Chocolate - Small Batch, The Artisanal Culinary Movement

The Artisanal Culinary Movement; A movement towards Small Batch

Author: Marisa Mudge - The Chocolate Distribution Company , May 2015

The Anthropology of Contemporary Culture in 2006 featured an article claiming the emergence of an artisanal culinary movement in the United States. (Ness, 2006)  Among the food categories named are cheese, salt, bread, pickles, quick serve restaurants, chocolate, beer, olive oil and ice cream.  The article then identifies 10 cultural components driving the artisanal culinary movement. Below are the 10 key drivers with a brief explanation:

1.      A desire to experience things that are human scale or in tiny batches.  The author illustrates the point by comparing Morton’s salt, a large industrial scale produced product to small batch sea salt production.

2.      Consumers are developing a preference for things that are handmade. This notion is a departure from the past when mechanically manufactured products were more desirable and a handmade product were a sign of poverty.

3.      Foods that are raw and untransformed.  This aspect can be traced to the hippie movement of the 1960’s when a philosophy of no transformation is the best transformation prevailed.

4.      Unbranded foods have gained prestige over brands.  The example is used of cheese from a farmers market is considered better because it is unbranded.

5.      Personalized purchasing experience.  Consumers want to see the faces and know the stories of the people producing the products they purchase.

6.      Traceability, foodies want to know where food came from and how it arrived.  Farm to Table. 

7.      Authenticity; The James Beard website praises "an artisanal movement that’s bringing back flavors of a world untainted by Wonder-bread and Kraft singles."

8.      Locally grown or made. The article references a quote from Sally Bany, co-owner and brand manager for the west coast chocolate company, Moonstruck.

"We add chili pepper to it and it becomes a conversation piece for the sales person. ‘Have you tried this particular chocolate. It has these flavors because it’s grown in this region.’ People learn where in the world it came from, the variety and taste characteristics."

9.      Connoisseurship; knowledge and awareness of small batch products has become a sign of sophistication.

10.  Simplified. Artisanal small batch products are perceived as being simple and in their purist form.  (McCracken, 2006)