Startup Central

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Comment by Andre Skibniewski on July 26, 2011 at 1:58pm

Hello everyone!. My name is Andre and I am very happy to join the group. Together with my Canadian partner I am planning to establish a small chocolate business (home made Belgian pralines). I am very new to the world of chocolate - completed one day semi-professional training - but I need a lot of help and advices. I am preparing my business plan - can anyone help me to make a list of equipment (might be second hand) good enough for a "vertical start up"? I live in the Netherlands, but the business will be in Poland. I am looking forward to your reactions. Best regards, Andre

Comment by Jayne Hoadley on July 16, 2011 at 4:46pm

My name is Jayne Hoadley and I have a new chocolate business.  Currently we are online and take our products to the community through tastings about town.  I am glad that this group is here so that I can ask some (or many) questions.  My website is www.jevelynconfections.com

Comment by Robert Rigo Kilonzo on July 7, 2011 at 6:53am

Hi all, I recently fancied myself a potential chocolatier and took up to creating a small business. My interests include yoga, cooking, reading, yoga, yoga, yoga .......... oh I forgot I already mentioned that... Yes, I love yoga. I am currently in the first trimester of establishing the chocolate candy business and even though I have been a member of this site for barely a week, I must say that the support I have received here is sterling.    Thank you all for making this so seamless for me and I hope we will get to know each other more as time goes.        God Bless.

Comment by Dione Costanzo on June 27, 2011 at 7:45pm

Has anyone used Bakon 123 melting trays for tempering and holding?  Looking for feedback on efficiency and accuracy.

Thanks!

Comment by Cathy Kuepfer on June 24, 2011 at 3:58pm

We use a Hilliard machine for all of our chocolate work. We use Peter's Chocolate. We have a lot of trouble, some days more than others, with the chocolate thickening as the day goes on. We turn the temperature up slowly as needed (starting at 89F.) Even at 91F. , somedays it gets too thick to work with properly. We do not have an easily climate controled area to work with. Is this our problem? What is the ideal temperature of the work area?  I think humidity might be a great part of our problem, but our area is very small, and heats up considerably with the two airconditioners used for the cooling tunnel, as well as the chocolate machine itself. I am trying to convince the owner that a dehumidifier would help, but he feels that this would only add more heat to the room. Any suggestions or comments would be greatly appreciated. I forgot to mention that we are in the centre of a stip mall and have no access to an outdoor wall in the area we dip.

Comment by Cathy Kuepfer on June 23, 2011 at 4:31pm

I have worked in a small chocolate store in Port Elgin for a number of years, with no one to really talk to about some of the intricacies of making chocolates. I wasn't sure where to go to find answers to some of my questions until I stumbled across this website.We are looking to expand and I have become production manager and am excited to get new ideas, as well as learn more about easier and better ways of doing things.

Comment by Adam Chandler on June 22, 2011 at 5:38pm

my partner and i are in the midst of opening a chocolate business in vancouver. we'll be making a variety of pralines, truffles, caramels and confections for the wholesale and retail markets. having recently acquired a raw warehouse facility to use for our production, we're currently stumbling through the design and permitting phase of the project. still finalizing our equipment selection, i look forward to sharing in this wonderful resource as we stumble along through these opening months.

Comment by Craig Boreth on May 26, 2011 at 4:28pm

Hey Everybody. 

 

I did a soft launch of my first chocolate line--Twice the Vice Spirited Chocolates--late last year, and I'm going to start full-on small-scale production in August in Santa Monica, CA.   

 

I'm making truffles potently infused with top-shelf liquor (different Scotches, tequilas, bourbons, etc.).  I'm really excited about a 9-piece box of White Russian chocolates I'm making with a Big Lebowski theme: The "Helluva Caucasian" Collection (featuring an image of The Dude on each chocolate, and packaging art by Lebowski Fest poster artist Bill Green).

 

Look forward to learning from everyone's experiences, and sharing my own. 

 

If anyone wants to check it out, my website is www.twicethevice.com. 

 

Cheers,

Craig

Comment by Emily Woloszyn on May 25, 2011 at 10:13pm

Good Evening... my husband and I are getting ready to put our recipes together this weekend for our shop. The shop will open mid to late August. I have been to chocolate classes at the CIA and have done minor work in a chocolate shop as well. I enjoy coming hear and doing research for more education. We hope to be in the shop next month practicing....

Comment by Aylen Lyra Doucette on May 18, 2011 at 4:29pm

Is there a machine out there that can make powder out of raw cacao superduper fine so I can make super smooth raw chocolate?

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