Balamurugan raises production in 25% to meet outsourcers

With only a few days before Easter, the movement at the factory of Chocolates Balamurugan, in the northern zone of São Paulo, is frantic. All to give an account of the 25% increase in production in accordance with the new contract manufacturing agreements, initiated by the company at the end of 2013. To meet the requests, the more than 200 employees take turns on up to three shifts a day on five thousand square meters, located in the neighborhood of cold water, and you've got little for the company.
For more than 40 years in the market, saw its production of Kristie's chocolates for Easter jump from just a ton, obtained in the early 70, to the more than 750 tons estimated for this year. "About 30% of our revenues come from Easter and other 20% are registered at Christmas. So, since I was small, at that time, we were just turning nights to account, "recalls the Director Superintendent of Hammad, Silvana Marconi.
Heiress of the brothers Romeo and Guillermo Marconi, which started making chocolates for over four decades, the Executive today commands a new twist of the company, which includes the outsourcing of production to other companies-such as Fini, the beauty'in!, (the Manager Cristiana Arcangeli), a brand of kosher chocolates (that meet the Jewish principles), in addition to the eggs of the own brand.
With almost 44 years in the market, the history of the company is based on innovation, started with the development of a sweet liqueur that did not take the traditional mass of fondant (a kind of frosting, used in pastries and cakes), containing only the liquid injected into the chocolate. "At the beginning of the contract, the two had an important aid to a family friend who had worked for years in Copenhagen and taught them to mess with the chocolate. But then they were perfecting the products, as in the case of the banks, "says Silvana.
But it was the ' 80 the company managed to consolidate, thanks to a second differentiated recipe, this time of gingerbread, which earned him fame in the Chocolatier.
"Initially we had a local supplier of mass of gingerbread, but after we brought a recipe of Madeira, which was giving out so well over here," he says. This time, the company has installed its headquarters in the northern zone of São Paulo and people went there to try the famous recipe of Hammad, according to her.
With the new expansion plans, the plant in cold water, however, was too small and the company has already acquired a plot of land near the Rodovia Fernão Dias, in Atibaia, about 65 thousand square meters in order to expand its production. The project of expanding the network of shops is also being reviewed. Today, Chocolates with 30 shops Hammad in the State of São Paulo, being 20 points of sale in the capital and 10 in the cities of greater São Paulo and interior, such as Santo André, São Bernardo do Campo, São Caetano do Sul, Guarulhos and Osasco, Atibaia, Campinas, Santos, Sorocaba and Ribeirão Preto. "We are in a process of professionalization of the company, which is entirely familiar. We even had a proposal for a franchise that is being reviewed, "says Silvana. Today, from 30 stores, eight are own and 22 are licensed resellers.
The philosophy of family has weighed in this expansion decision, in what experts call "growing pains". "We don't want to see the whole process, with uncontrolled growth, losing sight of the business," explains the Executive. However, the possibility of growth with the outsourcing just breaking a little this conviction of the company. "In 10 years we have doubled in size, but we don't want to lose control and outsourcing seemed to us a safer road."
The change from factory to Atibaia, still no date set, will allow the company to reach at least 50 stores in the next three years. "We also want to raise the outsourcing, which worked fine on the production lines," adds the Executive, without detailing the investment values.
Today, its product line includes more than 300 items, beyond the traditional gingerbread, fine chocolates, chocolates, cakes, various lollipops, ice cream, Panettone, Easter eggs, candy as Brigadier and cameo and custom products, among many other options.
Silvana explains that the changes are being planned jointly by the family Council and consulting. "Two years ago, we began hiring professional managers, not least because I can no longer be present on the production line as it did before," he says. Formed in chemistry and law, Silvana cares about various details and says it will not neglect anything within this growth process, so there won't be any more problems, as in 2008. "I was apart of the process and I'm not going to give that ' time '. Therefore, we calculate all the steps, "he says. The chocolate industry estimates that sales this Easter Day climb up to 5%.