Tell me, are you by chance one of the people who cannot imagine their life without chocolate? Yes? You are not alone! It is precisely because of the mass consumption of these products that chocolate producers and sellers have always been able to survive any crisis without any significant losses. Therefore, if you are thinking about starting this type of business, we suggest that you figure out together how to open a chocolate store.

Basic moments

There are several options for conducting this matter. First of all, you can simply open a chocolate boutique selling confectionery products that you will purchase from suppliers. You can also establish your own production and sell products either through your own store or through retail chains.

Advantages of the chocolate business

The advantages of this type of activity include the following:

• constant demand for products (it is difficult to imagine a time when people will stop buying chocolates);
• small starting capital (if you plan to produce chocolate in small quantities for retail sale, rather than large-scale production);

• lack of difficulties in the technology of producing chocolate products: at the initial stage it is not at all difficult to master the basic tricks of the process, later you will be able to use your skills and experience to create your own recipe;

• high income: according to experts, entrepreneurs engaged in this area can easily count on a profit of 200%.

Flaws

Like any other business, the chocolate business, in addition to its advantages, also has its disadvantages. These include the following:

• In order for your products to be competitive, you need to make them unique and attractive to the consumer, which, given the current diversity in the chocolate market, is not such an easy task.
• Even if you are planning to open a large enterprise, you are unlikely to be able to compete with the main leaders in the production of confectionery products, since they have been working on developing their own brands for many years and have invested a lot of money in their promotion and advertising. However, within one city you may well be able to take a place in the niche of this product.

How to open a chocolate shop with your own small production

This option is optimal for beginning entrepreneurs who do not have large sums of money for initial investment. So, if you want to retail the chocolate you have created, the business plan for such a business, first of all, should include clauses on renting premises and purchasing the necessary production and commercial equipment.

Choosing a store format

If you decide to open a chocolate boutique, then first you need to decide on its format. So, you can focus exclusively on exclusive products of your own production or, in addition, cooperate with other suppliers.

In addition, you can offer your clients the creation of custom chocolate products. You also need to decide on the price category of your products: it is desirable that there be a wide range of products on sale at different prices, which will attract a larger number of buyers to your boutique.

Selecting a room

When pondering the question of how to open a chocolate store, every budding entrepreneur thinks about where to place his boutique. It is advisable to select places with high traffic: for example, you can rent premises in a large shopping and entertainment center.

If you prefer a street format store, then give preference to busy pedestrian streets. As for the area, you can start a business with a small department of 10-12 square meters. However, the optimal area for a chocolate shop is 30 square meters.

Boutique design and equipment

Particular attention should be paid to selecting a suitable design for your store. As a rule, to decorate boutiques of this kind, they use chocolate-cream tones that match the color of the product you are selling.

Also, don’t forget about stylish racks and refrigerators for storing confectionery products. In addition, your store must be equipped with air conditioning, since as the temperature rises, chocolate very quickly loses its presentation.

Recruitment

While understanding the intricacies of how to open a chocolate store, you need to pay attention to hiring qualified workers. For a small boutique, one salesperson per shift will be enough. In this case, you need to either select an employee who has experience working in establishments of this kind, or conduct appropriate training so that the employee has a good understanding of the assortment, can help customers with their choice and can beautifully design gift sets.

If you are going to sell your own products, then to produce them you will need to hire a professional confectioner who knows all the secrets of this process.

Range

You can quickly attract regular customers if your boutique offers customers a wide range of products, including confectionery with a variety of fillings, chocolate of all types (black, white, milk, with additives and without fillers), truffles, figurines and chocolate fountains . It also makes sense to put up for sale items dedicated to various holidays. These delicacies will sell out very quickly.

Advertising and promotion

During the first time your chocolate boutique opens, don’t be lazy to spend time and money on its active advertising. Consider a bonus system for regular customers, organize product tastings, give small gifts to customers when making a large purchase, etc. Also, such a business can be actively promoted using social networks.

