CHOCOLATE AND CHINA
“This book is the story of the five global titans of chocolate—Ferrero, Cadbury,
Hershey, Nestlé, and Mars—that battled to capture a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity
to establish their brands with one-fifth of the world’s population. It is also the
inside story of East meeting West through the introduction into China, a
xenophobic land of austerity and deprivation, of an icon of the Western world’s
decadence and self-indulgence: chocolate.”
Is it really possible that until thirty years ago a billion people had never even
tasted . . . chocolate?
Hershey, Nestlé, and Mars—that battled to capture a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity
to establish their brands with one-fifth of the world’s population. It is also the
inside story of East meeting West through the introduction into China, a
xenophobic land of austerity and deprivation, of an icon of the Western world’s
decadence and self-indulgence: chocolate.”
Is it really possible that until thirty years ago a billion people had never even
tasted . . . chocolate?
When we consider the ramifications of this fact, we begin to see not just the size of the opportunity that
awaited the five chocolate giants in China, but also the awesomeness of the challenge. And not every
competitor met that challenge. Although still ongoing, the chocolate war in China has already seen some
very clear winners and losers.
Chocolate Fortunes takes you inside one of global business’s most intense, complex, and fascinating
market assaults. While each of the Big Five purveyors profiled in Chocolate Fortunes brought its own
identity and strategic vision to the battle theatre, their varying degrees of success or failure hinged on
combinations of savvy and circumstance, of perseverance and flexibility, and of textbook business
excellence and sheer luck. The lessons learned are at once practically instructive for all internationally
minded businesses and fascinating reading in the classic East-meets-West mold.
awaited the five chocolate giants in China, but also the awesomeness of the challenge. And not every
competitor met that challenge. Although still ongoing, the chocolate war in China has already seen some
very clear winners and losers.
Chocolate Fortunes takes you inside one of global business’s most intense, complex, and fascinating
market assaults. While each of the Big Five purveyors profiled in Chocolate Fortunes brought its own
identity and strategic vision to the battle theatre, their varying degrees of success or failure hinged on
combinations of savvy and circumstance, of perseverance and flexibility, and of textbook business
excellence and sheer luck. The lessons learned are at once practically instructive for all internationally
minded businesses and fascinating reading in the classic East-meets-West mold.