Production, wrapping, packaging and EATING Heidi chocolate !
The class entered the factory building and everybody had to put on a special plastic hat for protection. The production manager told us that we couldn't take any pictures. But, we searched information on the Internet about Heidi and we found a video made by a channel called ProTv on the Heidi factory. We decided to extract pictures from this video and from another websites.
We started the visit by walking down a corridor leading to different departments and sections.
In this factory, they make chocolate tablets, figurines and pralines.
There are a lot of machines and also a lot of people working here.
First, we visited the room where chocolate is made.
To make chocolate, sugar powder, cocoa powder, milk powder and vegetable fat or butter are mixed together. After that, this mix is put into big machines which rotate during 8 hours. The mix will become liquid. The machines turn with water to liquefy the solid paste at 80°. There were four big machines which were turning. It was very hot in this room but it smelt very good and sweet ! Finally, there was a big liquid mass of chocolate running out of the machine.
We also saw a small machine with yoghurt and strawberry chocolate.
After that, in the third room, three women were making Easter rabbits.
All the products for special occasions (Christmas, Easter) are totally
handmade.
All the products for special occasions (Christmas, Easter) are totally
handmade.
To wrap these products, some women put the chocolate on a conveyer
belt and after that the chocolate became thinner.
belt and after that the chocolate became thinner.
After that, a machine wraps the tablets in aluminum sheets and then, they will be put into a little box. Then, a woman will finally put the tablet boxes into big boxes. These boxes will either be sold in Romania or exported. There are 15 or 20 tablets of chocolate in a box (it depends on the size of the tablets).
In the next room, we saw how Easter rabbits are made.
First, some women put the carrots on the rabbits.
They put different types of chocolate into plastic molds. Then, the plastic molds with the chocolate vibrate on a table in order to have a uniform consistency and constant thickness because the rabbit is empty. When the chocolate is well-spread out in the plastic molds, they are put on a turning machine for 10 to 15 minutes.
Then, we went to see the production of pralines.
After the pralines are made they are put into a cold room for a few hours to become solid. Finally, some big machines wrapped the pralines.
Heidi has only one factory in Romania, the one we visited in Pantelimon. From Pantelimon, the company exports to 32 countries in the world (to Germany, Canada, China and recently, they started exporting to the United States).
There are also two Heidi factories in Switzerland and Germany.
Heidi produces more than fifty different sorts of chocolate.
They produce a lot of fruit chocolates such as cherry, orange, strawberry, lemon, kiwi, banana, mango, cranberry, pear, raspberry and even chili !
Dark chocolate sells best in Romania and Grand'Or sells best worldwide and is also the biggest brand. The chocolates made with fruit are named “gourmette”. Heidi also sells chocolate with strawberry yoghurt, nuts, with biscuit and caramel, honey with nuts, and many others. For special occasions like Valentine's Day, Easter… they have called these products “bouquette”. They do not have secret recipes.
The inventor of new sorts of chocolate is called Florin Mostocea.
We also had the pleasure of meeting him. To make a new sort
of chocolate, they get their ideas from other companies.
If one new type sells well, they keep it on the market.
If it doesn't sell well, they remove it from the market.
