18 Jun 2019
“When you put passionate people together, it generates a synergy, a match. That’s how we started working together with Puratos a year ago,” says Frank Visser, founder of the Dutch company Visser Chocolade. “There are people at Puratos whose greatest passion is chocolate and who try to do the most amazing things with it. There’s lots of power in Puratos. And the great thing is that we’re able to harness that power!”
Success through flavour
“I was originally a chef. My passion is matchmaking between flavours. Initially I opened a restaurant, but 25 years ago I realised I loved chocolate most of all and so I started working as a chocolatier. I started very modestly in Nuth, Limburg, making bonbons in my parents’ basement. Since then Visser Chocolade has grown to include a 2,000 m2 production plant in Schimmert with a staff of 60 and six shops of our own plus six franchise concepts in the Netherlands. In addition, we produce bonbons for some 100 businesses throughout the Netherlands, ranging from ice cream parlours to bakeries. We also export bonbons to 22 shops in France, Germany and the UK under the name Vallée d’Origine.”
The perfect balance
“Our talent is making quality bonbons. Visser has plenty of expertise, ranging from production and organisation to innovation. We keep a close eye on food trends and regularly offer new products. One trend I often encounter among fellow patissiers and hospitality stars is the use of multiple techniques, ingredients and lots of colour in a single bonbon or dish. As a way of adapting to this trend, one of our products is the ‘Picasso line’. It’s a semi-sphere with lots of colour, various fillings and multiple ingredients. It gives me a chance to use my experience as a chef! I consider bonbons as a kind of mini dish. They require a perfect balance of sweet, sour and spicy.”
Barbecue bonbons
“We use our bonbon of the month to push the envelope a bit. We want innovation to be an experience too. We aim to excite our customers with surprising flavours and textures that match with current trends and the season of the year. For example, in the spring we offered a refreshing tonic and cucumber bonbon and in the summer I launched a barbecue bonbon. For that purpose, I dissected a barbecue sauce to find which elements I could use and which ingredients could responsibly be combined with chocolate. I get wonderful responses to surprising bonbons like these, both in the shops and on social media.”
Combining strengths
“I have visited Puratos a number of times in the past year. Recently, for example, I attended the ‘chocolate boostcamp’ event. There, together with various disciplines at Puratos, we explored chocolate trends and how we might combine our strengths and expertise to jointly bring a product to market. A win-win situation. For example, Puratos has lots of expertise in terms of R&D, extending shelf life, consumer needs and product packaging. Our forté is combining ingredients and techniques. And we both share the drive to innovate! We hope that in the coming year this will enable us to jointly come up with new products which suit a particular group of consumers. By collaborating intensively we will be able to fine-tune the product step by step until it’s perfected.”
Are you interested in how Puratos can support your business? Contact your local Puratos representative and schedule a meeting.
Disclaimer: the selection of this concept was done on an editorial basis. There is no commercial link in relation to this article.
