an essential product. This is true. However, this fact does not prevent the chocolate business from flourishing. After all, chocolate is a favorite delicacy that not only children love, but every adult is not averse to eating chocolate candy. Because everyone buys chocolate. Any fears that this type of labor activity pays off poorly are groundless.

If you are considering starting a small chocolate business, you should know that there is absolutely nothing complicated about this business. The only thing that the right technology requires is a well-ventilated room, in which there should also be no extraneous odors. The temperature in the room should not be higher than 16 ° C. This is where all the difficulties end.

During the preparation of chocolate, the fundamental point is the high-quality mixing of the chocolate mass. The heated chocolate mass must be thoroughly mixed until the mass becomes completely homogeneous. This process is quite lengthy. Stirring must not be interrupted. To complete this task, you will have to purchase one or more conche machines. The main secret of making high-quality and truly delicious chocolate is long-term mixing. The heated mass of elite varieties of chocolate is mixed for up to 5 days without interruption. Only prolonged mixing will allow you to prepare really high-quality and tasty chocolate.

Mix the dry chocolate mixture in advance. Roll it over. Rolling is the preliminary mixing of the dry chocolate mixture in special mills. After rolling, you can start the process of conching - mixing in conche machines. Elite varieties of chocolate products are conched for 5 days, but the norm is mixing in conche machines for at least 3 days. 3 days is enough to make high-quality chocolate.

The last stage, no less important in the preparation of chocolate, is molding. When the conching process is over, the chocolate mass, at a temperature of about 45 ° C, should be poured into special molds. Then the finished product must be cooled to room temperature. That's it, the chocolate is ready.

chocolate recipe

Chocolate contains ground cocoa, powdered sugar, oils and various additives. There is no single recipe for making chocolate. The taste of chocolate is influenced by various additives, among which there may be additives such as alcohol, wine, flavorings, etc. These additives in different proportions give chocolate different flavors. Instead of natural cocoa, ground carob can be used. Instead of chocolate butter, such as cocoa butter, palm oil or peanut butter can be used. You can also use milk fat. Ultimately, the recipe for chocolate is the secret of every "chocolate" businessman.

Equipment for the production of chocolate products and its cost

The purchase of equipment does not end with the purchase of conche machines and special molds - a set of molds for molding chocolate mass. In addition to this basic equipment, you will need a furnace for melting cocoa butter. Such a boiler costs about 300 thousand rubles. The average boiler is designed to kindle 200 grams of cocoa butter.

You will also need a special grinder to premix the dry chocolate mixture. Such a mill has a ball design - built on special steel balls, such as, for example, in bearings. With the help of these balls, the preliminary grinding and mixing of the dry chocolate mixture takes place. Such a mill can be purchased for 1.5 million rubles.

As for the conche machines, one of these already comes with the mill. But one car is not enough. To keep the chocolate production line running, you will need several of these machines. Each costs about 10 thousand dollars.

You will also need to purchase a tempering machine. The cost varies within 1 million rubles. It performs processes for the rapid melting of chocolate and its further tempering. A vibrating table is always included with such a machine. The equipment of this machine includes a volume dispenser, a pedal that controls the flow of chocolate. The tempering machine also comes with a special refrigeration unit. This is a refrigerator with vertical tunnels. Such a refrigerator costs about 2 million rubles. This refrigerator quickly cools chocolate in molds. An ordinary refrigerator is not suitable for these purposes. Not suitable because the process of making chocolate must be continuous. The chocolate mass after passing through the tempering process should be immediately cooled. You will have to buy a tempering machine, although it is not cheap.

The equipment listed above, without which the production of chocolate is simply unthinkable, is the main equipment that every entrepreneur who is going to start producing chocolate should certainly have. However, in addition to this equipment, you will also need additional equipment: thermostats that store finished products, special hoods, planetary pipelines in which the chocolate mass moves from one node of the “chocolate” machine to another, balloon installations, conveyor belts, planetary pumps that inject pressure in pipelines. In addition, you will need stamping machines for the forms. Also packaging and other machines. All this additional equipment will cost you about 5 million rubles.

For all the equipment that you need to purchase for the production of chocolate, you will have to pay about 10 million rubles. This is quite a tangible amount of investment, but it's worth it, because all these costs quickly pay off.

Profitability Issues: Cost to Market Price Ratio

As mentioned above, for all the equipment that is necessary for the production of chocolate, you will pay about 10 million rubles. However, if you carefully consider the issues of profitability, in particular the ratio of cost and market price, it becomes quite obvious that this type of business quickly pays off.

Plain dark dark chocolate is the most favorite delicacy of most people. However, it is he who is less profitable than other types of chocolate. Soy is not added to this chocolate. During preparation, only cocoa butter is used. No palm, olive, coconut or peanut butter is usually added to such chocolate. It consists of 60% ground cocoa. Cocoa powder, from which chocolate is prepared, costs about $ 2,000 per ton. The other 40% of chocolate is powdered sugar. Powdered sugar costs about $1,000 per ton. Thus, the cost of a ton of chocolate, taking into account oils and additives, varies in the range of more than 3,000 dollars per ton, or up to 500 rubles per kilogram of chocolate.

So, the cost of chocolate is known. Let's calculate the percentage of profitability. If, for simplicity of calculations, we take the cost price, which is equal to 500 rubles per kilogram, taking into account taxes, all consumables, salary costs for employees, depreciation, etc., and the market value of one chocolate bar, equal to 100 rubles, then we get a profitability of 200 %. This profitability can be increased many times by adding various flavors and substitutes for raw materials to your chocolate products, which reduce the cost. An example of such significantly cost-reducing substitutes and flavors is ground carob. It's a powder called carob. One kilogram of such powder costs only 50 rubles. Such additives sharply reduce the cost of finished products, thereby increasing the level of profitability at times.

How to open a chocolate shop

Do you really like chocolate? Absolutely yes! Now imagine that you are the owner of a shop selling confectionery products such as chocolate. Such a store means making a profit from investing in your little passion and further receiving monthly income. By opening your own store, you can achieve this.

There are quite obvious advantages to opening a shop selling chocolate treats compared to other shops. Your property will have a store around which customers will constantly spin. If you decorate the store correctly and beautifully from the inside and outside, then it will attract the attention of passers-by, some of whom will become your regular customers in the future. Sell ​​only high-quality chocolate, and buyers will not keep you waiting long.

The number of sales is known to double every year. The profitability of such a business varies within 130 thousand dollars per month, depending on the volume of production. At the same time, your starting capital should be about 10 thousand dollars. As you can see, this business is a highly profitable and quickly paying off type of labor activity.

If you are thinking about making chocolate and opening your own shop that sells chocolate treats, you can start by making chocolate at home. To start this business, experts recommend, along with the independent preparation of chocolate, to buy ready-made chocolate products for further sale. This will allow you to start the production of chocolate at home - at low capacities. Further, everything happens according to the standard scheme - sales grow, respectively, incomes grow. So the business is expanding. One day the time will come when you will start thinking about increasing the capacity of your production. You will hire workers. You will pay them a salary. Your business will flourish.

As can be seen from the above, the chocolate making business at home is a highly profitable type of work. This business pays off quickly. Therefore, it becomes quite obvious that the beginning of such a business justifies itself. The expediency of opening a "chocolate" store is straightforward.