Overview

Could there be a more intriguing East-meets-West story than one about the introduction of chocolate—that very symbol of Western indulgence—to legendarily austere China?

As China comes into its own as a world economic power, a new, huge consumer class is emerging, hungry for all things Western. In this land where twenty-five years ago most of the population had never tasted chocolate, five icons of Western business are now slugging it out in a battle royal to see which will become the Emperor of Chocolate in China.

Chocolate Fortunes offers the first inside look at the battle for China’s newfound chocolate addiction. The book devotes individual chapters to each of the five major players—Hershey, Nestlé, Cadbury, Mars, and Ferrero—and the trials they face as they attempt to dominate their market in an enigmatic and still-developing economy. More broadly, Chocolate Fortunes examines the unique opportunities and challenges inherent in the Chinese business universe.

Probing not only the economic, political, and cultural conditions that have given rise to a seemingly insatiable new market, the book delves into the mystique of chocolate itself and how it captivates not just the Chinese, but people all over the world.

About the Author

LAWRENCE L. ALLEN (Beijing, China) is a former senior executive for both Hershey and Nestlé in China. He has spent more than 20 years building consumer brands for multinational companies in China.