 The Chocospherian |
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Incredible Chocolate News |
October 11th, 2022 |
Written By: Joanne and The Chocosphere Team
| Chocolate Observations… | New Products |
| Incr‘Edible’ Chocolate Deals… | Customer Service |
| Recipe Corner | Newsletter |
| Topics |
Chocolate Observations
The summer was hot and chocolate makers are still recovering from pandemic related slowdowns. At Chocosphere we are also feeling the issues with shipping delays and chocolate shortages from many of our suppliers. Especially affected at the moment are the Belgian-made chocolates we get from Callebaut.
Callebaut had issues at their factory at the end of June, detected by their own quality control department. The issues were resolved quickly but left the factory even farther behind than before in their production. As a result, the Barry Callebaut company advised that shipments of their Belgian-made chocolate to the U.S. will be significantly delayed, and once our stock is depleted it could be months before we can refill.
This issue does not affect Barry Callebaut chocolate made in France (Cacao Barry), the U.S., or Canada, though they do have the general chocolate supply chain issues that we're seeing everywhere else. If you want some of our Belgian-made Callebaut chocolate, you may want to order sooner rather than later to have the best chance for availability.
We try hard to keep all of our chocolate in stock subject to market and business conditions, and we hope that you will come back soon and find your favorite ready and waiting for you. If we are out we may refill soon and we can add you to a list to be contacted as soon as the chocolate arrives. Or one of us can help you find something to tide you over and you might find you have a new favorite!
The chocolate-friendly shipping season is almost here. Hot weather is rapidly disappearing, making way for fall and all the luscious chocolate options that you want to have morning, noon and night. That is where we can help. Hot chocolate, mocha, chocolate treats, chocolate bars and all the chocolate you need to make your holidays starting with Halloween delicious and memorable. Remember chocolate is not just for breakfast.
Joanne's Chocolate Charmed Life
My morning starts with a cappuccino delivered to me by Jerry, my hubby, partner both in life and Chocosphere, in a Deruta coffee cup, complete with silky micro foam and sometimes with Guittard Decoratif real chocolate sprinkles lightly scattered on top. I’m not spoiled! After that, at the warehouse it’s a Michel Cluizel Noir Infini square, which I can enjoy for just a little longer because there are still a few left. We can’t get them anymore because MC is having difficulty keeping up and they had to cancel all of their individually wrapped squares in the U.S. market for the time being. There will no doubt be a follow-on square when the 99% is gone – perhaps Domori Criollo 100% or Pralus Le 100%. Next, I check out our amazing chocolate warehouse (6000 square feet) where I actually have to sample and test. A “difficult” working weekday, wouldn’t you say?
Before 1997 when our friend, John started bringing Côte d’Or milk chocolate from Belgium, chocolate was as far from my mind as ice cream; two food groups that didn’t appeal to me back then.
From weekly tastings to chocolate travel and chocolate friends everywhere and to our parents who are gone now (they called us “the chocolate children”), our lives from 1998 forward have revolved around chocolate. It’s scary, but I can’t remember a day when I didn’t think about chocolate since then. We love our lives and are so happy we have all of you to help us with this crazy chocolate business. I peruse the order list every day and recognize so many names and have such good memories of our discussions by phone, email and in person. Thank you so much for your part in this chocolate journey. We couldn’t have done this without you.
Incr‘Edible’ Chocolate Deals
Check out the “On Sale” and “Bargain Basement” pages. There are lots of special deals. To sweeten the chocolate pot you can order on-line now between Wednesday, October 12th and Sunday, October 16th, 2022 and get $5.00 off (use code SAVE5) for a merchandise total over $50.00, $12.00 off (use code SAVE12) for a merchandise total over $100.00, or $18.00 off (use code SAVE18) for a merchandise total over $150.00. Just enter the appropriate code at checkout in the field shown below:
*Important Conditions: This coupon is only active from Wednesday, October 12th, 2022 12:00 AM PDT until Sunday, October 16th, 2022 11:59PM PDT. This offer will not be honored retroactively and applies only to merchandise in stock at the time the order is placed. All sales are final. Purchases of Gift Certificates and Warm Weather Packaging are excluded. Orders must be placed online using one of the coupon codes noted above. Phone and e-mail orders are not eligible for this promotion.
New Products
We have 29 new products. From Domori couvertures to Bonnat, Café Tasse and Venchi bars, Valrhona 80% feves, Café Tasse squares in a cute pouch, Venchi Gianduja No. 3 cubes with a whole hazelnut inside, two new boxes of assorted Pralus squares, Venchi, 75% squares with reduced sugar and “Shimmers,” decorations from Mona Lisa with metallic glows.
Recipe Corner
Spooky Chocolate Fondue
Customer Service
Of course we are happy to help over the phone, but we do appreciate it when you place your order on line. It helps us give the most prompt and accurate service. And when you need help, we are here for you. There is generally someone answering the phones between 8:30am and 4:30pm Pacific Time, Monday through Friday, with the exception of commonly observed holidays.
There are five of us answering phones at Chocosphere, where we speak fluent Chocospherian. We try hard to answer all calls personally during normal business hours, but occasionally one slips over to voice mail. If you call and end up in voice mail, please leave a message. We will do our very best to call back promptly. If by chance you don't hear back from us in a reasonable time, please call again during our normal business hours.
We each have varying levels of experience. It is our goal to happily serve you the very best chocolate!!
Finally, and very importantly, our web site lists our service commitments as to when we ship an order based on when the order is placed. However, we certainly understand there are circumstances where you may want us to process an order faster, when you need your chocolate “now”! If you need your order shipped faster than our listed service commitment, please place your order online letting us know of your need in the “Comments” section, and then call us at 503-692-3323 x 0 for Customer Service) to let us know. We can't guarantee early shipping, but we always try hard to provide chocolate happiness to our valued customers.
Newsletter
If you want us to send a copy as an email every time there is a new issue or to tell you about special offers, please create an account at chocosphere.com and check the newsletter box.
Topics:
If you have a topic you would like us to cover in the newsletter, please drop us a line: customer-service@chocosphere.com and we will be happy to include it in a future edition.
Contact us at 503-692-3323 and press 0 for Customer Service
Fax 503-692-1494