Equipment for making chocolate

If you are planning to open a store with a small workshop for making chocolate products, then you will not need to purchase an entire production line, including expensive units.

So, it is quite possible to get by with a high-quality oven and refrigerators.

However, if you are planning large-scale production, then you cannot do without the appropriate equipment. Typically, such a production line is intended for the production of high-quality chocolate, dehydrated chocolate paste, shaped chocolate, icing for coating ice cream and confectionery, chocolates (both filled and unfilled) and casting of candies and bars.

We invite you to learn more about what equipment is used for chocolate.

A special chocolate casting line is designed for the production of products with or without fillers. Using it, you can make both candies and bars (in one or three stages, depending on the design of the unit). The chocolate production equipment also includes a tempering machine. It allows you to obtain a homogeneous chilled chocolate mass with a stable form of cocoa butter.

Conches are used to remove excess moisture and residual tannins from the raw materials themselves. The chocolate mill is used to produce natural products, chocolate with vegetable oils, as well as chocolate and cocoa mass. A ball mill is used to grind and mix chocolate and cream masses.

Molds for chocolate production are designed to give the confectionery product the desired appearance. Since this equipment is quite complex, you will have to spend at least 10 million rubles to purchase it. In this regard, not every novice entrepreneur can afford to open such a business.

Today we briefly talked about how to open a chocolate shop and introduced you to the equipment necessary to produce this beloved delicacy. We hope that this information will help you, and soon we will be able to visit your chocolate boutique.

To be successful in any business, you need to be passionate about it. Or so that you at least like it. This has long been proven by numerous examples of people who have made a hobby their main income and are thriving in their niches. What is needed for this? You need to put aside all your fears and doubts and start taking action.

But what if your obvious passions are gastronomic? For example, you love chocolate. Sweet tooths, rejoice! Right now, in the article you are already reading, Reconomica will tell the story of a girl who made money by making chocolate products right at home with minimal start-up costs and made many customers happy with her chocolate bars and candies.

How I organized the production of chocolate products at home

Hello friends! My name is Christina. Today I want to tell you about my small but very tasty hobby, which brought me a small monthly income: handmade chocolates and bars. The topic of my earnings is not new and is already developing in most cities.

Start. How I got into the sweet business

It all started during the most pleasant period of any woman, the period of pregnancy. Being in an interesting position, I really wanted chocolate.

Some people are drawn to salty foods, but I am drawn to sweet...

And one day my husband brought me handmade sweets made from natural chocolate from a business trip. After that, I no longer wanted to buy the chocolate that is sold in our regular stores.

But the nearest city where you can buy such a delicacy is 400 km from us, and I thought:

“Why not try making chocolate yourself?”

I looked at websites related to the production of chocolate products, various videos and master classes from chocolatiers. After studying the information, I concluded that it would be easier and cheaper to make my favorite treat from ready-made chocolate.

From the video I also learned that one of the best is Belgian chocolate. The optimal chocolate for me in terms of price and quality was Barry Callebaut, I found its distributor and ordered 5 kg for myself to try.

First order

And so, on January 21, 2016, I made my first chocolate bars. The next day I went to the clinic and brought one chocolate bar to my mother at work. In the evening she called me and said that her colleague was wondering if I could make 2 tiles for her. Since I had time and chocolate for this, I agreed.

Later I learned that one of the chocolates was an anniversary gift. Word of mouth started from that bar, and already from February 3, my fellow villagers started calling me asking me to make the same chocolate bars.

How much does it cost to build a chocolate business?

The idea that, while on maternity leave, I could do something interesting and also income-generating (especially since there is demand), pushed me to open my own small home production of chocolate products.

These are the chocolate candies and bars you can make with your own hands.

