John Taylor, Managing Director Chocolate
Graphics International spends his time
in Australia and travels frequently
overseas. To arrange an interview,
samples or for more information please
contact the head office on:
Aussie company Chocolate Graphics International
has discovered an ingenious way of communicating
- by chocolate. The company has developed a
patent protected process that can emboss any
image, message or photograph onto a chocolate
surface using chocolate.
The specialised process uses computerized laser
technology that produces chocolates with high-definition
chocolate embossing. Using semi-automated
equipment the process can produce up to 150,000
personalized chocolates each working day.
These innovative products can be made in almost
any flat shape, size, flavor and in many
different colours making them ideal for a wide
range of uses and markets.
Sizes range from small mouth sized branded
chocolates to large format pieces, which can be
embossed and used as invitations, menus, novelty
CD's or business cards.
The chocolates can be filled with nuts, fruit
and other flavours. There are even carob and
yoghurt varieties as nutritional options.
Businesses, Hotels, Restaurants, Non Profit
Organisations, and even Art Galleries have been
quick to adopt this unique communication tool.
The general public response has also been strong
with orders coming for wedding favors, birthdays
and celebrations like Christmas, New Year,
Easter and Valentines Day.
Managing Director John Taylor comments: "our
clients love the "wow" factor that comes with
the product. For business, the branding of a
chocolate with a corporate logo, photo or
message creates a compelling communication. Who
could say no to chocolate?"
Taylor explains: "The success of Chocolate Graphics® is linked to the fact that chocolate
is the world's most popular gift. People in all
cultures love chocolates. In the USA for example,
over $13 billion worth of chocolate is consumed
each year. This is supported by a recent survey
we conducted which showed that 98.5% of
respondents saw a need for our product in the
next 12 months."
Chocolate Graphics® has chosen to expand
internationally using the popular franchise
business model.
Small self-contained manufacturing Production
Centre for making the chocolates have been
designed along with a marketing, training and
promotions kit, which is sold as a package to
licensees.
Managing Director John Taylor explains, "interest
in the licenses has been huge, in the last 18
months we have received inquiries from over 70
countries, and have appointed Licensees in the
United Kingdom, Slovakia, Scandinavia,
Australia, New Zealand, Malaysia and Singapore."
By selling licenses the company is able to
utilize the local knowledge of its Licensees and
can have a far greater reach than it could using
traditional export methods.
Mr Taylor explains, "we found that shipping
costs and travel time made export from Australia
impractical and so chose the franchise model
because it allows us to have a local presence in
the markets in which we operate."
In the USA Chocolate Graphics® plans to appoint
a Master Licensee who will be responsible for
developing the network of 250 Production Centres
projected for the country. The Master Licensee
will also oversee training, marketing, and brand
development activities within the USA.
The product is so easy to produce that Licensees
do not need to have prior chocolate
manufacturing experience. As a result Chocolate Graphics® has attracted entrepreneurs and
business people from a variety of different
backgrounds looking for a food business offering
a greater scope than traditional fast food
franchises.
The specialised technology also offers existing
confectionary manufacturers a clever way to
extend their business and develop into new
markets. All that's required to transform an
ordinary chocolate production line into a Chocolate Graphics® line is the addition of a
small number of custom designed equipment pieces.
Chocolate Graphics® uses computerized laser
technology that has been developed to produce
life-like photo and 3D imaging on chocolate. The
specialised process has been patent protected
worldwide.
The Chocolate Graphics® process is unique in
that it does not rely upon transfers or dye
printing to achieve the personalized effect. The
entire product is made of chocolate.
The company has developed sophisticated,
semi-automated technology for the mass production
of the chocolate products. A manual Production Centre
can produce 12,000 pieces per day, while the
semi-automated Production Centres are capable of
producing up to 150,000 pieces daily.
The production automation was developed using
New Zealand's PTL, one of the worlds leading
developers of chocolate manufacturing technology.
