By Theyo Team
The 'Fine Cacao and Chocolate Institute' (FCCI) is one of the best-known organizations in the 'Fine Chocolate' segment. The institute recently conducted a survey on the consequences of Corona among over 150 small chocolate manufacturers. We report here what came out of it and how virtual tasting can help manufacturers.
The study results
Word should have gotten around by now that Covid-19 has hit small businesses particularly hard. The current results of the FCCI survey show how much this also affects the fine chocolate sector:
- All companies reported that the virus is having a significant impact on their operations. For a majority of the manufacturers surveyed, sales have fallen by more than 50%.
- 80 percent fear that they will soon have to close their business or get into major financial difficulties.
- A majority of the companies surveyed have shut down their production (voluntarily or by force). In addition, many had to send their employees home, close their shops and cancel events such as tastings.
- Everyone who can afford it invests in online shops or tries to boost their sales again through online sales.
You can view the entire study results - presented by Carla Martin, chairwoman of the FCCI - here (in English). For this reason
Eat chocolate and do good
To help these manufacturers, it is more important than ever to avoid regular supermarket chocolate. Instead, you should invest in high-quality chocolate. This differs from industrial chocolate in four main ways:
- It tastes better! Handcrafted chocolate has a more intense, exciting and finer taste;
- She is healthier! High-quality chocolate contains a lot of cocoa butter, which is usually removed from industrial chocolate and replaced with cheaper substitutes or butter fats;
- She is child slavery free! Good chocolate manufacturers buy their cocoa beans directly from cooperatives or farmers and pay a fair price. For this reason
- It's better for the environment! For many industrial chocolates, rainforests are cleared to create fertile soil. Really good chocolate is made from fine cocoa beans, which support biodiversity through the way they are grown.
What do you have to do to support small chocolate manufacturers? Nothing easier than that! Instead of reaching for the 95-cent bar in the supermarket the next time you're hungry, it's best to take your time and buy really good chocolate online ( e.g. in our shop ;-)) or in your favorite specialty chocolate shop. With the new knowledge, the chocolate will definitely taste twice as good. For this reason 
A virtual tasting is a great opportunity to get to know new chocolates
Taste excursion via virtual tasting
Are you curious about fine chocolate? Then join us for a virtual tasting! All you need is a Theyo tasting box. We recommend the dark, vegan version because the different flavors can be tasted particularly well here. Do you like milk chocolate? Then we will take you on a “mixed” journey through the chocolate world. During the virtual tasting you will learn more about the origin and production of chocolate, about the chocolate manufacturers and, above all, about the chocolates themselves. We taste and discuss the chocolates in the box together and you can taste flavors that you otherwise only know from wine. And who knows, maybe our virtual tasting will even help you find your new favorite chocolate.
Click here to find the boxes for the virtual tasting !
Header photo by Raaka
