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3:57 pm
December 9, 2004
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It is the end of an era …. Scharffen Berger’s Berkeley factory (where they originally started) is being closed by Hershey’s and all manufacturing operations are being moved to Illinois as will all manufacturing operations for Joseph Schmidt. Both Scharffen Berger and Joseph Schmidt have long been San Francisco institutions — until now.
I always enjoyed stopping by the Scharffen Berger factory when I was in the Bay Area. They were groundbreaking in the American chocolate market.
This reminds me so much of when Corel purchased WordPerfect. I went to a Utah Valley Entrepreneurs Forum luncheon and watched one of the VP’s stand up in front of everybody and say that they wanted to support the local economy and supported the current team and that nothing of any significance was going to change. Only three weeks later, they announced the movement of all operations to Ottawa Canada.
Read it and weep!
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/…..#038;tsp=1
-Art
Fine Chocolate Made From The Bean
http://www.amanochocolate.com
10:26 pm
August 6, 2006
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Sad, looks like the definite end of Scharffen Berger as a bean to bar chocolate maker.
I wonder what kind of Scharffen Berger products Nestlé will produce in the future.
In Sweden Scharffen Berger was distributed only for a short while a few years ago. Less than a year due to delivery problem.
“Porcelana: The Holy Grail of Pure Criollos” (Maricel E. Presilla)
4:07 pm
October 26, 2006
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Sad.
1:27 pm
April 29, 2004
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I never got the chance to visit them in Berkeley unfortunately. Really sad news.
12:19 am
June 28, 2005
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I live and sell chocolate in the same town Dagoba is made(Ashland Or 25k people), who is also owned by Herserys. Anyone want to guess why they didn’t move them as well? I think I might know.
12:14 pm
September 30, 2004
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i’d be interested in your thoughts.
7:44 pm
August 6, 2006
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quote:
i’d be interested in your thoughts.
Me too.
“Porcelana: The Holy Grail of Pure Criollos” (Maricel E. Presilla)
7:11 pm
July 5, 2006
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Maybe because Dagoba doesn’t actually manufacture the chocolate they make. They put their ingredients in but the actual bean to bar work is not done at their facility in Ashland. So maybe it doesn’t make anything more efficient to move the processing that is actually done there over to a different plant…
Just a possible reason.
Have a great day,
Some Chocolate Guy
http://www.chocolateguild.com
3:10 am
June 28, 2005
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Money. The answer to most things, money. The Bay Area is one of the most expensive places to live, versus little ol Southern Oregon.
I know that Frederick kept a lot of control over Dagoba, I am not sure if the JSC and Scharffen Berger did. The Oregon Chocolate Festival is coming up in March, I’ll try to dig around and talk to Fredrick to find any news I can share.
11:06 am
April 20, 2006
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quote:
Originally posted by DazealMoney. The answer to most things, money. The Bay Area is one of the most expensive places to live, versus little ol Southern Oregon.
I know that Frederick kept a lot of control over Dagoba, I am not sure if the JSC and Scharffen Berger did. The Oregon Chocolate Festival is coming up in March, I’ll try to dig around and talk to Fredrick to find any news I can share.
I don’t know how much control Frederick kept over Dagoba initially. My understanding was not much, but either way, he has now been pushed out/bought out completely and is not associated with Dagoba in any way.
Alan
[url="http://www.Patric-Chocolate.com"]Patric Chocolate[/url]
12:41 am
June 28, 2005
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Just heard today Dagoba is going back east too. Yay corporations! /sigh
The Oregon Chocolate festival is coming up in a month, I’ll see what I can find out from Frederick.
6:07 am
December 9, 2004
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I talked to Frederick about it a week or so ago.
He said that the Dagoba factory in Ashland is actually one of the most cost efficient factories that Hershey now owns. He doubts that they will actually move Dagoba for that reason.
BTW: Ashland is almost a second home to me. I have been to the Oregon Shakesperian Festival almost every year since 1983. Many of the top directors and actors over the years are/have been very good friends. I really miss Pat Patton being artistic director, he was IMHO the best that they have had before or since.
-Art
Fine Chocolate Made From The Bean
http://www.amanochocolate.com
7:52 pm
June 28, 2005
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Just got the letter and called to confirm.. Joseph Schmidt Truffles will be no more. Hersey’s is discontinuing them for good. Done. Out of business. This is a great example of a corporation ruining something good. Yeah the truffles were just average, but Joe was the father of the ‘American Truffle’.
Art, I have been selling fine chocolate in Ashland for 7 years now, but down on A street. In 2 weeks we move up town between the Ashland Springs Hotel and the Varsity Theater. Please stop by and say hi when you’re in town next.
And it wouldn’t surprise me if they kept Dagoba here, like I said, it’s cheaper here. I had heard from an employee there they were moving, that is why i said it’s not 100%. I’ll keep poking around.
brandon kirkland
http://www.chicfloral.com
http://www.poshcircle.com
3:35 am
July 5, 2006
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I just heard the same thing that they are completely getting rid of Joseph Schmidt! Man, I didn’t think after spending the money they would drop it like that…Must not have been doing well at all.
Sad to see,
Some Chocolate Guy
http://www.chocolateguild.com
