University

James Bailey
November 12, 2024

Background: My path to founding Chomp! Chocolate was shaped by a range of experiences: I traded stocks, flipped houses, worked in production and marketing advertising on Broadway, and built and sold two smaller e-commerce companies.
Motivation: These ventures taught me to assess markets, manage risks, and build brands, which became invaluable when creating Chomp! Chocolate.

Market Assessment: I analyzed major milk chocolate brands, studying their taste, texture, branding, and marketing. My goal was to meet consumer expectations while making a vegan chocolate that replicated the creaminess of traditional milk chocolate.
Testing Recipes: To gather feedback on my first recipes, I put out a call on social media and created a “Porch Chocolate” list of interested testers. Each time I developed a new recipe, I placed samples in a box on my porch and notified the group, who would pick up a sample and provide feedback. This real-world testing helped refine the recipe and align it with consumer tastes.
Priority Criteria: Recreating the cocoa percentage, fat, protein, and sugar levels using plant-based ingredients was critical. The main challenge was achieving a neutral taste with plant-based ingredients, but after refining our formula, we managed to replicate the traditional chocolate experience.

Process: I started by making chocolate at home with a melanger and cacao nibs, initially creating traditional milk chocolate as a baseline. This allowed for clear comparisons when developing plant-based versions.
Challenges: Early on, I had to master fundamental chocolate-making skills, like tempering, which affects taste and consistency. Once these skills were in place, fine-tuning the last few ingredient percentages became essential to achieving the right flavor and texture.

Focus on Viscosity: I prioritized fluidity for easy tempering, which was challenging when scaling up. Adding sunflower lecithin as an emulsifier improved fluidity and ensured even tempering.
Trade-offs: Taste was always the highest priority. I opted for the best-tasting ingredients regardless of cost, as long as they were feasible at scale.

Quality Control Systems: We have checklists and employee sign-offs for each production step. For instance, during cocoa bean roasting, employees log the roast temperature and save samples for the production manager’s review.
Additional Tools: We use a micrometer to measure particle size, ensuring smooth texture. For new beans, we test multiple roasts at different temperatures and note each profile, setting a standard roast profile based on data.

Example: We once encountered bloom issues with our chocolate bars despite following all standard settings. Using infrared guns, we found a 6-degree difference between the tempering machine’s display and the actual temperature, revealing a blown fuse in the heating system. Replacing the fuse resolved the issue and restored quality.

Pivot to Build-a-Bar: Rising cocoa prices (up by 350%) led us to explore personalized products. Inspired by Build-a-Bear’s success, I researched the custom gift market and launched a temporary website (CHUNK! Chocolate) for a two-week test with Facebook ads, achieving a 4x ROAS. This validated demand, and we incorporated the Build-a-Bar feature into Chomp! Chocolate.