Is Xocai everything it's made out to be?

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by ChocoFiles on August 31, 2008 at 5:20pm

John,

The price per 100G is what I use to compare chocolate prices. So how much does a "nugget" weigh? Or-- to get the end result I'm looking for-- what is the price per 100g?

Eating chocolate 3x per day seems excessive to me, and more than the average consumer. I'd be curious to have an estimate of how many grams per day of chocolate consumption that TCL members average. (And then you'd have to take into account our much greater than average passion for chocolate.)

Perhaps members on here might also want to share how much they average spending on chocolate per month too.

Lastly, I like variety, so I doubt that I'd eat the same brand every day of the month.

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Permalink Reply by cybele on August 31, 2008 at 5:29pm

Olorin - like you I like variety and though I consider myself a chocolate nut, I don't eat that much on a daily basis.

I've tried other "fortified" chocolates and found that they lacked the fat and mouthfeel that I like so much and felt like work instead pleasure.

I don't think I'm in any way normal or indicative of other chocolate lovers in the amount of money I spend or eat. (But I document it pretty well on my blog where I review about 20 things a month, usually 5 high end items in there.)

I find the influx of new members that are solely talking about Xocai a little puzzling. There's so much here and so many incredible resources (people who actually visit cacao growing countries, pick out beans and then make actual chocolate) and here we are talking about something that isn't even made out to be a decadent treat.

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Permalink Reply by ChocoFiles on August 31, 2008 at 8:23pm

QUOTE:"I find the influx of new members that are solely talking about Xocai a little puzzling. "

Actually, I was thinking the same thing when I wrote my last post. There seem to be many, many better chocolates than Xocai that we could be spending time pondering (and dreaming about).

Permalink Reply by John on August 31, 2008 at 8:29pm

Olorin,

Their two most popular chocolates are the Xocai X Power Squares and Xocai Nuggets. The Square weighs 6g (Xocai recommends 3 squares per serving) and the nugget weighs 12g (1 nugget per serving). The cost per 100g for the Squares is $17.86, $16.07, and $13.10 (retail, preferred, and wholesale). The cost per 100g for the Nuggets is $12.50, $11.25, and $10.29. So, how does that compare to other gourmet or top of the line chocolates?

From a business/marketing standpoint, I've seen the products promoted almost like nutritional supplements (hence, 3 times a day) and also like pure decadent chocolate. The appeal to potential distributors is that many people already love chocolate so you are basically getting them to substitute for Xocai. But, that only works if they are already spending over $110 per month!

Cybele, the reason for all the activity in your blog regarding Xocai is due to the Xocai Network Marketers creating 'buzz'. MXI (the parent corp) does no traditional but instead relies on word of mouth marketing through its distributor force.

-John

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Permalink Reply by Sydney on September 1, 2008 at 3:34pm

Hi, John, I was looking at Xocai from the same standpoint as you when I was in Vermont with my friend, but once I got home and did a little homework, I decided that I just wasn't going to be able to sell such an expensive product--not in these economic times. I canvassed some friends and neighbors and they all looked at me like I have two heads. Then again, I didn't have any samples; I'm not very good at the selling aspect anyway.

Also, just to let you know, I found one site that is underselling (if that's the right term) this Xocai chocolate and selling it at less than the distributor wholesale price that you discussed and that my friend buys it for. I just sent her the link because she only buys it to eat it, not to sell it, so she may as well save money. I don't know how this one site can sell it for less than wholesale, but they are: $98 for 100 nuggets and that includes the shipping.

Best of luck to you.
Sydney

Permalink Reply by Marie on November 15, 2008 at 2:53pm

Hey John,

The reason that three chocolates per day seems excessive to you, is most likely because you saw that each one costs $1.24 and pictured them to be a normal size bar. GET THIS JOHN, the size of the $1.24 chocolate is approx. the same size as a Hershy's Kiss. Yep! Can you imagine paying almost $4.00 for three Hershy's kisses EVERY DAY!!

You have to admit that 3-Hershy's kisses a day doesn't sound excessive.............

