The business of making chocolates

When you drooled over chocolates, have you ever wished you could make some yourself? Making chocolates is no more just a hobby, it offers many interesting career opportunities today.

To pursue a career in chocolate making one must be passionate about tasting chocolates, creative, and enterprising. Mental and physical strength, management skills and of course perseverance to keep experimenting and improvising are crucial.

Chocolate can be challenging to work with. The slightest temperature change can alter its consistency and therefore one must have ample patience. Chocolate makers also must master precise techniques, including flavouring, dipping, decorating, moulding, texture, etc. to make the end product tasty as well as appealing.

“A professional course equips one with basic skills. Today there are colleges where training is provided as part of other culinary courses. Most catering courses offer a chocolate section and there are many diplomas available too,” says Zeba Kohli, chocolate consultant.

Professional advice

“Maintaining the freshness of the chocolate due to weather, and logistics of the chocolate product is challenging as India’s warm weather is a problem for chocolates. Humidity and heat create problems. Chocolates must be stored in a dry, airy cool place protected from sunlight. So every chocolate maker must be careful about storage and transportation,” she says. Temperature and humidity shocks can cause fat and sugar to bloom in chocolates and can spoil the looks and the flavour.

Earlier in India, people gifted chocolates only for Christmas but now chocolates are popular during all festivals, occasions and celebrations. Currently, India is one the fastest growing markets for chocolates—industrial as well as artisanal.

Major national and international players are now looking to enter the Indian chocolate market. Apart from chocolates of various shapes, sizes and flavours, healthier versions with low sugar and no gluten are the vogue.

You can intern or assist experienced chocolate makers or chocolate-making companies for some time to gain experience and hone your skills. There are opportunities to work on cruise ships, restaurants and hotels. One can also opt for a career in the chocolate confectionery industry as a chocolate taster.

Home-made chocolates are now gaining popularity. One can become an entrepreneur and team up with bakeries to sell products. Chocolate makers must keep their work areas sanitised and practise safety.

“Homepreneurs are to be encouraged and celebrated. My advice to anyone interested in entering this field is to spend hours making chocolates and keep experimenting. Use online platforms to improve the craft. It’s important to stay abreast of trends and others’ work in the industry,” concludes Kohli.