My starting investment for the purchase of raw materials

At the time when I decided to open my own chocolate business, I already understood that investing a lot of money at the start was not advisable, because making products from natural chocolate is, although exciting, but for me, as a beginner, a complex production process, requiring certain knowledge and skills that I did not yet have enough of. I decided to continue producing chocolate products from ready-made chocolate and buy only the essentials.

I watched a lot of master classes and video lessons on making chocolate products, wrote down various interesting recipes for myself and made a list of the necessary ingredients.

Bars and candies made only from chocolate are not as attractive as those with filling.

1. Chocolate, 15 kg – 9,000 rub.

I bought chocolate in cullets of 3 types: dark, milk and white.

1. Topping (nuts, berries, spices, etc.) – RUB 7,500

Chocolate and water are incompatible, so we had to take only freeze-dried berries and fruits. To make it more attractive and increase the price, I also used edible gold and silver as a topping.

Necessary equipment for the production of designer chocolate

Professional equipment is expensive to buy, and you need a suitable room for it, because it will be very difficult to place it in the kitchen. Therefore, I decided to make do with the essentials and those that are in every home.

1. Microwave oven – already existed, 0 rub.

A microwave oven is necessary for tempering chocolate.

1. Thermometer – 150 rub.

It is also necessary for tempering (controlling the temperature of the chocolate mass).

1. There was also a refrigerator, 0 rubles.

A refrigerator is needed for rapid crystallization of chocolate, as well as for storing finished products.

Inventory

All equipment can also be bought in a specialized store, but this is also expensive. Everything from the list below can be found in the most ordinary stores in the “Tableware” department. The exception is molds for low tide - I looked for them on websites for chocolatiers and soap makers, as well as on websites of goods from China (they are cheapest there).

1. Glass, metal and plastic bowls, 5 pieces - about 2,000 rubles.

For preparing chocolate mass and fillings for sweets.

1. Silicone spatulas, 4 pcs – 100 rubles;
2. Whisk, 1 piece – 30 rubles;
3. Forms – 1,500 rub.

Molds for pouring slab and box chocolate, as well as sweets.

Packaging for chocolate bars and candies - how much does it cost and where to get it

1. Shrink film, cardboard, packaging paper, satin ribbons, etc. – about 2,000 rub.
2. Various decorative elements (stickers, stamps, pieces of fabric, etc.) – no more than 500 rubles.

Any material can be used as packaging, from paper to wood. Your imagination will come into play here. You shouldn’t stop at just one package; you can make themed wrappers and boxes (March 8, New Year, February 23, etc.)

It seems like I haven’t forgotten anything. I don’t remember the exact prices, so I wrote rounded ones. Eventually my expenses at the start were about 23,000 rubles.

A product in beautiful packaging sells better than one in unsightly packaging.

How much can you earn from chocolate souvenirs?

In the chocolate business, earnings directly depend on the funds invested. The more you invest in equipment, inventory and raw materials, the more you can get.

I made do with the bare minimum, so my income was small. In the first month (February 2016) I only earned about 12,000 rubles. And the next month, due to March 8, my income was already about 40,000 rubles. The increase in profit was also due to the fact that I sold chocolates and candies not only in my village, but also in the nearest city and our regional center.

Subsequently, I earned an average of about 30,000 rubles per month.

Key problems of school business

Of course, it was possible to get more, but my business ended its existence in July 2016.

The process of making chocolate products must be continuous: quality depends on it, and with the birth of a child this became impossible for me. There is a high probability that I will resume my business and work on this business more closely. But for now this is only in plans.

During the existence of my chocolate production, I constantly faced delivery problems. In order to make something, I had to first order it through online stores or friends, wait for delivery and only then prepare the delicacy.

There were cases when, due to a lack of ingredients, I refused orders. I also had difficulties with the delivery of finished products. My husband is at work, and it was hard for me to deliver orders myself. In this case, retail outlets in the most accessible places would make the task easier, but I worked unofficially. I had no documents...

