Companies bet on gourmet chocolate

Ten years ago, the national agency of sanitary surveillance (Anvisa) established that in Brazil, the chocolate had to have a minimum of 25% cocoa solids (cocoa mass and cocoa butter). The resolution came after pressure from industry, which argued that the percentage adopted were not high so that the product could have lower prices.
The problem, experts say, is that even establishing a minimum level, the Anvisa's resolution ended up leveling under the national quality of the chocolate, which won more sugar and fat. But recently, the industry has begun a move otherwise. Following what has happened with the wine, with coffee and beer, the consumer starts now want to know best quality chocolates.
Eyeing this trend, several Brazilian companies are launching what they call "gourmet chocolates", with a higher cocoa content, finest ingredients and quality compatible products from Belgium and Switzerland, where the minimum content of cocoa in chocolate is 40%.
"This movement began when people gained more purchasing power and began to travel more and to experience the finest chocolate," says Dan Franck, Vice President of the Associação Brasileira da Indústria chocolates Chocolates, cocoa, peanuts, hard candies and derivatives (Abicab).
With the demand created, the first step was taken by imported brands, which began to invest more in the Brazilian consumer. The Swiss Lindt, for example, now has 20% more sales points in the country than had in 2010. Last year sales of trademark (imported by dawn) were discharged from 30% in volume. To 2013, it is expected to sell 20% more.
The reaction of national companies followed. Cocoa chocolaterias network Show imported equipment from Belgium to make here, in its factory of Itapevi (SP), gourmet chocolates. "Is equal to machinery that Godiva uses," he says, referring to the traditional Belgian brand, Alexandre Costa, President of the Cocoa. For him, the trend of sophistication of chocolates is not just a fad. "The consumer migration to premium chocolates is an inevitable path and without back," he says.
Nestlé itself, which launched a few years ago the Gold line, chocolates imported from Switzerland, already is trying to make some special products in Brazil. This Easter, the company launched, only in the city of São Paulo, a special egg, in partnership with the chef Carole Christou, owner of the candy store La Vie en Douce.
The Harald, manufacturer specialized in roofs and that provides for other industries and small confectioners, invested r $ 12 million to create two lines of fine chocolates: one for food, another for the common consumer. "We've done partnerships with producers of cocoa in Bahia and Pará to buy them the fine cocoa, one that is often exported to Europe," says Jacob Cremasso, commercial Director of Harald.
Today, according to data from Abicab, gourmet chocolates is still significant, but little has been growing up to three times as much as the common thread. The Association-which is creating a department devoted exclusively to this niche-estimates that 2% of the total market is moved by gourmet chocolate. "It is little. But three years ago it was zero, "says Fonseca. Today, according to the entity, Brazil is the third largest producer of chocolates in the world. Closed 2012 with 732 thousand tonnes production 3.1% over 2011. In consumption, the country is in fourth place, with 2.2 kg of chocolate consumed per person per year. "Three years ago, that average was 1.65 kg, which points to an optimistic scenario," says Fonseca.