After gold, which substance holds absolute power over people around the globe? Chocolate! There perhaps maybe very few amongst us, irrespective of colour, caste or creed, who are not swayed by chocolate.

In India, the business of chocolate manufacturing has been growing in leaps and bounds.  More and more FMCGs have entered this space. But Kochi based Cacobean Chocolatier can truly claim to be different from them all. They sell semi-finished gourmet chocolates without carrying their own label as we see on other major chocolate brands. It supplies semi-finished products to hotels, corporates and whosoever wants them, and they in turn put their own name on it and re-sell it or supply it to their own customers.

Apart from well known clients like Bharti Walmart, Cafe Coffee Day, Costa Coffee and Taj Hotels, Cacobean chocolates have also made their way to the London Edition of the Olympics. They all outsource their manufacturing to Cacobean.  

The start 
        
"What got us started was our passion for cocoa and chocolate," says Sarin Patrick, Director, Sales. "It took us 2 years to even decide on the format as there were no consultants and experts in this segment. We had to travel, spend and learn all by ourselves," he adds.  And in 2007 they finally launched their company.

Manufacturing

Cacobean has been a part of the India Cocoa group, which has its own cocao plantations in the sourthern states of India. They process their cocao beans and supply it to Patrick's company.

The process of making chocolates at Cacobean has all been automated; which helps the company in customizing their products as per a customer's requirement. Cacobean can hence cater to multiple private label products with the same consistency in quality and taste. Their processing units comply with the international standards of quality and food safety.

They have also acquired collaboration with Cacobean AG of Switzerland, through which they are able to get all their technical help and knowledge.

The chocolates    
      
"As of now, it is the only domestic manufacturer that makes soft-centre filled chocolate products, where the fillings are also developed by the same company," comments Patrick. "No artificial ingredients are used, and all products have a one-year long shelf life." Their chocolates are priced in the range of Rs 1200 to 1500 per kilogram. 

Revenue model:

Through this pricing, they are able to generate 
1. 25 % of their revenues through bulk Supplies - Bakeries , Hospitality Services , Chocolatiers, and so on
2. 40 % through Private Labelling / Contract Manufacturing: For large and medium retailers and own brands     
3. 20 % through exports in UAE and the middle east and
4. 15 % through hospitality services

Apart from these a small share of its revenues also comes in through Direct Selling, Corporate Gifting In- flight supplies and Duty free segment. Five years may not be such a long journey for a company but Sarin says Cacobean will most likely break even this year.  Part of its revenue was re-invested in the previous years to buy the latest in technology, he explains.       

- New Age Content Services

smementor@moneycontrol.com