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Permalink Reply by John on November 16, 2008 at 11:47am

Hi Marie,

I read your other Xocai-related post and it seems we share a similar experience, except you arrived at your conclusion much more quickly! I agree with your comment that "I do not believe that this company will survive because the consumer has to perceive that they are getting a fair price for the commodity they're consuming. This is Business and Economics 101! No amount of any kind of "chocolate" is worth what I paid. Let's face it, Xocai is selling chocolate - nothing more!"

Regarding Network Marketing, hard to argue with what you said. I've done a lot of investigation and soul searching. If you are interested in trading stories email me at jszydlo1@tampabay.rr.com

-John

Permalink Reply by Starr Metro on April 7, 2009 at 4:29pm

This is totally FALSE.
Xocai nuggets are several times the size of hershy kisses AND are much more dense - to to mention healthy! Power packed with antixoidants. If you'd rather eat a bushel of spinach - or other roughage - to get the same amount of antioxidants, because that's what you'd have to do, go to it, but don't knock the chocolate way of getting the same benefits.

Permalink Reply by Dove Chocolatier on November 26, 2008 at 9:26am

I two have been hounded by those from xocai, they have evan added Dove tags,etc to secretly send people to there web sites . I feel that it is not a Company I would want to be associated with, As far as Dark Chocolate having mystical properties,I did run across an science article that all dark chocolate has the antioxidants as long as ate in moderation, so their claims to them only having a healing chocolate to me is false.

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Permalink Reply by Sydney on September 1, 2008 at 3:26pm

Hi, Samantha. The term "cold processed" is not actually mine; it is the claim on Xocai's literature that my friend in Vermont gave me. I took the words from one of their brochures that says first "Xocai products are produced with unprocessed, non-alkanized, non-lecithinized cacao powder," and later in the brochure under the ingredients for Xocai: The Healthy Chocolate, it says "Cold-processed Belgian cocoa powder."

Just wanted to clear that up because I am not, repeat not, making any claims for Xocai. I think they probably make a decent product that some people are all miffed about because of the whole pyramid scheme type business and because of the price. But it has nothing to do with me.

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Permalink Reply by John on September 1, 2008 at 9:54pm

Samantha, thank you for the detailed reply. It really is very helpful. I wonder whether the average Xocai distributor understands cold-pressed, cold-processed, non-lecithinized, non-alkanized, blanched, unfermented, sun-dried, non-roasted, etc... I know that it left me bewildered. I don't think it is necessary to understand these matters in great detail in order to sell Xocai (some would argue it is a hindrance) but I needed to understand it in order to make a decision on whether to build a business.

Sydney, $98 a box for the nuggets is definitely discounted. Maybe the person she buys from gets the nuggets in bulk. Still, even at $98 it is an expensive addition to my diet and/or supplement regiment. Like you, I can not get past the notion of asking others to spend this amount of money. I tried unsuccessfully to get data on the percentage of chocolate going to consumers versus distributors. I suspect the percentage of true consumer is much smaller then the percentage of distributors, but that is just my opinion.

-John

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Permalink Reply by Sue Ann on July 22, 2010 at 9:45am

I thought you might like to see the answer I got from the MXI head office when I asked what temperature Xocai is cooked at:

-- The products survive temperatures in excess of 60 degrees Celsius during the molding process. Please keep in mind, that even a temp of a 120 degrees Fahrenheit will not reduce the ORAC value on our products.

I replied:

That is a strange reply since 120 degrees Fahrenheit is 48 degrees Celsius, and you are heating Xocai to 60 degrees celcius? Raw food is only heated to 48 degrees, therefore you should not be advertising your products as Raw Cacao?. This is very concerning.

Xocai replied:
We start with Raw Cacao however, we do need to use some heat in the molding process for the solid chocolate or the baked products. The powdered products do not undergo this process.

I replied:
I would have to think all chocolate starts with raw cacao and undergoes a process of heating. However not all products claim to have raw cacao in them or a special patented cold press technology. Do you not think this is false advertising? It is all about the finished product and there is no raw cacao in it, therefore the packaging should not state raw?

I would really like to know If other companies can cook their chocolate at 42 degrees then why should anyone pay so much more for Xocai which is cooked at over 60 degrees?

I wish other companies would get their chocolate products tested for ORAC scores because I think that would put an end to Xocai's over hyped marketing ploys and stop future people like me investing so much lost time and money into a terrible company!

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