- With egg hunts and family reunions, chocolate makers usually make 25% of their annual turnover during the Easter period.
- But this year, the coronavirus epidemic will strongly thwart their plans.
- Example in Nantes where these craftsmen, who are trying to reorganize, sometimes already do the accounts.
Usually it's the excitement. But this year, the thick smell of cocoa has already subsided and there is no one left in the workshops. A few days before Easter, the chocolate makers hold their breath while the coronavirus epidemic continues to progress in France. If all first say they are concerned about the health situation in the country, some do not hide their concern at the approach of this period which represents up to 25% of their turnover for the year.
“From an economic point of view, it is a disaster, loose Gérald Debotté, at the head of the Nantes pastry-chocolate factory of the same name. Usually, we pour between two and three tonnes of chocolate. If I sell 100 or 200 kg, I will be happy. As the law allows, the merchant wanted to keep three of his six stores in Nantes open, only in the morning. "But it's very, very calm," he laments. Easter is a family celebration, a moment of sharing. The moment people cannot get together because of confinement, they have less desire to buy chocolate. It is no longer really the priority. "
Rabbits and hens waiting
The other problem is that thousands and thousands of milk, praline, or fish candies are ready to be eaten. Because Easter is being prepared well in advance with these craftsmen, some of whom were able to interrupt production a little earlier, seeing the situation becoming complicated. "We have already made several tonnes of merchandise, it is in the tens of thousands of euros," confirms Vincent Charpin, owner of the Carli brand. We will not be able to sell our rabbits and our chickens in June! Then, until October, it's a terrible time for chocolate makers. Everything will be lost if we cannot sell them soon. "
Suddenly, these traders had to develop a new organization. Many, for example, have gone to delivery. At Castelanne, for the past few days, we have been sending “five or six parcels” by Chronopost. "But for casts, it's not possible," observes Philippe Castelanne, the owner. We are trying to promote the drive-in service: once the order has been placed online, I just have to go out to drop the package off at the foot of the car. "A formula that aims to limit contacts, but unfortunately not the decline in turnover of the company, evaluated at" -90% "...
"To please the children"
In this blackboard, the chocolate makers hope that they will not stay too long on the floor. While the epidemic peak of Covid 19 is not yet reached in France, some hope that the curve will reverse quickly and that the desire for chocolate will return, even if it means organizing egg hunting in his living room. “When we learn about the regression of the disease, people will be relieved. They will want to please children, wants to believe Vincent Charpin, whose 12 employees of the chocolate factory are currently unemployed. We are ready to deliver free of charge throughout the city. "
At Vincent Guerlais, we feel that consumers need "a bubble of carefree and happiness". The company, which already used to send goods all over France, has been experimenting for a few days with a new home delivery system mixing fruit and vegetables (from a partner producer), pastries, and ... chocolates. Wednesday, she also said that "even if we sail by sight", "orders have been pouring in since the start of the week". So much so that it has reopened two of its stores since Friday morning, but for only one week.
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- Chocolate
- Easter
- Coronavirus
- Nantes
- Economy