Godiva Worthy

Gift-giving is complex. Much more than a simple act, every gifting experience is a reflection of the giver as well as the gift.

Take chocolates, for example. You receive a beautiful box of chocolates; you open it in full anticipation of chocolates that are just as perfect as the outer wrapping. If they aren’t; if they, say, appear to be scuffed and dried out, upside down, or just don’t taste very good, your disappointment inevitably shows, and your disenchantment extends to the giver as well as the gift; “Hmmm, where exactly did he get these…?!”

Now, say instead … You receive an impressive gold-colored “ballotin” box. You untie the coordinated bow and open the box to see a beautiful array of truffles and chocolates that look as though they were designed by an artist, laid out by a stylist, and crafted by an executive chef. You don’t know whether to savor the flavors or savor the visual. All you can think is ... “Wow! Where did he get these ...?!”

Godiva’s signature box of chocolates, the iconic Gold Ballotin, has become such a trademark that Dictionary.com’s definition of ballotin includes as its usage example: “I bought a ballotin of Godiva chocolates.”

This is what is considered in Reading, Pa., to be “Godiva Worthy.”

Godiva Worthy.

It is the above perfection for which Godiva’s chocolatiers strive. “Every production operator is trained to inspect each piece coming off the line to ensure it is Godiva worthy,” said Plant Quality Manager Amy D’Alonzo. “They take their jobs very seriously and continually ensure the perfection of all chocolate products coming off their lines.”

With the care that is taken for Godiva finished products, “Godiva Worthy” seems to be an apt accolade. From the selection of truffles and chocolates to where they are placed in each box, each detail is carefully styled so the colors, design, and overall aesthetics impart balance and visual impact.

Godiva has traditionally been a holiday-driven, gifting company. That is, chocolates were purchased primarily as gifts, with the busiest seasons being Christmas and Valentine’s Day. Today, Godiva has expanded its portfolio to become a year-round, premium chocolatier, with every-day, “self-treat” offerings of chef-inspired truffle “flights,” chocolate bars and tablets, wrapped caramels and truffles, soft serve ice cream, and Trufflelata shakes.

 

Old World and New.

Godiva quality is not simply visual. Rather every step of its process is geared toward ensuring food safety and consistent product quality, in a combination of old world and new. “There’s a blend of technology, tradition, and art in how we make chocolate,” said Continuous Improvement Manager Don Carlson.

At the Reading plant, the chocolate pieces flow along a series of production lines: from shell molding to enrobing to final decorating, and then to packaging. The production lines are flexible and designed to accommodate various product types, such as chocolate truffles to chocolate bars, and everything in between.

A first critical step in chocolate making is tempering: the process of heating and cooling the chocolate to ensure the cocoa butter crystals harden in a uniform crystal structure. Properly tempered chocolate has a sheen and a snap when bitten into. Chocolate was originally tempered by hand. Today, it is mechanized, but is continuously monitored by Godiva line operators.

Creating Godiva chocolate pieces begins with shell molding, a process in which chocolate and filling are poured into molds. “To say that it is the heart of our business is an understatement; almost everything starts here,” Carlson said.

The molds are warmed to the same temperature as the chocolate that is to be deposited into them. “This process is important for preventing chocolate bloom,” D’Alonzo said. “Bloom is caused when cocoa butter crystals melt and then recrystallize on the surface of the chocolate.”

To produce Godiva’s signature, round truffles, each half of the piece is formed separately; the filling is deposited into the chocolate shells; then the two halves are clamped together (aka “book molding”) to create the round truffle. For Godiva’s cherry cordials, employees hand arrange each cherry in the exact center of the chocolate shell. To help the cherry stay put through the rest of the shell molding, the piece goes through a spraying process, where a fine layer of chocolate is sprayed on to the mold to hold the fruit in place.

From molding, the chocolates move to enrobing—in which another layer of chocolate is applied to the shell-molded pieces, and then to decorating—with chocolate “stringing” and other garnishes. Each product has specifications for detailing, such as number of string decorations or degree of nut coverage.

The classic “Open Oyster,” Godiva’s most popular chocolate piece, is also produced in the enrobing department. The process starts with an extrusion of hazelnut praline which is sectioned into bite-size portions then sandwiched, by hand, between two milk chocolate “oyster” shells.

