Real Chocolate versus Candy Coating

[pringle007]

I set up and peddle my wares at several markets/festivals/events each week. One Saturdays, my booth is just two shops away from a woman who makes confections. She uses the imitation candy coating and dipped pretzels, mallows, crispy treats, apples, and makes four or five basic truffles and buckeyes, etc. Obviously, her prices are far less than mine. The market is in an upscale community and the look of my pieces (transfer sheets, colored cocoa butter, etc) grabs their eyes and I do very well there. However, I always get several that ask me why my truffles are $1.25/per when "She" sells a box of six for $2.50 How can I explain the difference in real chocolate versus imitation coating without putting down her product. Anyone have any ideas on how I could word a sign to explain this without coming off as sounding offensive?

[JAZ]

Do you always use the same brand of chocolate? If so, maybe you could just say, "Made with 100% Callebaut (or whatever brand) chocolate." Or print up a little card explaining about chocolate quality and artificial coatings. You don't have to say that the other vendor uses the imitation stuff; you're just explaining that high quality costs.

[RobertM]

My advice? (for what it's worth). Because you don't know exactly how she makes her truffles (or is buying them wholesale), I wouldn't even address the other people's product. I would merely take it as an opportunity to educate the person asking the question. "we make all of our truffles by hand; using only fresh cream and a high quality chocolate and the very freshest ingredients possible with no preservatives added, which is why we suggest you consume our truffles within X days of purchase" Play the politicians game, answer the question you WANT to be asked instead of the one you were asked - and don't forget to smile.

[RobertM]

I forgot yours was a 2-part question (sorry). In my experience, signs that have more than just a few words never "work" the way we want them to - the verbal exchange is much more meaningful, and you can use that interaction to bond with and develop a customer.

[Marmalade]

I think you should simply state the facts, which is what we try to do with our products.

1. Couverture is made with real cocoa butter, which is more expensive than vegetable fat used in compound.

2. Why is it more expensive? Because there is demand for it in the cosmetic, pharmaceutical, and other industries and it's at least 2x the price of chocolate in my experience.

3. Describe the difference between cocoa butter and vegetable fat-which is what is in compound. It has a much more pleasant sensation on the palate because it melts around body temperature, isn't greasy, and is reasonably healthy for you in moderate quantities. On the other hand, vegetable fat is basically like Crisco.

4. Then, tell about the skills needed to temper chocolate, as opposed to just melting compound.

I don't think you need to say anything about "inferior"-the quality of your products and the facts, laid out plain and clear, should let anyone with at least a modicum of taste and intelligence be able to decide for themselves what's better, and why it's worth the prices you charge.

[Darienne]

Going along with the printed card idea is to do what we do at our shows. Besides a little card which might be available, also print your text, once in a larger size, and put it in one of those clear acrylic stand up frames.

Our sales tag on our work...hand-crafted hardshelled gourds...can be larger than on confections obviously and has an insert on which we print all our information. But on the shelves in the galleries are the stand-up frames with all our information.

Good luck. Yes. Try explaining to a prospective buyer why something handcrafted should cost more than something imported from the mills of China.

[Chris Amirault]

Why not distinguish your product as best you can? You are trying to take business away from her, after all.

[Lisa Shock]

This is also the perfect time to give people a sample and a bit of education. Prepare some small thin squares of your chocolate, hand them out and tell people to snap it in half and to look at the texture. Note how well tempered chocolate snaps. Then ask them to hold it in their mouth and let it melt on their tongue. Tell them about how real cocoa butter melts at body temperature. Also mention that natural chocolate contains hundreds of different flavor compounds and, of all the foods in the world, is second only to wine in flavor complexity. You can additionally mention that like wine, when paired with other foods the flavors can be transformed and elevated.

Keep your chin up! There will always be people who cannot taste a difference, or, who actually prefer the colored shortening. I can't tell you how many times I have made something with high quality dark chocolate and maybe 1/3 of people (non-foodies) trying it have said they don't like it.

Your niche is the person who can tell the difference and wants the experience. Those people may only represent 2 out of every ten who walk past your stand. But, those people will be loyal to you if you serve them well.

I agree that excessive signage will work against you. A small, elegant plaque stating something like 'genuine pure chocolate' might be the only one I would use. -Only because the oil-based stuff cannot be labeled as pure chocolate (yet) in the US, it has to be labeled as chocolate flavored.

[Kayakado]

I had someone I was trying to convince the almond bark they were using was crap. I finally convinced them by offering a test taste of shaving of her almond bark/dipping chocolate and the real thing. Maybe a few shavings and a card that says "Taste the difference between real chocolate and inexpensive dipping chocolate, without actually pointing a finger at your neighboring booth.

[Darienne]

I can't tell you how many times I have made something with high quality dark chocolate and maybe 1/3 of people (non-foodies) trying it have said they don't like it.

Just rereading Lisa's post and it reminded me of last year, taking some wonderful Callebaut 70% chocolate with me to Moab and having two good (non-foodie) friends literally spit it out, saying that it tasted like pure powdered cocoa.

[pringle007]

My advice? (for what it's worth). Because you don't know exactly how she makes her truffles (or is buying them wholesale), I wouldn't even address the other people's product. I would merely take it as an opportunity to educate the person asking the question. "we make all of our truffles by hand; using only fresh cream and a high quality chocolate and the very freshest ingredients possible with no preservatives added, which is why we suggest you consume our truffles within X days of purchase" Play the politicians game, answer the question you WANT to be asked instead of the one you were asked - and don't forget to smile.

I do know what she makes them with - I asked her! She told me it was Wilbur (not Wilton) imitation candy coating. She even told me where she buys it and offered to split a case of it with me if I was interested. lol

[Jenni]

I agree with what everyone else is saying about telling your customers all the really good points about your products. But, do you know what works even better? Giving them a taste! You could even buy yourself a bar of cheap chocolate and break it into pieces, and ask people to eat a piece of yours and then a piece of the cheap stuff (or the other way around, up to you). When they compare the two experiences, they'll see what you mean!

[confiseur]

I can't tell you how many times I have made something with high quality dark chocolate and maybe 1/3 of people (non-foodies) trying it have said they don't like it.

Just rereading Lisa's post and it reminded me of last year, taking some wonderful Callebaut 70% chocolate with me to Moab and having two good (non-foodie) friends literally spit it out, saying that it tasted like pure powdered cocoa.

.........wonderful Callebaut chocolate?...when I think of wonderful chocolate, Valrhona, Felchlin, El Rey,Amano and Amadei certainly springs to mind but Callebaut ?

Edited October 20, 2009 by confiseur (log)

[jgm]

Don't forget to use the word "artisan."

I also like the idea of allowing people to taste. My husband and I were discussing cocoas recently; he (playfully) questioned why I pay $12 for Pernigotti, which is the best available here. (He knows I know how to find the good stuff, especially when it comes to chocolate.)

I pulled out a can of Hersheys and opened it. "Smell this."

"Yeah."

I opened the can of Pernigotti. "Now smell this."

"OOOOOOOOHHHH!"

(Okay, so the can of Hersheys was 3 years old, and the Pernigotti was fresh. Still.)

I would describe the difference between the two, as the difference between hearing a 5-year-old play Chopstix on the piano, and listening to a Symphony, live, playing Beethoven.

I'm confident that if you do side-by-side tastings, they'll tell the story much more eloquently than any words can.