A little about the quality of chocolate

I will step back from the story of my earnings and in this article I will touch on the topic of the quality of chocolate and, accordingly, chocolate products.

How is homemade chocolate better than store-bought chocolate?

Mass production is characterized by savings on absolutely everything, including product quality. I think you all have read the ingredients on the packaging of chocolate products.

This is the composition of chocolate typical for mass production.

Natural products are expensive, so analogs and products that are often waste are used.

Cocoa powder is obtained from the cake of cocoa beans after pressing the oil, but another type of cocoa powder is often used, cocoa wella, obtained from waste from crushing cocoa fruits, that is, husks.

In addition to cocoa powder (cocoa well), palm oil is often used instead of cocoa butter, soy lecithin is added as a stabilizer, and these products should not be in real chocolate.

Of course, I'm not saying that all manufacturers use similar ingredients.

Natural chocolate contains only cocoa mass: cocoa mass and cocoa butter, sometimes milk and sugar.

Cocoa mass is the most important ingredient of any chocolate and, as a rule, consists of several varieties of cocoa beans. They are fried and finely ground. From the heat of friction, the cocoa butter melts, and the result is a liquid, dark brown, chocolate-smelling mass - this is cocoa mass.

Of course, producing chocolate products from substitutes and by-products is much cheaper, but not always tasty and healthy.

How to spot a fake

Even if you do not make chocolate products, the information below will help you further distinguish high-quality chocolate from counterfeit.

1. Natural chocolate should contain cocoa mass and cocoa butter. May be milk, sugar, flavoring (caramel, vanilla, coffee, etc.);
2. Natural chocolate always has a shiny, smooth surface;
3. Melts in the mouth and does not stick to the teeth;
4. You should hear a crunch when breaking the chocolate;
5. High-quality chocolate cannot be cheap. The minimum price on the market for 100 grams of chocolate bar without filler is 200 rubles.

Tips for those who want to produce their own chocolate

• If you still want to learn the basics of the chocolate business, then you need to be patient. Before you succeed, you will have used up more than one kilogram of chocolate.
• Always choose only high-quality products: the taste of the finished product directly depends on this.
• Sell ​​all chocolate products only in packaging that is clean, neat and attractive, even if it is modest, with a minimum of decor. You always want to buy a beautiful product in a beautiful package.
• Read more relevant literature, watch videos, attend master classes if possible - in a word, develop, introduce something new into your production.

I guess that's all. I told you about such a tasty and interesting way of earning money, and you can already draw conclusions, do the math and never be afraid to start something new.

Chocolate is not just a product, but a real joy that children and no less adults experience in anticipation of feeling the taste of a delicate delicacy melting on the tongue. It can lift your spirits on a gloomy day, charge you with energy during a break, help out on almost any holiday, and even become a kind of “bribe” when you need to ask someone for something.

Whatever one may say, chocolate makes people happier. Do you want to give joy to others, and even get paid for it? Open your own chocolate production. This business will always be in demand, and people will not stop eating sweets even in times of crisis.

What does a chocolate manufacturer need to know?

The presence of a large number of competitors will not affect your products if you strive for high quality and do not skimp on components, replacing them with cheap analogues. It is better to make a product more expensive than a cheap and low-quality one. Few people will skimp on pleasure, and chocolate is that for most.

The use of various additives “dilutes” the cost of the finished tile, reducing it by 20-40%. Therefore, do not be afraid to introduce chocolate with various fillings into your assortment, thinking that this will increase costs (rather, it will be the other way around).

When starting a business, concentrate on one product - choose either the production of chocolate bars or the production of bars. This will allow you to save on the necessary equipment, carefully consider one recipe (in different variations) and purchase less raw materials than if you produced everything at once.

