Chocolates — choice!
Electra Business and Innovation Awards finalist profile: Ka¯ piti Chocolate Factory
How did the business start and grow to where it is today?
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The Ka¯ piti Chocolate Factory originally started in Featherston in the 1980s and moved to Ka¯ piti in 1992. The current owners, Sarah and James Abaniel, have owned the business since 2018 when it was renamed to the Ka¯ piti Chocolate Factory. Over the years the factory has made chocolates for big and small businesses and for the local and export markets. In 2020 they purchased Kako Chocolates and moved the production of them from Auckland to the Ka¯ piti factory.
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What sets you apart from others in your field?
We specialise in making chocolates for other businesses. Whether it’s a branded chocolate for a local business, a chocolate cake topper for a large bakery or an inclusion for icecream, we can help take a concept to a product.
■ What was your reaction to being named as a finalist?
We entered the manufacturing category as this was the category where we have most of our business. We are very excited and proud to be a finalist in the Electra Business Awards. Our team have a lot of passion for what they do and it is awesome
What do you like about operating your business in the Ka¯ piti community?
■ for them to be recognised for this.
Ka¯ piti locals are very supportive of us, especially through all the lockdowns. We have our regulars who come in whether they are looking to treat themselves or someone else. Most of our staff are local too.
■ What does a general day at the
Ka¯ piti Chocolate Factory involve?
In the factory we start the day by turning our machines on and getting them to the right temperature to work with the chocolate. We will set up for the job which might be making happy birthday cake toppers, our branded peppermint cre` me chocolates or making chocolate scallop shells for local restaurants. We will cast the moulds (pour the chocolate into the moulds), refrigerate for 20 minutes and then unmould them. Then they will be either wrapped on our wrapping machine with a logo printed on them, or hand-wrapped in fold foil if it is large tablet. For our Kako chocolates, our chocolatier will be busy making fillings from scratch to go into the chocolates, or spraying the moulds before we cast them. When they are ready they go into our shop or put aside for online orders. Every day is different and we could be working on up to six jobs all at once. The best days are when we try new things and have to taste them.