SGMagazin_2015

SG 7/2015

I N T E R N A T I O N A L

espite Singapore‘s proximity

to the equator, this city state

of some 5.5 million people

has developed into one of the most

modern metropolises and countries

in the world. And the same goes for

Singapore‘s chocolate industry. Some

of the world’s most important cocoa

processing names have offices here,

including Petra Foods. Petra Foods

was founded in Indonesia in 1950 and

its cocoa division was sold to Barry

Callebaut in 2012. Another major

player is the US group ADM, which

has a cocoa processing factory here

employing more than 300 workers.

Last year ADM sold its cocoa division

to Olam International Ltd., which was

founded in 1989 and is headquar-

tered in Singapore. Generally the

companies process cocoa beans from

the Asia Pacific region.

Aalst Chocolate Pte. Ltd. is yet

another important cocoa processor

and chocolate manufacturer in Singa-

pore. The company was founded in

2003 and maintains a high-tech pro-

duction facility on the island. Aalst

Chocolate supplies high quality choco

late masses, couvertures and choco-

late specialties to food manufacturers

and pâtissiers, for chefs and profes-

Delicious chocolates

in tropical atmosphere

Singapore is well-known as an attractive tourism destination, but the country is

also home to an important chocolate tradition. Despite the hot, humid climate,

visitors can find a wealth of global brands as well as exceptional chocolate specialties.

sionals. Aalst Chocolate goes to great

lengths to obtain quality rawmaterials

from reputable and sustainably man-

aged suppliers inWest Africa and Latin

America. It also offers chocolate

based on single origin beans for cus-

tomers from special plantations in

Ecuador, Peru, Madagascar andGhana.

Chocolates from

all over the world

Singapore is a shopping paradise,

and this also applies to chocolate.

Specialist retailers such as Candy

licious, The Cocoa Trees or Candy

Empire and local supermarkets carry

chocolate from all over the world,

ranging from standard varieties to

luxury products. The mass market

features inexpensive imports from

Malaysia, Cadbury range from Aus-

tralia as well as products of Hershey‘s,

Ghirardelli and additional American

companies, chocolate products from

European producers including Ferrero

from Italy, Ritter Sport, Storck and Gut

Springenheide from Germany, Droste

and Steenland from the Netherlands,

Nestlé, Lindt & Sprüngli, Chocolat

Frey and Goldkenn from Switzerland,

Simón Coll from Spain and numerous

other companies. Japanese imports

also claim a large segment. The sales

prices are significantly higher than in

Europe, with a 100 g Ritter Sport bar

costing between 4 and 8 Singapore

Dollars (2.50 - 5.50 €). Research re-

veals that Singapore‘s most expensive

chocolate costs 14 € for 100 grams.

A number of small chocolate

manufacturing enterprises

In addition, Singapore is also home to

a number of small chocolate manufac-

turing enterprises providing products

to the high-end sector. French choco-

latier Laurent Bernard and Singapore‘s

own Chocoworks Pte. Ltd. are two

such luxury manufacturers, both with

their own shops in the Takashimaya

department store at the famous Ngee

Ann City shopping centre on Orchard

Road. Laurent Bernard set up in Sin-

gapore ten years ago and is produc-

ing what is probably the very finest

chocolate in the city, as evidenced by

the many awards it has won. Laurent

Bernard also operates a chocolate

café and a restaurant in Singapore.

Chocoworks is a company founded

in 2004 by Dr. Joe Lee and Josephine

Lee. Its Chocoélf brand is one of the

most popular chocolates in the region.

While Dr. Lee originally studied medi-

cine, chocolate was his true passion

since childhood. This was behind

his ultimate decision to produce a

”healthy chocolate” in Singapore.

With his medical background, Dr. Lee

examined the health components

of chocolate and pralines in order to

offer consumers special chocolates

promoting health and well-being.

Chocoélf chocolate is produced either

without sugar at all or with only very

little sugar, and it is highly popular

in Singapore, particularly since the

debate on a healthy lifestyle and diet

is increasingly a topic of public discus-

sion here. From this perspective, Sin-

gapore‘s people are also prepared to

pay more for high quality products.

