Category: Chocolate

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Hershey to Close Scharffen Berger Plant in Berkeley

Scharffen Berger Plant in Berkeley
Scharffen Berger Plant in Berkeley--soon to be closed.

The Hershey company announced that it will close the Scharffen Berger plant in West-Berkeley as well as the Joseph Schmidt in San Francisco to consolidate production in other facilities.

Hershey acquired both companies in 2005 to set up their premium chocolate subsidiary Artisan Confections. Later they also acquired Dagoba in Ashland, OR, as part of Artisan Confections. The SF Chronicle reports that some 150 jobs will be lost.

I guess that’s what happens when a local producer is sold to a global corporation. Tradition and local roots fall by the wayside.

The company was opened in 2001 after co-founders Robert Steinberd and John Scharffenberger started making their chocolate in San Francisco. As I reported in this blog, Robert Steinberg dies of lymphoma in September last year.

A former public relations consultant for Scharffen Berger is quoted as saying: “I’m glad Robert is not alive to see this. If the lymphoma hadn’t taken him, this would have.”

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Concentration of the Chocolate Industry Continues

Several news outlets reported today that ADM, one of the largest commodity brokers in the world, has acquired Germany’s Schokinag, one of the largest European makers of chocolate and cocoa powder. “This acquisition will be an excellent fit for our business as we continue to enhance our global presence across the entire cocoa and chocolate value chain,” said ADM’s Cocoa and Milling vice president Bemis. Continue reading “Concentration of the Chocolate Industry Continues”

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The Global Market for Premium Chocolate

The international market research firm Research and Markets has released a new report on the future of the global market for premium chocolate. The report points out that the market for said chocolate amounts to almost $7 billion. That size reflects a 65 percent increase since 2002, quite a steep growth rate. At the same time, however, premium chocolate still only represents a small share (less than 10 percent) of the total global chocolate market of $75 billion.

Continue reading “The Global Market for Premium Chocolate”

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Ten Years of Divine Chocolate

Divine Chocolate celebrates its tenth anniversary with a four day exhibit of photographs at the gallery at Oxo Tower Wharf in London. Check out a preview of the photographs. Ten years are a remarkable achievement and I’m excited to add my congratulations.

Aminatu Kasim, Kuapa farmer
Aminatu Kasim, Kuapa farmer

Since its humble beginnings as a project conjured up by Twin Trading, the Body Shop, Christian Aid and Comic Relief, Divine has morphed into an important player on the fair trade scene. Most importantly, the farmers of Kuapa Kokoo have been the direct beneficiaries of its success. Check out the timeline and the story of Divine for more information.

At the core of the success is the quality of the cocoa beans produced by the farmers of Kuapa Kokoo. They work hard and are proud of their achievements. I could not help but feel this price during my visit both at the headquarters and the Boakyeasua village society.

But in addition to the work and commitment of the farmers, there is also the tireless work of Sophie Tranchell, the managing director of Divine, and her team in London. She positively radiates enthusiasm about her work as a social entrepreneur and told me during an interview last year that she wants “to change the world chocolate and doing with it with chocolate that’s great makes it easier.”

To get your fix of divine chocolate look for it in your favorite stores. Ask them to do so if they don’t carry it. UK residents will have an easier time finding it, but Divine now has a U.S. presence and its chocolate in available in more and more places.

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And now for something completely different …

I’ve gotten used to the idea that people will mix chocolate with just about anything edible. Part of that is human curiosity, another part is the desire to come up with yet another new thing that can stand out in an ever more crowded market. But the news of the first chocolate made with camel milk did seem to warrant at least a mention. So, here it is. A company in the United Arab Emirates has produced the first milk chocolate made with camel milk. It comes in the shape of, you guessed it, hollow camels–one a baby camel at 130g and the other a big camel at 730g. The manufacturer, Al Nassma Chocolate, assures buyers that only the finest ingredients have been used.

I usually resist most gimmicks when it comes to chocolate. Why mess with something that’s already perfect? But I guess there is a case to be made for milk chocolate using something other than cow’s milk. If anyone out there has tried it, let me know.