Chocolat Vitale

The word "theobroma" may or may not have any immediate meaning to you, but you do know all about it. It's the scientific name for a family of trees that produce cocoa beans. Yes, chocolate. It also translates to "food of the gods" which most chocoholics would find accurate. Chocolat Vitale, a local Seattle company, started out in 2004 with one product, "Drink of the Gods," an incredibly rich European drinking chocolate. They've grown considerably since then, although still a cottage company.

Jim and Jennifer Schneider have found their passion in chocolate. Neither have a background in the food industry. Prior to meeting, Jim had been involved in women's fashion and men's clothing (Hermès, Bloomingdale's, Façonnable) and Jennifer was a designer for Ralph Lauren and had in-line skating stores and outdoor stores in New York. After a visit to Seattle, Jennifer knew she loved it and moved in 1998-99. About a year later, Jim was hired by Nordstrom to manage the Façonnable label on a global level. They met in an elevator at Nordstrom; she "detected" a New York accent, they talked and became friends. As amazing coincidences go, they had grown up a short distance apart, had been in the same places minutes apart and their mothers live one exit apart on the parkway.

After the shock and personal losses of 9/11, they decided to take some time for themselves and travel overseas. They became engaged in Thailand and married a year later in Paris. While in Paris, they discovered hot chocolate reminiscent of the drink Jim's Italian grandmother, Angelina Vitale, gave him as a child. "We said to each other ‘this is great and we could do this for family and friends when we get back'," says Jim. On their return, they purchased black bags, had a friend design a sticker and gave drinking chocolate to friends. "Everyone told us we should sell it," Jim laughs. "They turned out to be a great focus group."

Still cautious, they trademarked the name while they thought about how to promote the product. Their first step was to approach DeLaurenti at the Pike Place Market. DeLaurenti picked it up and it sold well. Before long, a call came in from Sur la table. They had seen it and were interested. Within about four months, the Drink of the Gods was in their catalog and sold in 48 states. "We had to borrow space from a friend to package the chocolate. We worked from 10 p.m. to 4 a.m. so we wouldn't interrupt his operation," recalls Jim. "These were big orders and we managed to meet them. We also realized it had become a business and not just a hobby." New graphics were designed and a friend passed the information on to Bloomingdale's where it was placed in all their stores.

The inevitable question arose—what other products do you have? "We decided to look at teas and we approached distributors in Asia and India asking if they could do chocolate teas," explains Jim. "We were looking for a middle-of-the-road tea—not too weak, not too strong—and something that gives the aroma of chocolate and a light hint on the palate." They now have a line of 12 teas, eight of which are chocolate infused.

Taking another look at their core business, primarily the drinking chocolate, they realized that the coca was such high quality, 100 percent natural, that it could be used in many other ways. "It's great as a fondue, you can eat it right out of the bag or melt it in your coffee," says Jim. They also began to offer different packaging—from 18 to 10 to 4 ounces and even a single serving bag. They've expanded into baking chocolate, confections like soft espresso beans covered in almost black chocolate and chocolate bites, both dark and a mix of caramel and white chocolate.

"One thing has just led to another," Jim explains. "We have no investors, we do this ourselves. We've never done it primarily to make money, it's been our passion and about our grandmother. We've certainly put a lot of money into it. This year, our third, we will break even. We're fortunate to be able to do it this way and control the quality. We source the right product, figure out how to take it to the next level and raise the bar another ten levels."

In 2005, they won a graphic design award for their unique and quality-driven packaging. Their tea comes in a triangular-shaped package that, when turned sideways, is a V-shape (for Vitale). "That award was a total surprise," laughs Jim. "Someone else sent the information and we ended up winning!"

In October of 2007, Whole Foods picked up their entire line for the Northwest stores and are looking to roll it out to a chain they purchased in Colorado and New York called Wild Oats with 200 stores. "They have been phenomenal to work with," says Jim. "They want everything we have and continually find ways to promote the products."

To Jim's mind, the biggest push came from The Chocolate Box (click here to see our story in last month's issue). "They were our first entry into a full retail store and the products just blow out the door," says Jim. "They also sell over the counter for us. They've been selling about 10 pounds a week of the black sipping chocolate, which is about 300-400 cups. It's now up to 20 or 30 pounds a week and during the holidays it's been up to 80 pounds a week. Michel, owner of The Chocolate Box, is so willing to try things. He's just great."

Photo: Jim and Jennifer Schneider at The Chocolate Box

Ultimately, Jim and Jennifer would love to simply run the business full time (he manages Waterford Crystal USA and she is a marketing consultant for companies and does freelance fashion design). For now they're happy to create a balance between their time and finances that allows them to control their growth and quality. As the new year begins, they'll be working on their expanding product line. We'll be watching and waiting.

Connie Adams/January 2008