"Chocolate technology": stages and processes

Chocolate production begins with the primary processing of cocoa beans. They are sorted, cleaned, subjected to thermal procedures and crushing, then the cocoa vella (shell) is removed. This is how you get cocoa liquor. Next, it is pressed, broken and sifted. As a result of processing, two components are obtained - cocoa powder and butter. Then they proceed to dosing and mixing the components according to the recipe. The resulting mixture is rolled and crushed in specially designed mills.

Conching: stages

After this, the main stage of production begins - conching. This process is very important and largely determines the taste and quality of the finished product. It consists of continuously stirring the chocolate mass for a long time. The minimum is a day, but this is in the case of making cheap tiles. On average, the process takes three days, and in the production of elite varieties it takes up to 5 days. This stage is implemented in three approaches:

1. Mixing cocoa powder and powdered sugar, that is, dry ingredients.
2. Removing excess moisture from the mixture.
3. Adding cocoa butter and kneading the already heated chocolate mass.

The described procedure is carried out in special conche machines, resulting in a homogeneous thick mass - it is called homogenized.

Final processes

The next step is the formation of chocolate masses in the form of bars, bars or candies and their filling, if provided by the manufacturer. You can add various nuts, raisins and candied fruits, puffed rice, flakes, waffles, liquid and cream fillings, etc. to chocolate. These components allow you to expand the range of products without the use of additional recipes.

The finished masses are poured into molds (special molds) and kept at a temperature of 33 degrees for half an hour. The procedure is called "tempering". Finally, the completely cooled products are removed from the mold and sent for packaging.

Equipment for chocolate factory

In addition to the main question of how to produce chocolate, there is another, no less important and more significant financially - where to produce it. Equipment in this business is the main cost item, but you can’t do without it. According to various estimates, it will take about 10-15 million rubles to purchase all the necessary equipment. Naturally, they will pay off, and more than once. But first you have to invest.

Equipment for the production of chocolate is a fully functioning line consisting of the following mandatory attributes:

• ball mill - the rolling process takes place here;
• conche machines - for the conching procedure;
• grease boiler - for kindling cocoa butter;
• tempering machine;
• refrigeration tunnel;
• conveyor line;
• aeration units, heated pipelines;
• stamping machine for making molds;
• packaging machines;
• thermostats, hoods.

As you can see, there is a lot needed. Equipment for chocolate production is not limited to two or three main positions. Moreover, every machine is important at some stage, so you won’t be able to do without something. There are, of course, a number of auxiliary installations that will be needed in the case of the production of a certain range. For example, equipment for caramel (if you use it as a filling for bars or bars). But at the initial stage, you can do without such acquisitions.

Raw materials for quality chocolate

The basic composition of a chocolate bar is no secret. Just look at any packaging where the well-known components are listed. This is cocoa butter, cocoa mass and powder, powdered sugar, and sometimes flavoring (vanillin). In addition, depending on the specific type, there are other ingredients (for example, nuts, raisins and other fillings).

But not everything is so simple; many manufacturers, in order to save money, replace high-quality components with cheaper analogues. For example, they use carob instead of cocoa powder or palm oil, vegetable fat instead of cocoa butter (or together with it). This allows you to reduce the cost of the chocolate bar several times, but the taste will suffer.

If you care about long-term reputation and the presence of regular customers, then it is better not to use such tricks. Offer your customers quality chocolate, albeit more expensive. If the product is truly tasty, then there will always be demand for it.

At the same time, you will not be left at a loss. For example, making a kilogram of high-quality dark chocolate (from cocoa powder, cocoa butter and powdered sugar) will cost about 400-500 rubles. At a price of 80-100 rubles per 100 grams, you will earn 2 times more than you spend.

Requirements you need to know about

Every entrepreneur, of course, is concerned about compliance with all the rules and regulations of the law applicable to his type of activity. Chocolate production belongs to the food industry, so communication with the authorities of Rospotrebnadzor and the sanitary and epidemiological station cannot be avoided. First, let's say a few words about the premises for organizing production. Basic requirements for the workshop and warehouse:

• presence of exhaust hood and ventilation;
• installed air conditioning system (to maintain air humidity at 75%);
• temperature in the warehouse - 16-18% (this is important for preserving the properties of raw materials such as cocoa beans);
• water supply, sewerage.

