I've recently come across a few companies that offer chocolate bars
and chocolate coins imprinted with custom designs, mostly for use as
gifts and favors at weddings, corporate events, etc. ( examples:
www.chocolatecheers.com/, http://www.chocolatepen.com/, and others
that can be easily searched ). What I'd like to know is how to do this
myself. Specifically, I'd want to be able to make my own designs in
photoshop or some other program (basically just create an image file)
and "engrave" them on a chocolate bar, and then wrap the bar in a
wrapper that I have also designed.  I would want to do so in small
batches of no more than a few dozen at a time.

So I guess I'd like to know how these small businesses do it in terms
of equipment and process, where I can get such equipment, and how much
it would cost me to set up. Also, if there is a great idea for how to
make custom chocolate bars that has not been tried before or may be
more fitting for my small-scale needs than for these businesses, then
I'm all ears.

My guess is that the wrappers can be done by purchasing a certain kind
of printer and paper, and that the chocolate itself will be
accomplished by somehow stamping the design into a plastic mould, but
I don't know where to begin looking for these supplies.

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Request for Question Clarification by czh-ga on 18 Jul 2005 00:59 PDT

Dear goosehead-ga, 

I would dearly love to answer your question because chocolate is one
of my favorite subjects. I did some preliminary research to see how
difficult it would be to find the information you've requested. I've
got some leads but it will take some diggings.

Since this is only the second question you've posted, you may not be
familiar with the workings of Google Answers. I suggest that you
review these links so that you can get the most out of this service.
You've asked a complex, multi part question. I think you may need to
raise the price of your question to get a complete answer or you can
leave it as is and hope for the best.

http://answers.google.com/answers/faq.html
http://answers.google.com/answers/pricing.html

I also need some additional information from you. Where are you
located? There are usually local laws and regulations for setting up a
food manufacturing business. Do you have a budget for setting up this
business? I've found some resources for getting the equipment you're
looking for and some articles on what's involved in starting a
chocolate making business. Who do you see as your target market? How
do you envision selling your products? Considering the price of your
question, what would you consider an adequate answer.

I look forward to your clarification.

~ czh ~

I believe that your question will require more time
and effort than the average amount of time and effort associated
with this price.  Here is a link to guidelines about pricing
your question, https://answers.google.com/answers/pricing.html

Nenna-GA
Google Answers Researcher

Well, you could make a silicone mold chocolate. Dow Corning Silastic E
could be used (www.dowcorning.com see moldmaking section). I don't
know of an easy way to make the pattern. Might not be economic for
small volumes of chocolates.

To create the mold yourself would require a specific mold making
machine, I know because I have just started a very small chocolate
company and have been researching them.  You would need to contact a
mold company, google "custom chocolate molds" and they would be able
to give you the pricing on it.  Most companys do charge aprox. $150.00
but im sure if you search you might be able to find it at a more
affordable price.  My suggestion would be to just buy the plain bar
mold, you can find it at any neighborhood candy supply shop and
printing the actual wrapper on your computer.  That way it will still
be personal but not cost a fortune.  I dont know if you have ever done
molded chocolate before but it can be time consuming doing it for your
own wedding.  I just did 150 miniture solid chocolate wedding cakes
for my cousins wedding and it took about 12 hours doing it in my home
kitchen.  Hope that helps.