Cool/chill bags for a chocolatier?

purplephoenix85

Sorry if this is the wrong place to post - but I'm considering starting up and my train of thought is if I'm dealing with this customer scenario.

If I were a chocolatier in a busy town centre, selling on a hot day and a customer asked me to gift-box a selection to take away... would I get away with boxing them in the usual way and hoping they don't melt by the time the customer gets home?

Some of the finer chocolate work will (most likely) melt, so would like to delay this as much as possible, plus jelly sweets are popular (desserts, not Haribo, lol) and they would need a bit of help staying cool too.

Should I invest in some cooler carrier bags to help protect from the heat? I have no idea where to find them or if they're appropriate.

TIA

Savvy_Sue

I can't help with sourcing etc, but if you find they are a bit pricey I'd consider offering them as an extra, rather than using them as your 'standard' bag, or at least charging extra for that part of the gift wrapping, if that makes sense ...

paulwf

The best answer will be obtained by visiting as many chocolatiers as possible. A trip to London will be a must, plus visit a dozen shops in a dozen different towns if you can.

To start with you'll probably want an amazing air con system in the shop and that won't be cheap, especially if you want to keep the door open to help attract trade.

I've never been offered a cool bag option for chocolate but I expect you'll see your sales really dip in hot weather. That needs to be factored into your business plan along with a way to counteract it if possible, for example by selling ice creams.

paddyrg

I think the cool bag is an excellent idea, and a real chance to stand apart from your competitors! I would suggest offering the coolbags *on loan* to a good client (maybe take a deposit to cover the cost of a good quality bag) - then when customers come back to return the bag, they are in your shop again, with a handful of cash (deposit returned) and a load of tempting choccies before them...

You can always offer some cool bags / disposable icepacks as a sales device "buy over £50 and get a FREE cool bag!" as well.

Can you find some good value ones and get your logo printed on them?

purplephoenix85

Sorry for the late reply, I've been busy hunting high and low for anything reasonably priced that will do the trick!

All I can seem to come up with is these bags, and having a design printed on them... but they're designed for keeping food hot and I don't have the common sense to figure out if they'd keep food cool too or an insulated tote bag/lunch bag that would work out more expensive per unit.

A printed tote bag with insulation could work, but it's just the fact that they're so expensive. Then again, isn't everything these days?

VfM4meplse

paulwf wrote: »

for example by selling ice creams.

Or chocolate shakes, exotic fruit salads, fruit dipped in chocolate etc.

Owain_Moneysaver

Our Carry Home Bags have been tailored for transporting chilled food or even drinks and are ideal for food retailers such as butchers, fishmongers, delicatessens, farm shops etc.

Insulated packaging for chilled food
They also do systems which look ideal for posting chocolates etc.

paddyrg

Excellent find, Owain.

purplephoenix85

Owain_Moneysaver wrote: »

Insulated packaging for chilled food
They also do systems which look ideal for posting chocolates etc.

Thank you! :A
That looks perfect and seems within budget too!

property.advert

I've used these with great success http://www.icertech.co.uk/easi-chill-solution-chilled-food-packaging.htm

They remain cold, even when not chilled but when chilled, remain cold for ages, days in fact.

purplephoenix85

Thanks! The insulated boxes that's given me an idea to also consider a delivery van service too.

I'm only in the early stages of planning, but just needing to get my resources together so I know exactly how much work I would need to do to start-up.