The Chocoworks founders started

by experimenting and operating from

their own house. After their initial suc-

cess, they opened a small shop with

a tiny work room where the products

were produced and sold. This led also

to a very successful give-away product

business relationship with corporate

customers. But during the economic

crisis around 2008 the two entre

preneurs struggled to keep the com-

pany above water. During this time

they began working in conjunction

with pharmaceutical and commercial

trade companies producing bars and

chocolate without sugar. This proved

to be a wise strategic decision, ensur-

ing the company‘s survival and pro-

viding the basis for the rousing suc-

cess it has enjoyed ever since.

In 2011 Chocoworks moved into

a semiautomatic production facility

with tempering machines and other

equipment now supporting the work,

which nevertheless still maintains a

handcrafted basis. A total of twelve

employees now work for the com

pany, with seven running production

and five looking after other facets.

In line with its policy of manufacturing

on an absolutely fresh, just-in-time

basis, Chocoworks‘ inventory is kept

very small. The company‘s pralines

have a shelf life of only three months,

while the bars remain fresh for either

twelve or 18 months.

Chocoélf is Singapore‘s No. 1 brand

in the sugar-free segment

Chocolatier Josephine Lee‘s produc-

tion relies on a blend of chocolate

couvertures from Belgium, Germany,

Italy and Singapore. At present the

company’s product portfolio boasts

some 30 to 40 different kinds of pra-

lines and a wide range of chocolate

bars. 80% to 90% of the products are

sugar-free, using maltitol as a sweet-

ener instead. Chocoélf is Singapore‘s

No. 1 brand in the sugar-free segment.

Last year the company received two

prestigious awards for its products,

claiming the Great Singapore Food

Gift Award and Singapore Prestige

Brand Award for its highly promising

brands. Experts acknowledge that the

taste of the sugar-free varieties is vir

tually indistinguishable from that of

chocolates made with sugar.

The product range also includes

the Black Label premium range featur-

ing pralines and truffles without sugar,

the White Label with classic chocolate

and the Specialty Label, an exclusive

range inspired by Singapore‘s unique

historical heritage, Lion City. The series

includes the prizewinning Lion Series

Chocolates and the unique range of

special 65 g chocolate bars. The best-

sellers are Kaya featuring a low level of

sugar and filled with coconut marma-

lade. The Merlion truffle boxes contain-

ing a variety of exotic flavours includ-

ing orchid, durian, green tea, wasabi,

chilli-pepper and ginseng. Sales pric-

es for Chocoélf products are enor-

mously high, with a piece of praline

costing 2 € and the 65 g bar going

for more than 8 €.

Dr. Lee and Josephine Lee also

insist on absolute luxury with the pack-

aging, which is designed by in-house

designers. There are also special

packaging versions for the various

seasonal occasions such as Chinese

New Year and the Mid-Autumn Fes

tival. There are also other wrappers

with additional seasonal motifs, views

of Singapore for tourists and pack

aging commemorating the Formula 1

race. Chocowork‘s customers also

include the Marina Bay Sands luxury

hotel and Singapore Airlines. A spe-

cial edition was also marketed in hon-

our of Singapore‘s 50th anniversary

of independence.

Along with the company‘s retail

store in the Takashimaya department,

Chocoélf‘s products are also sold at

its factory store. Its chocolates can

also be found all over the island at

pharmacies, in hospitals and in tourist

locations such as Gardens by the Bay.

Chocoworks already exports to Indo-

nesia, and plans call for its products to

begin hitting the shelves for the first

time in Hong Kong and China during

the course of 2015.

•

www.chocoelf.com

Stanislav Kramsky

Dr. Joe Lee and

Josephine Lee founded

Chocoworks in 2004.

Their brand Chocoélf is

one of the most popular

chocolates.

Displays in

the

Candylicious

specialty store

with European

products of Gut

Springenheide and

Simón Coll (above)

as well as choco-

In Singapore, there are many specialist retailers such as Candylicious. The French chocolatier Laurent

Bernard offers luxury chocolates in the Takashimaya department store at the Ngee Ann City shopping centre.