Ehlenbogen is the insiders’ tip between Germany’s chocolate factories. A small village in the middle of the Black Forest with not more than 400 inhabitants. The Internet connection is bad here, as well as the mobile network. Heinzelmann’s confectionery counts 12 employees, 2 store locations, the production area is 80 square meters. But what suprises most is that the business goes without any kind of advertising. You won’t find a website and products aren’t even sent to the closest patrons. How is this working?

Heinzelmann’s secret of success is called PRALINEN-FIX. It is the semi-automatic machine for chocolate fillings ever invented. All goods are produced manually, only a single glass panel divides shop floor and sales room. This is how customers and visitors can experience the live production of homemade chocolates. The „transparent production“ is a working strategy. „I just wanted to do something to attract people“ says owner Max Heinzelmann. The plan worked out. Today, the business processes up to 100kg of chocolate per day, all of the almost 70 recipes used come from the owner. Customers are private clients or other enterprises. Max Heinzelmann: „When we opened 27 years ago, the people used to queue in front of our shop“. Nowadays not only clients but also media queue. For many years, Max Heinzelmann was invited every month to „Kaffee oder Tee“ („Coffee or tea“), a popular series. His backup: PRALINEN-FIX.

„We try to use this machine as much as possible.“ This attitude pays off. The machine saves expensive workforce and Max Heinzelmann reduces probably 80% of the production time by using PRALINEN-FIX. Furthermore the machine can be operated by unskilled workers, who have become very important for confectioneries. In that way he doesn’t have to save on the quality of his ingredients but can offer high quality goods at a low price. This puts him far ahead of his competition. For comparison only: In Germany one pays aroun 6€ per 100gr of homemade chocolates. At Heinzelmann’s confectionery you pay less than 4€ for the same amount of chocolates.

„Many confectioneries advertises in-house production but at the same time they obtain their chocolates from other providers.“ Says Heinzelmann, The chocolate professional understands. „Chocolate facturing is costly. There are so many legal requirements, plus you need your own master in your production.“ But is all comes down to the right ingredients. „You must hace respect for the food. Take only the best raw materials you can find, especially for chocolates.“ It is not for nothing that chocolates are called the „confectioner’s jewel“.

But supar is essential. Chocolate consits of cocoa, supar and fat, darker chocolate contains more cocoa, lighter chocolate more sugar. „Kids love white chocolate.“ Heinzelmann knows. „But this preference usually changes with age. Most older people prefer dark chocolate.“ Dark chocolate from the Bolivian jungle is his delicacy. There, natives have found wild cocoa trees. Farmers gather every single fruit by hand and carry them out of the woods with their donkeys, Small amounts of wild cocoa, the perfect fit for the exquisite chocolate factory in the Black Forest. „To me, this is the world’s best cocoa!“ says Heinzelmann.

However, PRALINEN-FIX and the careful selection of his ingredients are not the only secrets of sucess. Heinzelmann reveals: „No trends“ I stick to classics and try increase the taste of the raw material by using sugar and cream. I also use chili and ginger, like the Maya already did.“ But also local products find their way into Heinzelmann’s chocolate factory. „I really like elder. It’s a classic! But we do not take part in trends like Aperol or horseradish-tomato.“

Acqusition and development of PRALINEN-FIX

Merchants in Germany and neighouring countries sellPRALINEN-FIX . You can contact them on www.pralinen-fix.de. The first semi automatic machine for filling chocolates was developed by bayer Feinwerk in Villingen-Schwenningen: www.bayer-feinwerk.de

Technical data PRALINEN-FIX:

Width: ca. 400 mm
Height: ca. 570 mm incl. container
Depth: ca. 510 mm
Weight: ca. 17 kg incl. container
Chamber volume: ca. 5 litre
Heating input power: 10 Watt
Warmup tie: 30 min
Pin: 230 V / 115 Volt