The
Product
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."
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The Licensing System
Chocolate Graphics® has chosen
to expand internationally using the popular franchise
business model.
Small self-contained manufacturing
kitchens 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.
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Technology Overveiw
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 kitchen 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"
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Company History
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.
The company has expanded around the
world with Master Licensees for the United Kingdom,
Slovakia, Scandinavia, Australia, New Zealand, Malaysia
and Singapore already sold.
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Financials
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.
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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.
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Promotional Pictures
If you have an interest in using
any of these pictures to accompany the above information,
please email your request to info@chocolategraphics.com
specifying intended use and which file format is preferred. |
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