What do corporate high-fliers do when the economy slumps? They move into chocolate--it's where the money is.
"When the economy is doing well, some [chocolate makers] sell at ridiculous prices. They do so, not because they are better, but because they can get away with it," says Anne Weyns, co-director of L’Artisan du Chocolat.
Weyns quit her job at a management consultancy to help a friend get a fledgling chocolate company off the ground and is now successful in more ways than one.
Kshocolât, which prides itself on different yet not premium-priced chocolate, was founded by Diageo UK's former financial controller Mr. Coyle. Using various business models, Coyle and Wyens and others like them, each found their niche and is successfully building their customer base. The result?
They escape the day-to-day drudgery and pressures of the corporate world and live their lives on their terms.
The rest of us get chocolate.
Corporate Chocolatiers
Chocolate Makers Beat Economic Slump
Trend Themes
1. Corporate Chocolatiers - Business professionals can explore setting up their own chocolate-making business as a way to escape corporate drudgery and still earn good revenue, as well as provide affordable chocolate to consumers.
2. Affordable Fine Chocolate - Chocolate makers can focus on providing customers with high-quality fine chocolate at affordable prices, disrupting premium-priced monopolies in the market.
3. Niche Business Models - Exploiting niche markets when launching a chocolate business can help attract customers and establish a unique selling point, such as Kshocolât's non-premium, different-tasting chocolate products.
Industry Implications
1. Food Manufacturing - Food manufacturing industries can explore producing affordable fine chocolate to disrupt premium-priced chocolate products.
2. Entrepreneurship - Entrepreneurs can explore the chocolate-making industry, discovering niche markets to exploit and provide chocolate products at different taste variations and prices.
3. Corporate Business - Corporate business professionals can consider moving into the chocolate-making industry, launching their own business to escape corporate pressures and still earn good revenue.