Company: Amore Chocolate Pizza Company
Products Reviewed: Chocolate Pizza

Packaging/Labeling: (Pros): simple box design that resembles real pizza box. (Cons): box did not stay closed or sealed, seems a bit flimsy. (Recommendation): find better solution for keeping box together and stronger. A combination of sealing-stickers on each side and perhaps a stronger box would make for a more professional and durable presentation.

Taste/Consistency/Quality: The ‘Break a leg’ was a definite favorite, covering all bases with flavor, consistency, and texture. Sweet, rich chocolate, salty peanuts, chewy marshmallows, and crispies gives something for everyone to love.

We found that eating the pizzas at room temperature was most enjoyable. When eating straight out of the refrigerator, the chocolate was too hard. This is really a varying opinion however, and the best analogy is real pizza: some like a crispy crunchy crust, while others prefer a soft and chewy crust.

Uniqueness: Amore chocolate pizza is truly unique with little competition in the market place. There are similar products out there, but none quite as unique as Amore. A google search for “chocolate pizza” yielded mainly recipe sites. When compared to others, Amore blows away the competition for the price.

Comparables: –
http://www.creativechocolatesofvt.com/Products/Pizzas.php3

http://www.drummondchocolates.com/

http://www.awesomecreations.com/Chocolate_Pizza.htm

Grand River Gourmet

Price Point: Average. Price per ounce is in-line with comparables, but Amore has much more to offer in terms of variety and quality. As a gift item, the price is perfect for such a unique item. As an everyday confection or treat, consumers may see it as being priced too high (not understanding what they are really getting).

Possible Obstacles: educating consumers will always be a difficult proposition. At first, most people will think of an actual baked pizza with chocolate toppings of some sort. In sales channels such as internet/ecommerce, people may shy away after initial glance. Also, shipping chocolate products during summer months is always a challenge. Cold-packing products would work, but creates additional cost for consumers, which may deter them from ordering.

Possible Opportunities: Chocolate Pizza is an ideal gift, perfect for Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, Christmas, Birthdays, Weddings, Anniversaries, special events, and celebrations. In a day and age where consumers are turning to internet-mail order for gift-giving, a heavy internet marketing strategy would most likely yield best results. Gourmet retail stores and gift shops also present plenty of opportunity.

Notes: great products, very unique. We were unable to find much that is quite like these. Trade/Gift shows and online marketing would be great ways to educate buyers/consumers and generate some buzz.