conference californian chocolatiers

09/10/312009 New York Chocolate Show

Conference-Tasting: Californian Chocolatiers

ConferenceConferenceConferenceConference----Tasting Tasting Tasting Tasting on Californian on Californian on Californian on Californian ChocolatiersChocolatiersChocolatiersChocolatiers

Lauranie, Esprit Chocolat



• Numbers of unlucky miners trying to find gold abandoned Californian soils and decided to discover their neighbouring countries.

• Cocoa plants already existed in Mexico, in Costa Rica or even in Nicaragua

• « One of the citizens came out to meet us and escort us to his house, where a beautiful supper was ordered for us consisting of tortillas, biscuits and huevos with the most delicious chocolate I ever tasted » Charles Ross Parke, Dreams to Dust, A Diary of the Californian Gold Rush

A historical link with cocoa and chocolate A historical link with cocoa and chocolate A historical link with cocoa and chocolate A historical link with cocoa and chocolate

• 1848: Domingo Ghirardelli, understanding miners need something to spend their gold in, decides to launch into business and opens his first grocery store

• 1850: opening of an hotel and a shop in San Francisco

• 1852: the Ghirardelli Chocolate Company was born

• 1866: 1,000 p of imported cocoa beans

• 1885: 450,000p of imported cocoa beans

The Gold Rush and The Gold Rush and The Gold Rush and The Gold Rush and itsitsitsits consequencesconsequencesconsequencesconsequences



TastingTastingTastingTasting fromfromfromfromBeatrizBeatrizBeatrizBeatriz LedezmaLedezmaLedezmaLedezma, , , , CaxaoCaxaoCaxaoCaxao

San Diego, CASan Diego, CASan Diego, CASan Diego, CA

Mexico and California: a long storyMexico and California: a long storyMexico and California: a long storyMexico and California: a long story



A meetingA meetingA meetingA meeting

CaxaoCaxaoCaxaoCaxao ChocolatesChocolatesChocolatesChocolates

• 2005: Creation of her first brand Xocoatl• 2007 : Creation of Caxao Chocolates“In my personal journey and education, learning from great masters was a must, that’s why once I had the opportunity to travel to France, training with one of the best pastry chefs and chocolatiers, such a Pierre Hermé, became a obsession”

An An An An authenticauthenticauthenticauthentic connectionconnectionconnectionconnection

• Being a Mexican, it was natural for Beatriz to work with a raw material from her native country and to make of it a sweet she could offer to her adoptive country



Food trends in CaliforniaFood trends in CaliforniaFood trends in CaliforniaFood trends in California

TwoTwoTwoTwo main main main main movementsmovementsmovementsmovements

• The Raw Food Movement

• Initiated at the beginning of the 20th century in the American West

• 1984: Leslie Kenton re-launches the movement in Raw Energy – Eat Your Way to Radiant Health, recommending sprouts, cereals, seeds based meals and fresh vegetables juices

• The hippie movement in the 1970s and 1980s also promoted a return to safe food



Food trends in CaliforniaFood trends in CaliforniaFood trends in CaliforniaFood trends in California

TwoTwoTwoTwo main main main main movementsmovementsmovementsmovements

• The Farmers Market Movement

• A double target: bring the producer closer to the consumer and allow farmers to be more competitive

• 1977: end of restrictions on farmers due to (thanks to) production surplus

• Fresh products become accessible to consumers but also chefs in restaurants

• Chocolate makers like Scharffenberger and Recchiuti start to source some of their products on the Farmers Markets



TastingTastingTastingTasting fromfromfromfromPeter Peter Peter Peter BrydonBrydonBrydonBrydon, , , , BarloventoBarloventoBarloventoBarlovento

Oakland, CAOakland, CAOakland, CAOakland, CA

San Francisco Bay Area: the artisansSan Francisco Bay Area: the artisansSan Francisco Bay Area: the artisansSan Francisco Bay Area: the artisans’’’’ kingdomkingdomkingdomkingdom



A A A A retrainingretrainingretrainingretraining

BarloventoBarloventoBarloventoBarlovento ChocolatesChocolatesChocolatesChocolates

• 2006: Peter Brydon and his wife launch Barlovento Chocolate after a career in printing

A state of A state of A state of A state of mindmindmindmind

• Use of natural and regional products. The lemon used in his Meyers Lemon Zest dark ganachecomes from his clients’ gardens « I started working with chocolate because of the organic dried cherries I found at my local Farmers Market. If I had not found those dried cherries ( moist, glossy, excellant flavor ) I wouldnot be a chocoltier today. (…) For our Meyer Lemon Zest we take the concept a step furthur. Wesource all our lemons from our customers at the Farmers Markets »



United States Annual consumptionUnited States Annual consumptionUnited States Annual consumptionUnited States Annual consumption

Evolution of chocolate consumption Evolution of chocolate consumption Evolution of chocolate consumption Evolution of chocolate consumption –––– United States United States United States United States

FiguresFiguresFiguresFigures

2007: 12p/ people (4th place) >>>> Datamonitor’s prediction for 2010: 14p

““““PremiumPremiumPremiumPremium”””” chocolatechocolatechocolatechocolate

2004: $670 billion >>>> 2009: $850 billion

“Premium” chocolate sales +24%Global sales +3,9%



Evolution of chocolate consumption Evolution of chocolate consumption Evolution of chocolate consumption Evolution of chocolate consumption –––– United States United States United States United States

TrendsTrendsTrendsTrends

• Highest focus on nutritional facts

• Search of affordable luxury products

• Treat oneself in a stressed economic situation

• New designations of products “Premium chocolate”, “ Gourmet chocolate”

