With eighty-one percent of Americans consuming chocolate, the industry is only growing. Reports project chocolate sales to exceed $26 billion by 2018, (up from about $22 billion in 2015). While there are some major players in the industry, this growth creates space in the market for new, smaller companies like Dipped, a business created by two sisters, out of their Englewood, New Jersey kitchen, with a passion for chocolate dipped treats.
In the summer of 2015, the inspiration for Dipped hit Eliana Epstein (age 22) by way of her younger sister, Jordana (age 20). When asked how the company started, Eliana explained, “My sister made chocolate covered pretzels for a family event and they were gone in thirty seconds.” She came to realize that, “Maybe this is something that other people would enjoy… Who doesn’t love a chocolate covered pretzel that can also be pretty?”
Starting a new business is an exciting venture, no matter the industry. But, the road to success is bumpy at times. The company’s first sale didn’t go as planned, “We started making the pretzels, had them all wrapped up, then the chocolate started to melt and the pretzels stuck together… We thought the only option was to use chocolate chips.” This mishap only fueled the Dipped team’s ambition, “We wanted to figure out why this was happening so we did the research to find out which chocolate works. It was discouraging but motivated us.”
As social media becomes increasingly popular, entrepreneurs like Eliana find it to be a useful tool for marketing. Social media plays a big role for the company when it comes to publicizing, “This is the way people find out about us and how we advertise.” Dipped is not alone in their marketing tactics; a Forbes.com survey found, companies that integrate social media in their marketing strategy see improved effectiveness and efficiency. Eliana notes that this tool has been advantageous in reaching and growing Dipped’s customer base, “I would say the vast majority [of customers] are local, some people are further away but everyone finds out about us through social media.”
As for the future of the growing company, the Epstein sisters have introduced a new line of Dipped treats, Dipped Oreo cookies. The duo hopes to one-day move to a bigger space, “We’re already at the point where we’re outgrowing our kitchen,” Eliana explained. She envisions a space that includes a big chocolate melting pot and more counter space.
