Chocolate is inspiring: this is the belief of the couple who founded Conficerie Felicitas, a craft chocolate production located in the small town of Hornow near Brandenburg, Germany.
Elena Sinitsina, the head of Favorite Food & Drinks, talked to us, visited the production and pleased her receptors with chocolate.
How the Conficerie Felicitas business started
The young Belgian couple Mattiessen travelled to Africa as students and fell in love with chocolate so much that they made it their life's work, moving from Belgium to Germany and founding the is a family-owned business that produces craft chocolate confectionery.
To do this, the pair bought empty LPG offices. At the start The founders had to convince people that handmade chocolate tastes better than industrially produced chocolate.
As Mrs Mattissen jokes. "You actually have four children, not three. The first one is called Felicitas."
Chocolate gives pleasant emotions, pleasure, and cures stress
The company currently employs around 75 people and has 3 stores in Hornow, Dresden and Potsdam. Many products are sold through numerous partner stores.
Recently, the company managed to establish sales of its products at several airports in Germany. To do this, it has introduced souvenir packaging depicting cultural, historical, and architectural landmarks of various cities, including Berlin, Munich, and others.
Some of the chocolate production processes are open to the public - through glass, guests can observe the process of creating products.
What is the range?
Body, shaped chocolate products and assorted white, milk, black and ruby chocolate with various additives and fillings. Responding to modern trends, the company offers chocolate with reduced sugar levels and for vegans
The chocolatiers produce about 700 items and accept corporate orders - this service is especially popular before the holidays.
Consumers can buy some products by the piece or by the weight. Chocolate sets and advent calendars are popular.
"During the visit, we were treated to white chocolate with coffee crumbs, milk chocolate with red wine ganache, and dark chocolate with ginger. It was a feast for our receptors," Olena shares her impressions.
Additional entertainment
Masterclasses are organised for children and adults, where you can not only master the skill of chocolate making, but also get a gastronomic experience. And you don't need to make an appointment in advance, you can just turn up and start creating.
There is also a petting zoo on the territory, where domestic animals live and everyone can communicate with them.
Challenges in business
Macroeconomic issues, such as the dynamics of cocoa prices and their impact on the industry, have also affected the family business.
Cocoa prices have risen sharply in recent years, driven by a number of global factors. The main reasons are weather-related crop failures, political instability in key growing regions and rising production costs. These developments have far-reaching implications for the entire chocolate industry.
Managing Director Godelé Mattiessen also takes a look at the situation and explains how our company is responding to these developments. Despite the price increases, we continue to focus on the highest quality cocoa masses produced in an environmentally sustainable way. Although this means higher production costs, we are convinced that focusing on quality and ethical responsibility towards cocoa farmers is the right way to go in the long run.
Rising cocoa prices pose new challenges for the entire industry, but our company remains firmly committed to maintaining a balance between price development, quality and sustainability. We believe that sustainable and responsible development not only benefits the environment, but also benefits cocoa farmers and end consumers.
Currently, the couple are dreaming of taking a long rest, considering the possibility of gradually handing over the business to their children. After all, they can't imagine strangers running a chocolate factory. Felicitas has to stay in the family.
Author: Elena Sinitsina, Head of Favorite Food & Drinks