As for specific documents, you will need technological instructions for approval with Rospotrebnadzor, a certificate of conformity for the production of chocolate products, registration documents, sanitary records for all employees. If you comply with sanitary rules, fire safety, and production technology, then there will be no problems with supervisory authorities.

Conclusion

Organizing chocolate production is both simple and difficult at the same time. All the basic processes have long been known and worked out; every entrepreneur can create a recipe and organize the production of products. However, at the initial stage you will have to decide on a number of important points regarding the raw materials used, the purchase of all necessary equipment, and the collection of documents for starting a business.

All this will require considerable effort and time, but the undertaking is worth it. If you correctly draw up a business plan for the production of chocolate, you will soon be able to recoup the costs and begin to make a very good profit. And how much new joy you will give people in the form of chocolate bars!

As you know, there are currently a sufficient number of chocolate manufacturers on the Russian confectionery market (including chocolates, bars, bars, etc.). However, this situation is far from being an obstacle to new manufacturers entering the market.

Moreover, despite the apparent abundance of confectionery (and in particular chocolate) products, the emergence of new manufacturers, especially those producing high-quality and so-called. “premium” brands are strongly encouraged.

Many novice businessmen are reluctant to start a business in food, and even more so confectionery production. Chocolate and other sweets are not considered essential goods, the production of which can quickly turn around the invested capital, and the food and light industries in general are traditionally considered not very profitable.

In addition, many are confused by the need for repeated sanitary and epidemiological inspections of both the products themselves and production premises, because The relevant authorities always pay special attention to food producers.

However, having examined the arguments and counterarguments in some detail, it is not difficult to see that they are untenable.

Chocolate, although formally not an essential commodity, does not lose significant sales volumes even during a crisis. It is one of the favorite products of the population: children love it, like any sweet, and adults, by and large, are just big children in this regard - they very actively consume chocolate, for example, with tea or coffee, instead of a full meal or just for fun.

A box of chocolates is the most common “bribe”, i.e. a thing given in gratitude to minor officials, kindergarten teachers, school teachers and university teachers, doctors and/or nurses in the clinic, etc., not to mention chocolates as one of the attributes of a romantic date.

So the fears of a novice entrepreneur regarding finding a sales market and payback are in vain.

As for the increased attention from the authorities monitoring the quality of products and their compliance with sanitary and epidemiological standards, many forget that any production (even not only food production) is still considered by them in this regard.

So attention is paid to everyone without exception: manufacturers, for example, of many building materials (paint and varnish products, any products related to woodworking, etc.) are subject to increased fire safety requirements. You should not be afraid of excessive pickiness of sanitary officials - if everything is really in order with you, no one will do anything to you.

Summarizing all of the above, we can safely say that the production of chocolate and chocolate products is one of the most interesting and profitable areas of business.

Description of technology and specifics of chocolate production

By and large, there is nothing complicated in chocolate production technology. Yes, the raw material - cocoa beans - requires a carefully selected warehouse: a well-ventilated but dry room with an artificially maintained temperature of 16 ° C. But this is where the special requirements for chocolate production are limited. The rest - the workshop, the availability of sanitary books for the staff, etc. meet normal food production requirements.

The main stage of chocolate production is conching. It consists of continuous mixing of the heated chocolate mass until it turns into a homogeneous (homogenized) mass. Conching is carried out in special conches (or, as they are also called, conches).

Pre-mixed chocolate mass (consisting of cocoa mass, powdered sugar, cocoa butter and additives), subjected to rolling - preliminary grinding in special mills.

The main secret of conching is the duration of mixing. It has been found that prolonged stirring significantly improves the quality of the chocolate mass. Therefore, many elite varieties of chocolate undergo conching for 360 hours, or 5 days.

