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 Bethany Garland on October 11, 2011 at 11:29am: Hi, I'm in the process of starting a small chocolate company in California that focuses on cake toppers, center pieces and small scale show pieces. I have been a passionate chocolate lover since 2004, having discovered my true calling in life while in culinary school. I have worked with artisan chocolate companies in the past, but now I'm excited to start my own. I'm very grateful to have discovered The Chocolate Life and this forum.

Comment by Clay Gordon on September 29, 2011 at 9:40am: Emily - there are a bunch of threads about airbrushing and molds decoration in the main discussions on the home page. You can use the Google search box in the middle of the page to locate them (search for Airbrush). These "Allow Me to Introduce Myself" comments to the group is not the place to start a technical discussion for many reasons. If you don't find the answers you're looking for, please start a new discussion in the main discussion forum in the category "Tips, Tricks, and Techniques."

Comment by Emily Woloszyn on September 28, 2011 at 9:52pm: Greetings....

Has anyone here use an air brush with cocobutter before molding their truffles? I did 8 molds the other day. 5 came out... the other 3 were eeww bloom. So does anyone have thoughts or comments? I cannot figure out what the problem is.

Do you know of somewhere to get lessons on air brushing chocolate?

Thanks in adavance for any suggestions....

Emily

Comment by Mim on September 18, 2011 at 2:33am: Hi everyone! I'm very excited about this group. I'm a retired graphic designer, and now dedicate most of my time to my first love 'painting' (chocolate a close 2nd). I've been wanting to start a small chocolate business for local markets first, for over a year now, after treating myself to a fabulous short course at the Ritz Escoffier school in Paris.

I've dabbled in making delicious truffles, and dipping home made candied oranges and sour cherries grown on our farm. I'm looking to do something with the tons of figs, quinces and other fruit which we subject our uncomplaining friends to, every year. However, there is always something that gets in the way, namely 'procrastination' and stuff like 'safe food handling certificate', 'public liability insurance', the really hot chocolate unfriendly weather we have in Australia at Christmas (chocolate season!) etc, etc...

I am really enjoying reading some of the posts...like the info on the transfer sheets! Would love to put my own designs and logo on my chocolates!...

I am sure that being part of this group, will inspire me to make the big step.

Cheers!

Comment by Beth Husband on August 27, 2011 at 11:25pm: Hi guys!

I just posted this same intro in the "Allow Me to Introduce Myself" forum, before finding this group, so please forgive if you come across it twice.

I've been a member for some time, but as more of an observer than participant. As I'm considering jumping into the deep end of chocolate pool, I think it's time to introduce myself and start participating.

I am the owner of Whimzy Chocolates, which I operated for several years out of kitchen incubator in the suburbs of Houston, TX. I sold primarily at weekend arts and craft markets and through special orders. My products line is largely made up of what I call "familu favorites", caramel pecan clusters, caramel apples, various barks, lots of chocolate covered tasties, and hand rolled truffles. I managed to develop somewhat of a following and frequent sold out of products before the end of an event.

Unfortunately, just after my husband and I made the decision to relocate out of state, I recieved three different requests to wholesale, one of which was from a major national department store.

It's a year later, I'm happily settled just outside of Nashville, TN and the chocolates are calling me. I am strongly considering resurrecting the business, but on a larger scale, with the goal of renting a location and building out my own commercial kitchen. My initial targeted market would be a few coveted wholesale accounts, special event orders, and the weekend markets, with an eventual growth to a retail chocolate boutique.

I welcome any words of wisdom or caution, and would love the input of those who have gone down this road before me. I'm in the processing of identifying the costs involved and my question of the moment is "what do I need, that I don't know I need?"

My primary big piece of specialized equipment has always been the tempering machines. Is there another, chocolate specific piece of equipment that has improved your production time and makes life easier?

Thanks,

Beth

Comment by Audra Ford on August 6, 2011 at 9:45pm: Hello, I'm Audra starting out a new business in hand dipped chocolate and baked goods in northern CA. I'm currently online and saving up capital for my shop. I'm renting space from a commercial kitchen and looking into selling at farmers markets and events to get my chocolates out there... any advice would be appreciated thanks, I'm redesigning my website to match the new logo i created but the website i have now is www.audrasdelights.com

Comment by Bhuvan on August 5, 2011 at 4:17am: Would you be interested in Single Origin cacao bean from Tolima near Ecuador region. Please email me for more details and specification. "bhuvan.thaker(@)gmail.com"

Comment by Nick Styles on August 3, 2011 at 12:10pm: Hi everyone, my name is Nick and I'm looking at starting a small bean to bar business in China for local consumption. This site is extremely useful and the information from all the members has answered many questions I had.

Comment by Dragan on July 28, 2011 at 4:51am: Hi everyone! My name is Dragan Rajkovic, I am from Serbia (Europe) and I would like to start small -scale production of chocolate dipped pretzel rods. i would appreciate any suggestion and advice concerning small-scale/homemade chocolate tempering, melting, dipping, cooling, storing..

Thanks

Comment by Patrick Pineda on July 28, 2011 at 3:54am: Dragan kako si brate... mismo ovde u kaliforniu, bas mi se svidja tvoija idea. posalime message da vidim ako mogo ta te pomognem. jeli si u beogradu?