• Highest rate of “Premium” chocolate consumers in the Western regions



Evolution of chocolate consumption Evolution of chocolate consumption Evolution of chocolate consumption Evolution of chocolate consumption –––– California California California California

Figures and TrendsFigures and TrendsFigures and TrendsFigures and Trends

• In 2004, 136 chocolate factories in California vs 122 in Pennsylvania

• “We've gone through a food revolution” John Scharffenberger

• A reputation of a « paradise for food snobs »

• A pragmatic explaination of the concentration chocolatiers: climate



TastingTastingTastingTasting fromfromfromfromTchoTchoTchoTcho ChocolatesChocolatesChocolatesChocolatesSan Francisco, CASan Francisco, CASan Francisco, CASan Francisco, CA

California and Silicon Valley: when techies fall into gastronomyCalifornia and Silicon Valley: when techies fall into gastronomyCalifornia and Silicon Valley: when techies fall into gastronomyCalifornia and Silicon Valley: when techies fall into gastronomy



A meetingA meetingA meetingA meeting

TchoTchoTchoTcho ChocolatesChocolatesChocolatesChocolates

• 2005: Timothy Childs, a former engineer on the Shuttle, founds Tcho Chocolates• Karl Bittong, serial chocolate entrepreneur. Opened several chocolate factories in the US.• Louis Rossetto, founder of Wired Magazine and web pioneer

A state of A state of A state of A state of mindmindmindmind

A A A A processprocessprocessprocess

• Uses of the web 2.0 tools : to create proximity through the whole process, from the producer to the final consumer

• Innovation and optimization of the equipments to limit maintenance and energy consumption and to focus on the product’s quality



InterviewedInterviewedInterviewedInterviewed ChocolatiersChocolatiersChocolatiersChocolatiers

Thanks toThanks toThanks toThanks to…………

Beatriz Ledezma, Caxaohttp://www.caxao.com/

Peter Brydon, Barlovento Chocolatehttp://www.barloventochocolates.com/

Thimothy Childs, TCHO Chocolatehttp://www.tcho.com/

Jason Vishnefske, Santa Barbara Chocolatehttp://www.santabarbarachocolate.com/

Mimi Milne, Ojai Chocolateshttp://www.chilihot-chocolat.com/

Robert Lambert http://www.robertlambert.com/



SurveysSurveysSurveysSurveys

SourcesSourcesSourcesSources

The U.S. Market for Chocolate survey Premium Chocolate Confectionery – US- March 2007, Mintel International Group LtdConvenience store news April 2006

DatamonitorPatterns of chocolate consumption by Seligson FH,Krummel DA, Apgar JL

Nutrition and Food Safety Department, Hershey Foods Corporation, PA 17033.Am J Clin Nutr 1994 Dec; 60(6 Suppl):1060S-1064SChocolate and cocoa Products – SIC 2066

U.S. Department of Commerce (DOC).National Confectioners Association (NCA)Simmons Market Research Bureau dataResearch and Markets - http://www.researchandmarkets.com/reports/c84435

OrganizationsOrganizationsOrganizationsOrganizations



BooksBooksBooksBooks

SourcesSourcesSourcesSources

Economics, Taylor Weerapana 2009 – Article « Calif. Chocolatiers boost Premium boom »From Lisa Leff

The History of Farmers Markets, Dave Fidlin

The Chocolate Conscience, Gillian Wagner Ed. Chatto & Windus, London

Bitter Chocolate, Investigating the Dark Side of the World’s Most Seductive Sweet, Carol Off Ed. Random House, Canada

The American West

Dreams to Dust, 1849-1850 – A Diary of the Californian Gold Rush, Charles Ross Parke Ed. Nebraska



Discover the history of cocoa and chocolate

Discover the creations of top chocolate manufacturers in Paris and throughout the world

Train your senses to enjoy an exceptional product and become a connoisseur

Esprit Esprit Esprit Esprit ChocolatChocolatChocolatChocolat’’’’ssss offerofferofferoffer

Chocolate Chocolate Chocolate Chocolate TastingsTastingsTastingsTastings

Chocolate ToursChocolate ToursChocolate ToursChocolate ToursTake a behind-the-scene look at the world of chocolate in Paris and receive advicefrom professionals on how to select and taste chocolate, or even make your own!



After working for 6 years in the press & PR industry during which time she worked with several companies as a PR consultant, I created Esprit Chocolat, thus turning my passion into a career.

After a tour of cocoa plantations in Mexico followed by a fact-finding visit to the San Francisco Bay Area in 2006 to research new chocolatiers, I created Esprit Chocolat, a company specialized in the organization of chocolate tastings and chocolate tours.I currently work in partnership with top gourmet chocolate manufacturers in Paris, provincial France and overseas.

My primary ambition is to share my passion for chocolate as wellas doing my utmost to promote superior quality chocolate, made from raw materials cultivated with methods that respect the environment and the labour of individuals, and selected by manufacturers and chocolatiers themselves.

With my chocolate tastings and chocolate tours, I take you on a journey through a world of unsuspected pleasure and discovery.

Lauranie Nonotte, founder of Esprit ChocolatFormal training at the Université du Chocolat, Paris (IESA)

Training in Sensory Evaluation at the Centre de coopération internationale en recherche agronomique pour le développement (CIRAD), Montpellier

Secretary General of the Club des Amants du Chocolat de la Couronne Parisienne (ACCP)V

Photo:Raphaël Hache

Esprit Esprit Esprit Esprit ChocolatChocolatChocolatChocolat –––– LauranieLauranieLauranieLauranie NonotteNonotteNonotteNonotte



Contact

Tel : +33 (0) 953 426 542Mob: +33 (0) 663 920 572 [email protected]

http://esprit-chocolat.blogspot.com

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