Forum Activity for @Susie

Why posh chocolate is recession-proof

Posted in: News & New Product Press

In case you sell your "posh" chocolate in the UK this will be heartening...! http://www.telegraph.co.uk/foodanddrink/5141003/Easter-2009-Why-posh-chocolate-is-recession-proof.html
updated by @Susie: 04/10/15 13:27:38

Massive amount of lemons available

Posted in: News & New Product Press

Hi Melanie,Great point and great idea. I'll look into it!Thanks,Susie

Massive amount of lemons available

Posted in: News & New Product Press

Hi chocolate people,I desperately would like to help a friend who is growing Lisbon lemons commercially in California's central valley using organic methods, but not yet certified organic, to sell approximately 500 tons of lemons = 20 truckloads of 25 tons each; that's 1,800,000 lemons. These are currently on his trees and based on the lemon market / lack of demand these days he is going to let them stay on the trees and rot unless he can find a taker.He said "The lemon market is in total disarray all over the world. S. Africa & Swaziland will pick 40% of their lemon crop, Spain 80%, Italy, Greece, Portugal, Argentina and Chile similar problem, California District 1 Lemons will not all be harvested this season. Pricing reflects this - but inability to market all of the crop adds insult to the injury."He will sell the crop on the trees for 1 cent per lemon, buyer takes all...which is a loss for him but at least something. This could be very lucrative if someone found a market to resell the lemons of course.Do you know of anyone with a juice business, preserves, massive amounts of lemon-based chocolates, or some other culinary use who may need these...or even for a new juice business?I'd love any ideas for possible buyers. It makes me really sad to think of all that fruit going to waste!If you know someone I will intro you or them to him.Thanks!Susie
updated by @Susie: 05/21/15 01:27:04

Lindt to close most US Stores

Posted in: News & New Product Press

I was always surprised they had so many retail stores as well as stores in outlet malls. I'm not surprised they're closing! Lindt is a lot more prolific now than it used to be, as the article mentions.

Chocolatiers = Re-melters?

Posted in: Opinion

Not knowing anything about the company, my guess is she might have been too "lazy" to explain "we're a bean to bar chocolate maker." Before Scharffen Berger I can't think of small companies encountering that issue of having to explain that they make the chocolate as well as what's inside. In fact many were the times I'd ask a confectioner where their chocolate was from and they'd say "we make it. we make it" until I made it completely clear I was referring to the couverture, not the fillings.While Wikipedia alludes to "chocolate makers" there is not an entry for this phrase. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chocolate Whoever is motivated enough can educate people about "chocolate makers" which will eliminate the need for the "re-melting" explanations.

Mixed News From Hershey: Recession is Good - Closing Plants

Posted in: News & New Product Press

Hershey had a plant in Oakdale, CA for decades. I may be wrong but I believe they may have produced more chocolate there than in PA. Why? Proximity to many of the raw materials sources: almonds, milk etc.Now that they've moved the plant to Mexico, I wonder if they're getting all the raw materials from Mexico, except for the almonds. Hmm. At least they're closer to the cacao sources perhaps.

Mixed News From Hershey: Recession is Good - Closing Plants

Posted in: News & New Product Press

After I saw Gwen's comment about buying artisan chocolate, I told Clay about Foodzie, where I work, and that I thought it might be useful to talk about in the context of this thread...so I hope it is!Foodzie is a new online artisan food marketplace that wants to connect great small food companies with less price sensitive foodies ... the ones who are going to keep consuming artisan made chocolates during a "dip" like this one.It's been interesting to see a few things :1) The chocolatiers on Foodzie have had brisk sales both during and after the holidays...especially the companies with interesting/unique and high quality products at a variety of points. I'm sure all the news of Obama's love of sea salted caramels didn't hurt either.2) Wales are coming from literally all over the map, not just the areas you would typically think of as affluent.FYI these are the current chocolate companies. http://foodzie.com/categories/chocolate For launching a chocolate business, Foodzie would be useful as an easy and cost effective way to test the marketability of various products with a food lover/connoisseur audience, beyond the local farmer's market or your own website. Feel free to ping me if you'd like to chat about this and perhaps I will start another discussion if there's interest.As an aside, in the last year I've literally seen a different indi confectioner at each farmer's market in the San Francisco area...and cookie businesses are popping up equally as quickly it seems. I can list the companies if you like.

Mixed News From Hershey: Recession is Good - Closing Plants

Posted in: News & New Product Press

I'll never forget when I was studying the candy industry in business school finding out that Utah is the biggest consumer of sweets. It totally made sense after I read that...a great vice! I haven't followed up recently to see if that applies to chocolate or if it's just candy in general.

Mixed News From Hershey: Recession is Good - Closing Plants

Posted in: News & New Product Press

Has there been any news about what's happening to the factory? I sure hope another chocolate maker moves in there! It's such a great space.

What Makes an Artisan Chocolate Artisan?

Posted in: Opinion

So weird, just today I was wondering about Christopher Elbow's operation while in his shop!

What Makes an Artisan Chocolate Artisan?

Posted in: Opinion

I noticed Starbucks had "small batch" coffee too. I haven't delved into it but wondered if it meant "relatively small compared to our other batches" or made in the back of the store...unlikely.As for your question I'd think it would depend on the source of the chocolate. But with the size of Starbucks it seems hard to believe an artisan could keep up the supply.