Tier 1 operations · Custom molds, ganache, signature line
Cacao Cellars runs a Tier 1 chocolate operation: pre-made Callebaut and Valrhona callets, tempered and molded into custom CC-monogrammed pieces, finished with toppings. Daily volume targets 100–150 finished pieces across 4–6 active varieties. The Chocolate Production Lead works a 25–30 hour week in the dedicated 12′ × 10′ chocolate prep room (65–70°F at 40–50% RH), with structured production days and a Selmi Plus EX tempering machine as the workhorse.
The program has two production streams: solid molded pieces (the core six-piece signature line plus seasonal molds) and filled ganache bonbons (the higher-margin shell-fill-cap format that anchors the chocolate-and-wine pairing program). Both run in the same prep room with the same equipment; the discipline difference is in process timing.
The three tiers of chocolate production and why Tier 1 is right for Cacao Cellars. Honest production math for 150 bars (5.5 to 9 hours depending on workflow), the operational implications of running 4 flavor profiles (8–10 hour days unless you split production across days or hire help), and the supplier strategy: Callebaut as the workhorse, Valrhona as the premium line, Guittard worth a look.
View process & production math ›A 6-month training pathway for the Chocolate Production Lead, scaled to run alongside the build-out. Starts with a low-commitment tempering workshop at The Secret Chocolatier in Charlotte (booked May 23), progresses through École Chocolat's 3-month online Professional Chocolatier Program, then a 3-day Callebaut Discovering Chocolate intensive in Chicago. Total budget $4,800–$7,000.
View training pathway ›Local NC artisans (Videri, Brasstown, French Broad), premium national suppliers (Bar & Cocoa, Cacao & Cardamom), and private-label options (Videri custom stickered bars, Tony's Chocolonely full-wrapper customization). Plus the pairing framework — white/milk/dark and specialty — and the Indonesia signage strategy that ties to the Bali-carved doorway.
View vendors & pairings ›Three pieces of equipment build a complete drinking-chocolate program without an espresso machine: a FETCO batch brewer, an SPM Lola liquid drinking-chocolate dispenser loaded with our own Valrhona, and a commercial milk frother. Total stack $950–$2,400 vs. $8K–$15K for espresso. The chocolate dispenser is on-brand in a way an espresso machine never could be.
View beverage program ›The mold strategy: custom CC-monogrammed signature molds (square = dark, dome = milk, round = white), two of each shape for parallel production, plus a working library of standard molds for seasonal varieties. Total opening kit at 50+ molds. Lock in custom signature molds 8 weeks before opening; standard molds and smallwares can wait until the chocolatier is hired.
View specification ›End-to-end process from cream-on-the-stove to bonbons-in-the-display-case — takes 36–48 hours but only ~90 minutes of active labor per batch. Where ganache fits in the existing prep room (it does, without modification), the small equipment delta (~$510–910 essentials kit), six launch ganache recipes paired to the BTG wine list, and operational considerations including food safety, throughput, and COGS.
View ganache addendum ›The six-piece signature lineup at opening:
For the chocolate prep room layout and equipment specification (mini-split, dehumidifier, tempering machine, marble work table, reach-ins), see the Chocolate Prep Area page in the floor plan. For the FOH refrigerated display case where finished pieces are merchandised, see the Chocolate Display Case page. For the chocolatier role detail, see the Chocolate Production Lead job posting.
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