It emphasizes that dietetics professionals must be aware that chocolate cravings are real. (Kurzer, 1999) The psychopharmacologic and chemosensory effects of chocolate must be considered when formulating recommendations for overall healthful eating and for treatment of nutritionally related health issues
While chocolate has also sometimes been criticized for its saturated fat content, mostly in the form of long-chain stearic acid, chocolate has also been lauded for its antioxidant potential." (Ding et al
According to Hannum & Erdman (2000), the dried cacao bean will contain a 15% weight content of polyphenol compounds and that roughly 60% of that will be composed of the antioxidizing flavanoids. (Hannum & Erdman, 73) the extent to which this ratio promotes the health effects desired in this discussion is not yet firmly established, even under the microscope of so much research
Moreover, we are told that cacao and specifically dark chocolate can be a rich source thereof. (Kris-Etherton & Keen, 41) The research only leaves a door open for improvement of methodologies which either distill the experimental variable of cacao consumption from other lifestyle habits and personal attributes
Our findings indicate that milk may interfere with the absorption of antioxidants from chocolate in vivo and may therefore negate the potential health benefits that can be derived from eating moderate amounts of dark chocolate." (Serafini et al
This produces the type of finding we are given in Wan's (2001) report, which tells that "little is known about how cocoa powder and dark chocolate, rich sources of polyphenols, affect these cardiovascular disease risk factors." (Wan, 596) and truly, much is believed but little can be said to be known
To this extent, Wollgast & Anklam (2000) note that "recently, polyphenols have gained much more attention, owing to their antioxidant capacity (free radical scavenging and metal chelating) and their possible beneficial implications in human health, such as in the treatment and prevention of cancer, cardiovascular disease, and other pathologies." (Wollgast & Anklam, 449) This has of course prompted a cottage industry of exploration into the host of potential carriers of such beneficial compounds
This continues to impact manufacturing and retailing, causing temporary staff layoffs, manufacturing downtime, and strategic issues. Following a review of profitability and the direction of the industry, in June 2011, Thortons made the decision to close between 120 and 180 of its shops (Danaher 2011)
"However, from the late 1980s, cocoa production increased substantially. This was due to the implementation of from 1983 of a World Bank structural adjustment programme, notably encompassing devaluation, increased marketing competition and a decline in taxes, as well as the anti-export bias of trade policy" (Campbell, 2003)
Yet in fact as the events in China (Monotti, 2008) become more significant over time, and both external stakeholders including national governments starting to see there is a growing issue in this industry regarding quality, internal stakeholders become involved in terms of responding to requests to compliance within the industry. Given the transparency and immediacy of data and information the Internet has made available, there was a corresponding groundswell (Bernoff, Li, 2008) of interest in the issues of quality that continue to gain news coverage throughout nations seeing problems with chocolate quality
¶ … Chocolate Value Chain Analyzing the Chocolate Industry Value Chain The chocolate industry value chain is one of the most global in scope, encompassing the growing and harvesting of cocoa beans throughout Africa, Asia, South and North America, with processing centers in over 100 different countries of the world (Delfosse, 2009)
Studies indicate that one of the factors contributing to chocolate being so recession-resilient is the fact that it is one affordable luxury and has an affordable price and pervasive availability, which is due in large part to the exceptionally efficient supply chain of this industry globally (Delfosse, 2009). Market makers including Cadbury, Mars, Ferrero, and Nestle all rely on advanced forms of supply chain coordination and shared risk, including the use of Collaborative Planning Forecasting and Replenishment (CPFR) processes and systems to better manage the high variability of product demand (Doherty, 2009)
The primary activities of Inbound Logistics, Operations, Outbound Logistics, Marketing & Sales, and After Sales Service are supported by the Firm Infrastructure that is typical throughout this industry, which is by nature oligopolistic. Figure 1: Chocolate Industry Value Chain Sources: Based on analysis of (Delfosse, 2009) (Doherty, 2009) (Hildebrandt, 2009) (Monotti, 2008) (Sridharan, Caines, Patterson, 2005) (Tirone, 2008) Next, the Human Resources practices of the industry are evaluated, which in the case of the chocolate industry have a high level of duality associated with them
Better management of supply chain risk is critical for each member of the value chain to stay profitable. Industry Value Chain Analysis Using the value chain framework (Porter, Millar, 1985) as defined by Dr
The primary activities of Inbound Logistics, Operations, Outbound Logistics, Marketing & Sales, and After Sales Service are supported by the Firm Infrastructure that is typical throughout this industry, which is by nature oligopolistic. Figure 1: Chocolate Industry Value Chain Sources: Based on analysis of (Delfosse, 2009) (Doherty, 2009) (Hildebrandt, 2009) (Monotti, 2008) (Sridharan, Caines, Patterson, 2005) (Tirone, 2008) Next, the Human Resources practices of the industry are evaluated, which in the case of the chocolate industry have a high level of duality associated with them
Keeping in mind that chocolate is inherently a process good, the need for accurately tracking sales-out data through Point of Sale terminals and the use of Electronic Data Interchange (EDI), a batch-oriented communications protocol that functions as a distributed order inquiry and order management system to ascertain sales by stocking unit (SKU) or box, the industry is grappling with what standard to use to track sales at the product level. The use of Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) on individual chocolate packing is making it possible to know item-level inventory positions within the largest retailers for example including Wal-Mart, an early adopter of this technology (Zhou, 2009)
The chocolate-and-milk mixture, popularly known as milk chocolate today, was first concocted in this period as well; the recipe was eventually used in England. Cadburys was one of the pioneers in the country who popularized milk chocolate, and its popularity spread to the Americas when the Quakers (who first occupied and settled in the new English territory) brought this popular food and drink with them (Bose, 2011)
With the experience anchoring consumer spending, the second most critical aspect is highly personalized, empathetic customer experience. In looking to differentiate their performance on this service dimensions, Ethel's Chocolate Lounges need to concentrate on the values of service timeliness, reliability, empathy, assurance and tangibles (TREAT) (Sedlock, 2010)
When loyalty is developed and continually improved in a services business by delivering exceptional customer experiences consistently, trust is won and fans of brands are created (Sedlock, 2010). Everything about a service concept needs to reverberate with a correct and very accurate presentation of what customers can expect (Spinner, 2009)
). Everday seeks significant market in the larger overall chocolate market where it will compete head on with America's leading selling candy bars, Snickers, Hershey's Chocolate, Reese's Peanut Butter Cups and M&M's (Beirne, 2006) instead of niche organic players such as Dagoba, Green & Black, Lake Champlain, Chocolove and Newman's Own