Chocolate Fortunes

As China comes into its own as a world economic power, a new, huge consumer class is emerging, hungry for all things Western. Amidst this demand, five icons of Western business slugged it out in a battle royal to see which would become the Emperor of Chocolate in China. Author Lawrence Allen offers an inside look at this battle for China’s chocolate addiction, including the savvy, circumstance, flexibility, and perseverance that led the companies involved to varying degrees of success and failure. More broadly, Chocolate Fortunes examines the unique opportunities and challenges inherent in the Chinese business universe--for chocolatiers as well as other businesses waiting for their opportunity to enter the fertile Chinese market. The book devotes individual chapters to each of the five global titans of chocolate--Hershey, Nestlé, Cadbury, Mars, and Ferrero--and the trials they faced as they attempted to dominate their market in an enigmatic and still-developing economy. You’ll discover what it took for these companies to build a Chinese chocolate business from scratch with virtually no precedent, and you’ll gain insight into their process of navigating a boundless (and ever-shifting) sea of local, provincial, and national laws and regulations before conducting even the most pedestrian business activities. Probing not only the economic, political, and cultural conditions that have given rise to a seemingly insatiable new market, this detailed guide delves into the mystique of chocolate itself and how it captivates not just the Chinese, but people all over the world.