SME Magazine catches up with of Stephen and Sun Trigg, the co-founders of Lauden Chocolate which has been producing high-end, fine chocolates for over six years and now exports around the world to countries including China and Japan.
Who are Lauden Chocolate?
After researching and refining the perfect blend of ingredients to create the ultimate chocolate experience, Lauden Chocolate only uses the highest quality ingredients by blending real fruit and the finest cacao to produce chocolates that not only look spectacular, but taste incredible. As well as capitalising on a unique Valentine’s Day tradition in Japan, where every business owner in the country gifts their employees with chocolates, Lauden Chocolate supplies a variety of premium retailers and Michelin-starred restaurants with its fine chocolates.
Beginning life in the founders’ home kitchen, Lauden Chocolate quickly expanded into a 600 sq ft unit and then a 3,000 sq ft unit and now employs six members of staff.
The shipping challenges
Chocolates are temperature sensitive and also require delicate handling which makes transporting them over long distances more challenging. When exporting, Lauden Chocolate packs its chocolates with ice packs but, to avoid melting, the temperature must remain constant throughout the journey. As an artisanal chocolate company with the highest standards, it’s crucial the chocolates arrive at the destination in precisely the same condition as they left. Given that Lauden Chocolate now exports around the world, this is no mean feat.
Why FedEx Express?
Lauden Chocolate delivers to locations both in the UK and abroad, and needs a logistics partner which can deliver its chocolates on time, and with the high quality of customer services associated with luxury brands. With its specialist expertise of delivering temperature and time-sensitive products, FedEx now transports Lauden Chocolate the world over, including to countries with hot climates. As a company which prides itself on quality, having this level of service is extremely valuable. The FedEx International Priority® service is particularly helpful, offering advanced shipment monitoring and personalised notification of critical shipments. Support is available round-the-clock, giving Lauden Chocolate peace of mind that its products are in safe hands throughout the shipping process.
Stephen Trigg, Artisan Chocolatier, Lauden Chocolate, said: “As a company with growing international ambitions, having a logistics provider which grants us access to new markets is incredibly valuable. Before working with FedEx, we found it challenging to ensure our chocolates arrived at their destination tasting – and looking – exactly as they should. Lauden Chocolate is a luxury brand and this needs to come across in every interaction we have with the public.”
FedEx Express helped Lauden Chocolate meet a 20% increase in demand from last year for its Easter Eggs ahead of Easter Sunday. Lauden Chocolate is capitalising upon the export-driven chocolate market, with the UK exporting £245m worth of chocolate last year. Based in Leeds, and producing approximately 30 tons of chocolate a year, the Lauden Chocolate Salted Caramel Easter Eggs are stocked in luxury high-end retailers as well as being exported around the world.
