Chocolate is more than just my favorite food group. Chocolate, as an industry, is booming, sweet with opportunities for entrepreneurs and small businesses.Like most food specialty businesses, there are few barriers to entry for a chocolate company. Start-up costs can be low; in some states, you can even start in your home kitchen. Most importantly, there’s a healthy market, whether you want to sell directly or through others, as both consumers and retailers eagerly seek new, creative chocolate offerings.
To discover the ingredients of a successful chocolate company, I spoke with founders of two thriving chocolate businesses: Donna Gabrilson of Market Street Toffee in Phoenix, Ariz., (www.marketstreettoffee.com) and Jeff Shepherd of Lillie Belle Farms in Jacksonville, Ore. (www.lilliebellefarms.com)
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