The Solutions Of Chocolate Shortages

Chocolate was previously considered a “delectable symbol of luxury, wealth, and power” (Klein) in the 1500s. Using modern technology, it is now easily produced. While

The premium chocolate industry is a large market in the United States and continues to grow around 10% annually. It is also populated with very strong

At Scharffen Berger Chocolate Maker, Jim Harris was the COO (chief operation officer) and was with the company for about 18 months and was observing the increased demand for their chocolate. “America’s finest dark chocolate” company wanted to increase production by equipping factories with new machineries and equipment but did not want any difference in the taste of the chocolates they produced. As the company totally agrees on not compromising the taste of chocolates and increase the production in order to meet the rising demand for their chocolates they should probably get into customizing chocolates blend for the mass-market retailer in order to grab huge market share, increase accessibility of the chocolate to customers and provide variety of choice to the customers by maintaining the taste they are known for. As the demand is increasing from 50%, 100%, to 150% by the start of 2006, Harris has to make a significant decision in order to invest Scharffen’s capital budget in expansion of the Company. Harris is recommended to acquire the required machinery in order to fasten the production and increase the capacity of the plant and should be careful about the quantity to be produced as the acquiring of machinery will increase productivity multiple times but the initial demand for

When the cocoa beans arrive at the factory they are processed into the cocoa products that can be used in manufacturing chocolate. These include cocoa liquor, cocoa butter and cocoa powder. Most processing occurs away from the countries where cocoa is grown because it is more efficient to process and manufacture the products close to where they will be consumed.. What happens during processing has a direct effect on the flavor and qualities of the resulting chocolate.The taste and texture of a particular chocolate product depends on the each recipie , which remains a guarded secret of the company. Mars uses different types and proportions of cocoa liquor, cocoa butter and other ingredients such as milk and sugar to make their products consistent with the brand.

The basic characteristics of the marketing concept that could be identified in Clare’s Chocolates are as follows:

There is a high bargaining power of suppliers because of the need of the key ingredients required for chocolate manufacturing and limited number of suppliers for this industry. Since cocoa trees require tropical climate, it forces the main producers in the west to import them from countries in West Africa or other hot places

While Europe and the United States account for most chocolate consumption, the confection is growing in popularity in Asia and market forecasts are optimistic about the prospects in China and India (Nieburg, 2013, para 9). According to the CNN Freedom Project, the chocolate industry rakes in $83 billion a year, surpassing the Gross Domestic Product of over a hundred nations (“Who consumes the most chocolate,” 2012, para 3).

In Canada, premium chocolates were growing at 20 percent annually and the Canadian market size for Chocolates was US$ 167 million in 2006. An attractive growth from premium chocolates makes the current player like Rogers Chocolates, Purdys and others are thinking new strategies to expand market. In addition, some big traditional manufacturers like Hersheys and Cadbury are also very interested and keen to enter this segment (Zietsma 2007).

Moreover, consumers and employees are also demanding chocolate companies to follow good corporate social responsibility practices in addressing the environmental concerns in terms of how to design its packaging, procurement and operational decisions. Human rights concerns are also high in terms of consumer expectations of chocolate companies with respect of forced child labour in West Africa. All of these driving forces - societal concerns, attitudes and change in lifestyles, are strong enough to shape up the competition and impose the constraint on chocolate industry profitability and competitive survival.

The premium chocolate market has been growing at 20% annually, showing that buyers are willing to pay more for a better tasting and better quality chocolate. The declining growth of the overall chocolate market and rapid growth of the premium chocolate market is positive for current producers of premium chocolates in that the decline

This is because of the economy of sale and product differentiation that is considered as the entry barriers of the industry. It is not easy for a new entrant to enter the industry because it should need to produce a large quantity at the same low price to compete with a cost disadvantage. It is so risky if they will push themselves to enter in the industry without the assurance that they will gain a high profit. Another reason of having the cacao industry a low threat of new entrants are the competitors in the industry such as Heshey Foods Corporation, Farley Candy Company, World's Finest Chocolate, Inc., Merckens Chocolate Company, and Ghirardelli Chocolate Company which have established brand names and customer loyalty. Another is the government agency, Foods and Drug Administration (FDA) that sets the guidelines and regulations. The distribution channels can also be an entry barrier for a new entrant for a company must acquire it which is time and money intensive. There is really a low threats of new entrants in the cacao industry because of the existence of the big companies, the need of large capitals, the regulations that are placed for food manufacturers and the lack of access to distribution

As of October 2012, Andrea Torres, director of new product development at Montreaux Chocolate USA, needs to recommend whether or not the company should pursue a new product launch in the United States. The new product, a 70% cocoa dark chocolate with fruit product, has been tested because of “its heightened revenue potential, better alignment with health and wellness initiatives, and strong consumer acceptance of the proposition” (Quelch 7). This memo will address the

The Scharffen Berger Chocolate Maker is experiencing an exponential year over year growth rate of their premium product. This is a situation that all new businesses strive for and although Scharffen Berger is pleased with their growth, they are facing a potential dilemma. The company must consider how they will keep up with growing demand while having enough capacity to handle the increase in production and maintain their high quality standards.

From the standpoint of the original Hershey milk chocolate bar, Milton Hershey is the original creator of developing an efficient chocolate manufacturing process during the late 1800s. Milton Hershey developed a method to produce chocolate that tasted delicious, could be created in bulk, and sold to consumers at competitively affordable price. This process begins with obtaining ingredients used to create a chocolate base. Though Hershey’s main factory is in Pennsylvania, the cacao bean is the main ingredient used that needs to be imported outside of the United States. The cacao beans from cacao trees only thrive in tropical climates. These trees grow in tropical rain forests of Brazil and Indonesia. Once the trees produce a significant amount of cacao beans, Hershey hires farmers to pick the cacao beans off of trees. When

The natural environment involves Cocoa beans that are needed by Whittaker’s to produce their chocolate products. Over the next few years, the world is expected to face a chocolate ‘drought’, leading to soaring prices of cocoa beans due to insufficient consumable cocoa to chocolate manufacturers. (Western farm press, 2011)