Startup Central

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Are you looking to start a chocolate business? Want to talk to others who've been there or done that - or have you been there and done it and want to share with others? This is the place to discuss it.

Location: Worldwide
Members: 476
Latest Activity: May 12

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Startup Central - Sponsored by Savage Bros

Since 1855 Savage Bros. has manufactured confectionery machinery. Their chocolate and candy making equipment are recognized worldwide for long lived quality and reliability. From these 19th century roots in the industry, Savage Bros. strives to meet its customers’ equipment needs with well designed and manufactured machinery. They specialize in taking new and growing businesses to the next level by streamlining their production process.

Quality chocolate is one of Savage Bros' passions, thus they offer a wide array of chocolate processing equipment for the artisan chocolatier — from chocolate melters and temperers to single mold filling workstations with depositors and built-in vibrators. And more!

Do you make great chocolates? Know everything there is to know about tempering chocolate and cooking the perfect caramel? Able to turn out thousands of finished chocolates without blinking any eye?

Does the thought of using Quickbooks or writing a business plan sends you screaming into the walk-in begging for mercy?

This group is for you. When you join, please introduce yourself to the group in a comment on this page. Yes, I know you have a profile page, but it would be great to have you add a few words about you and your business in the context of this group. If you have a website, feel free to post a link to it. Please don't post a link to your profile page, people can just click on your profile photo to visit that.

PS. Below is the full picture I used for the Group photo. It's a chocolate store/cafe in Mexico. Those are stone mills (the kind Taza uses) to the right of the guy with his back to you in the blue shirt and notice that they are selling beans. The stone mills suggest that this store is located in Oaxaca.

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Comment by Howard Roth on March 19, 2010 at 3:36pm: Hi all. I'm joining from Chicago. My son and I (he's graduating high school this year) have made chocolate together since 2006 and are now interested in taking this hobby to a new level. By the way, I've been in that chocolate shop in Oaxaca (pictured at the top of this group) and it was the inspiration for me to come home and try to make chocolate myself.

Comment by Patricia D. on March 8, 2010 at 12:59am: Hello:
I am a Chilean resident in San Francisco and I am in the stage of testing a product. I am looking forward to learn more about chocolate. If there are classes in the city or nearby I would appreciate the information. This is a great community and I have been learning a lot just from reading your posts. Thanks!

Comment by Shelley Fields on March 3, 2010 at 12:46am: Will do, thanks for the suggestion!

Comment by Debby on March 2, 2010 at 10:28pm: Shelly, if you'll start a discussion for that topic it would be easier to follow the answers rather than have them buried in the comments. And, I would be more than happy to answer. "It all began with the bees..."

Comment by Dirke on March 2, 2010 at 5:48pm: Thanks Emily, looks tasty. I will pass on the link to my friend. Much appreciated.

Comment by Emily on March 2, 2010 at 4:59pm: Dirke, have you looked at Lagusta's Luscious for vegan chocolate ideas? Her truffles look great, and I've contacted her before with questions about her products. She's very friendly and responsive as well.

Comment by Shelley Fields on March 2, 2010 at 4:35pm: If anyone that is currently in business would be so kind as to answer these questions, your answers would be so helpful to those of us starting out! No dollar amounts are needed unless you are comfortable sharing, as they can be so helpful!

1. How did you get into chocolate and when did you actually start your business?
2. What was your original strategy?
3. How did that change and why?
4. What did you think would happen vs what really happened?
5. What is your vision?
6. Who is your target market?
7. How did you figure out how much money you needed to start?
8. Was it enough?
9. How long did you think it would carry you? Did it? If not, why?
10. How long before you were in the black?
11. What was the best advice you received regarding your business?
12. What are the most important lessons you learned about the business side?
13. How big a price did you have to pay to learn that?
14. Knowing what you know now, what would you do differently?
15. What do you like the most and the least about your job/business? Was that a surprise?

Comment by Dirke on March 2, 2010 at 4:20pm: This is how I support cocoa growers/buyers and sellers and thought you may like this route? It helps out other entrepreneurs in developing countries.

I support entrepreneurs by investing in there business temporarily by helping to provide them with capital for investment. In my opinion it's a great way to sustain and create new ventures in cocoa.

If you are not familiar with it please check it out - http://www.kiva.org Look under fundraising and then food. I am in no way affiliated with this organization, I just think it's good.

Comment by Lizzy Steffen on February 22, 2010 at 4:41pm: Howdy! I've had a small cake & confectionary business in Peoria Illinois just under a year now and I'm loving it. I've been amazed at the growth of my small business. I just do it part time but there are no "good" chocolate shops here. I made my own website and it's always a work in progress but here it is: www.lizzyskitchen.com
I'm happy to be here!

Comment by Sacred Steve on February 10, 2010 at 6:58pm: The challenge is the pretty much, NO Vegan Certifier will certify anything with normal cane sugar in it, since it is a standard industry practice to use BONE CHAR as a filtering agent in the cane sugar industry!