PTL specialises in consulting and designing new
technology for chocolate manufacturers such as
Nestle, Hersheys, Cadbury, Mars and Barry
Callebaut.
Director John Taylor explains, "our specialised
technology means that we are able to emboss
photos and 3D images on chocolate in very fine
detail. This means that any photographic image
can now be reproduced on a chocolate surface".
Taylor comments: "With this technology we can
reproduce complex logos, images of the corporate
headquarters, a new product or even the CEO, all
on chocolate using chocolate"
Clever management, a strong strategic focus and
creative marketing strategies have marked the
history of the company since its purchase.
An Australian inventor developed the original
process in 1988. However it lay in an embryonic
state until July 1999 when John Taylor purchased
the patents, applications and manufacturing
rights.
Recently retired and ready to settle into a life
of beach and golf, Taylor discovered Chocolate Graphics® and couldn't resist the opportunity to
become the Colonel Sanders of the chocolate
world.
John comments "my vision was to take this
exciting Aussie concept and develop it into a
model that could be multiplied numerous times
worldwide".
He comments; "overnight we turned a small "cottage
industry" into a profitable commercial venture".
By rebuilding the technology and redeveloping
the intellectual property, including the
registration of four new international patents,
the Chocolate Graphics® concept became a
commercial reality.
Since that time the process has been
significantly upgraded to incorporate state of
the art laser and automated technology, which
allows the embossing of fine resolution
photographic images and has raised the
production capacity of a semi automated
Production Centre to 150,000 pieces per day.
Within the USA the Master Licensee will receive
revenue from the sales of Licenses as well as
ongoing royalty and advertising revenue. With
250 licensees projected this is set to be a
multi million dollar business.
During test marketing in Australia, the
Australian Licensee achieved sales revenue of
3.5 million dollars over the first 3 years.
John Taylor will be available to discuss
financial details personally during interviews.
Profile: John Taylor, Managing Director
Chocolate Graphics
John Taylor began his career as a plumber,
following in his father's footsteps. However
immediately upon finishing his apprenticeship he
made a lateral move and took his first job in
sales, selling plumber hardware. This move was
to shape the future direction of his very
successful career in business.
Mr Taylor comments: "I didn't want to be limited
by a particular profession so a step into the
business world via sales was a very natural move
for me. It was there I started developing
foundational skills in marketing and learnt how
to work opportunistically."
The next few decades saw John move from one
successful sales and management venture to
another, specialising in kick starting new, and
re-engineering flagging operations and achieving
in very short periods of time annual turnover
revenues in excess of $10 million.
Aged 35 he launched from scratch his own, Faber
Reed Industries business, based on homewares and
handicrafts and within 10 years it was achieving
a turnover in excess of $15 million.
John comments: "My earlier experience had shown
me the importance of judging the mood of the
market. Sensing that fashionable homewares were
on the move I built my business around them
using the successful Direct Selling marketing
approach."
He engaged over 5000 independent contractors and
developed a unique upmarket range of pottery by
recruiting craftsmen from the English Midlands
to train local talent.
John's next career move came in the early 80's
when he was awarded the Australian Franchise for
Pola Cosmetics, the largest direct selling
upmarket cosmetic company in Japan, which
boasted an annual turnover of $5 billion. He was
also appointed as a member of the International
Board.
With enviable successes behind him, John was
appointed President of the Japanese division of
Nutrimetics, a skin care and cosmetics direct
selling business now part of the Sara Lee group
of companies, with over 250,000 consultants in
12 countries.
John's operational responsibilities included
managing over 120,000 independent consultants in
Japan and reengineering the 10-year-old
operation.
John explains: "When I started with Nutrimetics
they were incurring heavy losses. During my 5
years as the Japanese President the company
achieved record profits."
Returning to Australia after the Asian economic
crises he worked in business consulting for
several years and was settling into retirement
on Australia's holiday capital, the Gold Coast
when he discovered and acquired Chocolate
Graphics® in 1999.
