ASTOR CHOCOLATE
SUSTAINABLE CHOCOLATIER SWEET ON EVOKING THE SENSES Powered by Inside America
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ASTOR CHOCOLATE
I PROFILE
Family-owned Astor Chocolate is a premier chocolatier renowned for its superior quality confections. As a leading purveyor of Belgian chocolates and gourmet snacks, the company’s approach goes beyond mere taste: by being big on sustainability, innovation and inspiration. Director of Sales & Operations, Nevada, Tori Halfon spoke to Andy Probert.
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A
stor Chocolate has, for many decades, been a respected high-end chocolate manufacturer with deep
ties to the hospitality, F&B, travel retail and corporate sales sectors. While the brand name is synonymous with quality in the
picturesque Carpathian Mountain
industry and with chocolate connoisseurs;
range. Leopold Grunhut began studying
Astor is less recognised by the end-con-
the art of fine chocolate making and
sumer – the holidaymaker, weekend
soon mastered the magic. His confections
getaway vacationer and casual consumer
quickly gained culinary renown, and
– educating the end-user on the brand has
within five years, his small operation grew
been a focus point since the pandemic hit.
to four stores.
The New Jersey, family-owned company
Post World War 2, Leopold’s son Erwin
is a purveyor of many exquisite and fine
set sail for New York and launched Astor
chocolates, but its Moodibars,
Chocolate in 1950. It soon caught the
a unique derivation on the emoji
attention of its first large-scale customer,
themes in gourmet chocolate,
Macy’s, with other well-known department
has caught the imagination
stores following as its excellence in fine
and inspired the company to produce more versions
chocolates grew. Under the stewardship of Erwin and his
for the public.
children, Astor became the first choco-
Underpinning its delicious
latier to import pure Belgian chocolate
products is a conscien-
to the US, the first to delight international
tious company that is
air travellers and five-star hotel guests
both on trend, adopting
with complimentary confections and one
vegan and gluten-free
of the first to pair premium chocolate
products, and committing
with fine spirits.
to ethical production.
Astor’s legendary kitchens has also
“We are wired to bring
produced the first chocolate liquor cup,
delight and to be sustainable,”
the first turndown chocolate in the US and
said Tori Halfon, Director of Sales & Operations, Nevada.
many other innovative indulgences that have been imitated the world over. With booming sales, the Grunhut family
European heritage
decided to relocate its operations to a state-
Astor Chocolate began life in 1924 in
of-the-art 120,000sqft factory in Lakewood,
a quaint town in Czechoslovakia, on
New Jersey, 25 years ago. It later expanded
the banks of the Danube River near the
by setting up a warehouse in Las Vegas
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ASTOR CHOCOLATE
I PROFILE
to be closer to
a world-
the hotel sector and
class purveyor
offer West Coast clients easier access to Astor Chocolate’s products. It further consolidated its reputation,
of fine luxury chocolates. Joining in 2001, Sebastien grew up surrounded by the flavours and fragrances
acquiring Le Belge Chocolatier from Philippe
of his family’s chocolate shop and honed
and Huguette Dumas (yes, that Dumas)
his talents to become a world-renowned
a chocolate company based in Napa,
chef. He has garnered industry recognition,
California, and renowned for its artful blend
being named in the exclusive Top 25 List
of European tradition, fine Belgian chocolate
of Chocolate Makers in the Guide des
and exceptional ingredients.
Croquers de Chocolat.
Chef Sebastien, from Le Mans, France has
In 2016, Mr Erwin Grunhut was among
been an essential addition to the company,
the first recipients of the Specialty Food
helping to catapult Astor Chocolate into
Association’s Hall of Fame, which sought
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to honour individuals whose accomplishments,
“Astor Chocolate is also Rainforest Alliance Certified, which ensures its ingredients come from independently audited growers committed to protecting the forest, preserving the climate and providing fair livelihoods for workers”
impact, contributions, innovations and successes within the speciality food industry deserve praise and recognition. Astor has transitioned into a full-service company with an in-house design studio, photography studio and product development team. It has worked
design team
closely with private label customers to
can envision and realise
realise their brand direction and image.
bespoke collections customised
“We have worked with many high-profile
to fit every customer’s needs,
customers to create household name
making Astor a true one-stop shop
brands,” added Ms Halfon. “Our in-house
for fine chocolates.”
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ASTOR CHOCOLATE
I PROFILE
With a focus on innovation, Astor continued to forge ahead, breaking ground
recycled water
on a state-of-the-art creative suite with
to heat and cool the
a laser-sharp focus on progressive design.
production facility, its
This is the home to its in-house marketing,
machines and even the
design and product development teams.
chocolate. The system generates
The facility supports various sales channels
250,000 kilowatts of energy annually
with services such as trend sourcing,
to maintain about 50,000sqft of tempera-
packaging design and brand consulting.
ture-controlled space to manufacture and store chocolate.
From dream to green
Astor added solar energy in 2015 and
Astor prides itself on keeping its
this helps to generate additional energy.
manufacturing processes as clean and
The panels create 490kWh of energy and
sustainable as possible, according to
provide energy to the grid for local com-
Ms Halfon: “Our environmental mission
panies. “Our investment in green energy
strives to lessen our carbon footprint,
has allowed us to avoid harmful refriger-
while aggressively pursuing stringent
ants, divest from oil and coal, and save
waste reduction practices.”
tons of water every year,” explained
Its energy system powers the Lakewood
Ms Halfon.
plant with a combination of tri-generation
While its entire facility is Kosher certified,
and solar energy, ensuring 60% of its energy
Astor is also recognised through its Global
comes from green sources. A state-of-the-
Food Safety Initiative under SQF’s Food
art trigeneration system harnesses
Safety Code for Manufacturing and Food
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Quality Code for the confectionary and snack packaging products. The company has also eliminated Styrofoam from its insulated boxes and plans to
While many challenges from the pan-
go completely plastic-free in the next
demic continue to reverberate around
five years.
the industry, such as supply chain issues,
Astor Chocolate is also Rainforest
changes in consumer purchasing habits
Alliance Certified, which ensures its
and a slowdown in international tourism,
ingredients come from independently
the company has pivoted hard to continue
audited growers committed to protecting
driving business growth.
the forest, preserving the climate and
“The business is in a growth pattern
providing fair livelihoods for workers.
but does not want to lose the family spirit
Among its many products, the company
already in place,” Ms Halfon concluded.
has worked hard to create a new and
“This spirit imbues a sense of passion and
separate section of its manufacturing
entrepreneurship to create satisfaction
facility to produce fully vegan and
among our workforce.
gluten-free products. Ms Halfon outlined how the company’s
“Ultimately, Astor facilitates happiness and meaning. Whether that is a hotel
aims include production of its own choco-
showing appreciation to a valued
late, expansion of its vegan collection to
guest, a friend purchasing a Moodibar for
include plant-based milk chocolate truffle
someone to spread some love, or a hospital
cups, additional sizes and shapes, as well
thanking its team for hard work and
as increasing its certifications to include
keeping morale up with a chocolate bar,
Keto and sugar-free.
the goal is the same: to share smiles.” n Inside america 113