CHOCOLATE DISRUPTION

"In the modern world of business, it is useless to be a creative, original thinker unless you can also sell what you create." David Ogilvy

With a background in Business and Marketing, I like to think I entered the Cacao and Chocolate industry with a unique perspective.

My unique viewpoint has offered me a different lens, into the world of fine specialty chocolate. Being immersed within the industry, has demanded my focus on the pursuit of growth. How do we develop from currently occupying 1% of the confectionary and chocolate market, to revolutionizing the global consumer attitude, encouraging market share dominance? 

Through my constant quest, I have had the opportunity to interact with business owners, chocolate makers, researchers and industry leaders. I have noticed one element that needs significant attention. Conveying the point of difference. 

How does fine specialty chocolate differ, from products within this market?

The answer may be obvious to those devoting themselves professionally or actively researching current practices. Yet, it is far from obvious to the consumer public. As we grow from the industry’s embryonic stage, it is a strategic necessity to implement a collaborative effort by chocolate makers, to define the future of specialty chocolate. 

Today’s minute market share is indicative of the lack of consumer awareness, the fundamental focal point that needs to be nurtured. Through a collaborative effort, it is important to provide structure and defined language for consumers, to encourage this industry’s growth.

We are dealing with a product that is absolutely adored by all ages and genders. So, it is safe to say that the audience exists, but, as Ogilvy has relayed, we must focus on the execution. 

The nebulous language of fine specialty chocolate can contribute to confusion. Without a unified official terminology, companies are using their own terms, differing from one another. Once we have a uniform set of terms, this will facilitate the efficient communication with the consumer public. 

Fine specialty chocolate is differentiated because it offers creative and sustainable alternatives to the traditional market. By prioritizing a new structure for chocolate, public awareness can drastically shift, encouraging participation in a unique experience. It is the recognition of such differences, that enhances appeal and contributes to market expansion. 

Bon Bon Bon, based in Michigan, is a ‘badass’ brand offering uniquely designed chocolate, awakening nostalgic memories. What sets Bon Bon Bon apart, is their daring philosophy to think different, opening doors to a playful excursion of blissful consumption, encouraging a new perception for bonbons. 

In today’s world, consumers are encouraged to buy innovative products that have a story. Tales of impact and information. It is important for fine specialty chocolate entrepreneurs, to be proactive in optimizing their powerful stories; from sourcing to chocolate making.

Clearly defining their points of differentiation, companies like Askinosie, displaying their cacao farmers on the forefront of their packaging and Tony’s Chocoloney, prioritizing consumer awareness through their dedicated promotional campaigns and chocomobile road trips across the country. These provide examples of companies that are steering the conversation. 

We need consumers to understand the significance of ethical purchasing, sustainable agriculture and appreciate the symphonic experience of fine specialty chocolate. In order to do so, we must develop a unity within the cacao and chocolate industry. It is the producers of cacao and makers of chocolate, who must redefine the pending question: 

What is chocolate in the 21st century?