The normal duration of this process is about 72 hours (3 days). For cheaper varieties, one day of conching is enough.

The conching itself is carried out in three stages: first, the dry mixture (cocoa powder and powdered sugar) is mixed, in the second, excess moisture is evaporated from the mixture, and in the third, cocoa butter (or its substitute) is added to the dry mixture.

Of course, the taste and quality of chocolate is influenced by various flavoring and aromatic additives (flavors, alcohol, wine and similar components), and also by the percentage of natural ingredients (for example, instead of quite expensive cocoa butter, palm, coconut, peanut, milk fat are often added or they combine these components with each other; instead of cocoa powder, carob or carob powder is sometimes used). But ultimately, the recipe for the resulting chocolate is usually a company secret.

The second most important stage of chocolate production is molding, i.e. giving the chocolate mass the appropriate shape (bars, candies, bars, etc.) and filling (if, of course, it is provided by the manufacturer) with crushed nuts, candied fruits, waffles, etc.

The prepared chocolate mass at a temperature of +40 to +45 ° C is poured into special molds (molds). Then it is quickly cooled to 33°C, and, maintained at this temperature for 30-40 minutes, is constantly stirred. This allows the cocoa butter to crystallize properly. This process is called tempering.

Cost of equipment and profitability of chocolate production

Of course, the list of equipment for chocolate production is not limited to a conche machine and a set of molds. For the normal functioning of a chocolate production line, a lot more different equipment is required.

For example, to melt fat (cocoa butter), a special fat burning boiler is required (costing about a third of a million rubles - for a boiler with a capacity, i.e., a working volume of 200 kg of oil); The primary mixing of components (rolling) is carried out in ball mills filled with special steel balls like bearings, with the help of which the mixing process takes place.

Such a mill costs about one and a half million rubles. It comes with 1 conche, but taking into account the technology - the chocolate mass should be mixed for at least 24 hours - you will have to purchase additional conches (each of which costs about 8000-9000 €) so as not to stop the conveyor.

In addition, you will also need a tempering machine (about 1 million rubles) and a vertical refrigeration tunnel that produces the rapid cooling of molded products required by the technology. Such a tunnel will cost approximately 2.5 million rubles.

This is just the basic technique needed to make chocolate. Additional - hoods and thermostats for finished product warehouses, conveyor belts, aeration units, special planetary pumps and heated pipelines for moving liquid chocolate mass from unit to unit, molds and a stamping machine for their manufacture, packaging and other machines in total will not pull less than 4-5 million rubles.

As you can see, the total costs are not too high - something around 10 million rubles, but quite sensitive for a novice businessman.

But these costs pay off very quickly if we consider in more detail the relationship between the cost of chocolate and its selling price, i.e. calculate profitability.

If we consider regular dark chocolate, without the addition of soy, palm oil and other cheap substitutes (namely, it is the least cost-effective), then it consists of approximately 60% (by weight) of cocoa powder (about $ 1870-2010 for 1 t), and 40% from powdered sugar (about $1000 per 1 ton), we get the cost of 1 ton of chocolate (including a small percentage of cocoa butter) at about $1500-1600, or $15-16 (less than 500 rubles) per 1 kg.

Even if, for simplicity, we consider 1 kg of dark chocolate to be equal in cost to 500 rubles. (with labor costs, taxes, depreciation and other costs), and the price of a bar of such chocolate is equal to 100 rubles, we get a minimum profitability of 200%.

This is the lowest limit. Adding various cost-reducing additives to a chocolate recipe literally increases profitability several times over.

Compare: carob, carob powder costs about 50-67 rubles. for 1 kg versus $18.7-20.1 (565-608 rubles) for real cocoa powder. Adding even 5% carob will help save about 8-10% ($120-160) per ton of chocolate.

Video about chocolate production