For decades, Godiva had hand decorated its classic pieces. But to ensure consistency and increase ergonomics, the company switched the process to an auto-decorator, which produces highly detailed and consistent decorations. To ensure that the handmade appeal was not automated out, however, the equipment is programmed to make “random mistakes” to retain a hand-decorated look.

The final step on the Godiva packaging lines illustrates another example of the company’s shift from old world to new. Through a process of employee and automated robotic packaging systems, chocolate is packed into a variety of finished assemblies, including ballotins, hearts, tins, and bags.

Automation has been implemented where appropriate. But some tasks, such as tying ribbons and applying bows to finished goods, continue to be hand done, allowing for an emphasis on details. A finished-unit specification stipulates the quality requirements and aesthetic details of the finished product, such as bow placement location and angle cuts for the ribbon ends.
 

Quality & Food Safety.

Each day, cross-functional product reviews, termed “The Daily Showing,” are held to assess production samples, including reviews of such specifics as SPC program results, quality assurance results, conformance to specification, and sensory assessment. These meetings provide an opportunity for the quality, operations, and product development teams to informally discuss production and new products, and problem solve.

“All key stakeholders are together,” said Senior Quality Assurance Technician Angie Kilhefner. We usually can brainstorm potential solutions to an issue. The chocolate helps stimulate the creative process.”

Godiva’s food safety program builds off the foundation of HACCP, prerequisite programs, and regulatory compliance to include advanced foreign material-detection systems, feedback loops for design and development, and continuous-improvement modules.

Food safety and quality are embedded into Godiva culture through the application of risk prevention, continuous improvement, key performance indicators (KPIs), and an internal audit program. Results are formally and routinely reviewed, communicated to senior leadership, and addressed through corrective actions via the Reading plant’s corrective and preventive action (CAPA) program. Additionally, the quality team has proactively addressed the upcoming FSMA regulations and is updating its already certified system to a GFSI-standard certification.

While Godiva-worthy raw materials are sourced from around the world, “all suppliers are initially and continually assessed for compliance and improvement to the Godiva food safety and quality requirements,” said Supply Base Quality Auditor/Specialist Ann Bomberger.

“We have established and implemented a robust food safety and quality management system, both internally and externally, to help control hazards and optimize quality throughout our supply chain,” she said. “Through partnership with our supply base, we ensure internal, regulatory/statutory, and customer/consumer expectations are consistently ensured.”
 

Retail Quality & Food Safety.

Godiva’s quality team also supports its hundreds of North American retail boutiques. This includes developing food safety and quality programs, managing the retail boutique audit program, and responding to retail-related feedback/complaints.

“Food safety and quality assurance programs are established at the retail boutiques,” said Senior Manager NA Quality Systems and Retail Quality Julie Policastro. Godiva’s In-Store Theater program dips fresh fruit in the boutiques. Although there are food safety risks associated with fresh fruit, the quality team has identified the risks and implemented procedures and practices to eliminate, mitigate, and/or manage them.

Additionally, similar practices were developed and implemented when Godiva boutiques began selling soft-serve products.

Allergens are also a focus of the retail food safety program. “Godiva designed and implemented a comprehensive allergen management program at the boutiques,” Policastro said. “The allergen program contains control measures, including but not limited to segregation, sanitation, personnel hygiene practices, regulatory labeling, and employee training. For example, retail boutiques are equipped with color-coded utensils and accessories for allergen-containing products.”
 

Regulatory Compliance.

As an international provider of chocolate confections, Godiva faces a vast array of continually changing regulations. As such, something as seemingly simple as a label for a product going to both the U.S. and Canada actually requires in-depth regulatory knowledge. “The nutrition facts panel has a lot of variation in format, rounding rules, and a dual-language requirement on the Canadian label. Staying abreast of new regulations in one country enables Godiva to be proactive in label changes regarding emerging regulations in another country, thus optimizing value,” said Regulatory Manager Arlene (Ames) Bohn.

“Globally, there can be legal standards for what can be called ‘chocolate,’” Bohn added. “These standards dictate what ingredients must be present in order to label something as chocolate; but equally important are those ingredients that may not be present in order to meet the standard of identity for chocolate.”

Through Godiva’s exceeding global standards and regulations, preeminent production processes, and the commitment of every chocolatier, Godiva ensures that each and every chocolate lives up to its golden promise to provide a Godiva-worthy experience.

The author is Editor of QA magazine. She can be reached at llupo@gie.net.

Photos by Bob Stockfield