I'm starting up - need to buy machinery

Hello!

My name is Conny and I'm new to this community. I live in Sweden. I have been interested in making chocolate from bean to bar for a couple of years now and I have studied the process for doing this a little harder the last year. The goal is to set up a small scale production for chocolatebars.

I've searched this forum as well as every little corner of the internet to find machines that will fit in my production. It is here I think I will need some help.I dont think I have asked myself the right questions about the quantity that I'm looking to produce. I would like to have the capacity of making roughly about 5000-10000 bars (60g)/month.

Now I'm wondering if you can help me with som tips and links to where I can buy machinery and accessories for my little venture. Used or new doesn't matter. I'm trying to find machines in Europe since I've read that the is a good aftermarket but I can almost only find big industrial machines.My budget is $20k (will this even be enough?)

Roaster?

Please come with ideas. I saw the Mastbrother was using a hot air-owen for this. I was thinking of using the same with a custommade barrel inside.

Cocoa breaker and winnower (is this recommended?):

http://www.cpslimited.net/html/breaker.htm

$ 4873

Or I will go with the crankenstein ( http://shop.chocolatealchemy.com/products/crankandstein-cocoa-mill ) and build my own winnower since I read a really bad review about the above. I calculate that to be about $1500 if I go that way.

Grinder/Conching/refining?

ECGC-65-A Grindeur about $5500-6000 including shipping and taxes.

Tempering?

What is the best choice?

Packaging

Will do the packaging by hand the first time and the packages will be planned for this.

All help is appreciated.

Hi Conny,

I have bought the cocoa bean breaker and winnower from cpslimited. The cocoa bean breaker is ok but the winnower has a very small capacity ( only good for laboratory purposes) 1kg of roasted beans will take 30 min at least (not recommended)

Ernesto

Hi there Ernesto,

I've looked around a little and I've come to the conclusion to go for the crankenstein and I will construct the winnower myself with a friend that is an engineer. Now when you are so kind to share your experience about these machines I don't see the value of that amount. I would rather spend the money on the tempering and melangeur.

I'm starting to get a good list of companys that sells used chokolate machines. I'm not in a rush to get the machines so I can wait for good opportunities but I need to know where to screen the used market.

Thank you very much for your reply!

Best regards,

Conny

you can do quite a bit with a vacuum cleaner and some pvc piping - i'm sure there are drawings of something using those materials on the boards here somewhere. i'd look at those for something that's reasonably effective for what you'd be asking it to do, and is extraordinarily cost effective.

Hey!

I am now on the same point as you was. Looking for a bean cracker and a winnower. What is the best on the market now, if I don't wanna spend more than 5000$ ?

Thanks for any help