It is not possible to cover in any detail all the myriad of possibilities which there are for products in the confectionery business in an article such as this. There are some basic ideas and guidance here, but unless you are reasonably experienced in all aspects of the industry you will need to seek advice …
Mar 27
So… you want to start a Chocolate Business – Part 1
Lots of people want to start a chocolate business; it is one of the most frequent enquiries which come to my inbox. I can understand why, I’ve worked in chocolate most of my career and I’m still as entranced by it today as I was when I started. So what do you start with? …
Jan 02
New Directions
New Product Directions – Some Challenging Thoughts for the Future The challenge and opportunity exists to change the whole direction of Chocolate and Confectionery development and to offer the consumer a series of radical new choices, relevant to now and the future rather than being rooted in the past. This also signals the opportunity for …
Sep 26
Maximising the Performance of Your Business
In order to maximise performance a business must use all its assets to the full. However the “assets” of a business need to be considered much more broadly than just its manufacturing facilities. Businesses have three main groups of assets Their Brands Their Intellectual Property (Recipes, Processes, Technologies, Skills, Patents, Ingredients) Their Capability (Financing, People, …
Sep 24
Starting a Chocolate or Confectionery Business
Starting or radically extending a business in chocolate confectionery is an exciting and challenging thing to do and extremely satisfying if it is successful. The purpose of this article is to highlight some of the important issues you have to consider, choices you may have to make and where it may be useful to seek …
Sep 21
Change is a Way of Life
We can’t go on like this!” Almost every manufacturing operation eventually needs to change. The reasons for this can include expanding or relocating production, manufacturing cost reduction, equipment which is worn out, processes which are no longer acceptable from a hygiene or labour point of view, expansion into a new market place and many others …
Apr 12
Chocolate
Great stuff chocolate, very, very few people don’t like it and I would guess it must be about the most universally accepted flavour. It is also a huge subject – after about forty years in the industry I have come to the conclusion that experience just proves how little, rather than how much, you know …
Mar 26
Making Things – Profitably!
A high proportion of the work we do as a consulting business involves helping people to bring their ideas to fruition. This requires working with them to identify the best technical and commercial approach to achieve a profitable realisation and commercial success from their idea. Most small and start-up businesses in food and confectionery fall …
Jun 07
Novel heat transfer approach reduces energy consumption
The industry’s approach to heat transfer and energy usage needs o=to be rethought in the context of the current environment
Mar 21
Cocoa from Tree to Bean
Cocoa bean is the basis for the world’s most loved flavour – Chocolate – so its origins and a bit about its science is not only interesting but also has some general lessons on the importance of understanding traditional methods of primary crop treatment. The ways in which many crops are harvested and treated immediately …