Choosing Chocolate for Your Stock

How does any confectionery retailer decide which products to stock among their chocolate supplies when there are so many different brands from which to choose? Thankfully hf Chocolates, who have an extensive catalogue bursting with all kinds of enticing confections, recognise the potential plight of many a vendor and have put together a few factors worth considering when choosing a varied, appealing and attractive stock for consumers.

Everyone knows that taste is the most important thing when it comes to deciding on whether or not you want to add new merchandise to your chocolate supplies, but taste is only one element that needs addressing.

Choosing Wisely

By Cacao Percentage – The percentage of cacao in chocolate is very important and something that customers will specifically look out for. This important number refers to the amount of any particular bar or individual chocolate that is made of cacao-derived products, rather than milk solids and sugar. Normally, the higher the percentage, the darker and less sweet the chocolate. Remember, though, that the taste of one 70% bar may differ significantly from the taste of another.

Advice for any vendor would be to stock a variety of different percentages. While some consumers love the richness of the likes of Simón Coll’s 85% bar, others (particularly those new to darker varieties of chocolate) will enjoy a more mellow flavour, such as Dolphin’s 60%.

Origin – Some might liken chocolate to wine in terms of the way its flavour varies depending on where the cacao is grown. Real aficionados will seek out single-origin bars and prefer these to others that may contain a blend of cacao beans from several regions.

South America is famous for producing cacao, but you also see it grown in Africa and Asia. It is good idea to enhance your chocolate supplies with a little of everything. Willie’s Cacao, has several bars originating from various places, such as Venezuela, Madagascar and Indonesia. They do a sterling job when it comes to differentiating between the associated tastes.

Ethics – Like the production of most commodities, chocolate has come under the radar of many a scrutiniser, so when deciding on which bars to add to your chocolate supplies, make sure you are clued up on the brand’s ethics. Fair trade has made its mark and is known to emphasise fair pay and working conditions for growers and manufacturers. Divine and Tohi sport the Fair Trade label and therefore appeal to the more globally-aware consumer.

Health Benefits – Known to contain various antioxidants, primarily because of its cacao content, chocolate has recently been given the ‘super food’ accolade. There are several healthier options on the market today when it comes to confectionery and chocolate specifically. In general, the darker a bar, the more cacao it contains and therefore the ‘healthier’ it is.

Other options have entered the limelight lately. Raw chocolate and organic vegan varieties are enjoying a surge in popularity. You might also consider stocking bars packed with other health-giving ingredients, such as pomegranate seeds or cranberries. Booja-Booja and Pure have some excellent products to choose from.

In short, variety is always best. Hf Chocolates is only at the end of the phone if you are still baffled with the amount of choice facing you. The team at hf will be more than happy to help you create the best range of chocolate supplies for your customers.