by Roula Amire

   "We are the behind-the-scenes chocolatier. Sometimes we get credit, and sometimes other people do. But that is who we are. We want to make other people look good," says Rena Pocrass, founder and president of the Valencia, California-based chocolate company. "We think that we're the best kept secret!"
   This best kept secret began in 1986 as a small business run by Rena out of her home with help from one part-time employee. Hard work, persistence, and quick turnaround has launched Chocolates à la Carte as a premier creator of distinctive chocolate designs that are used by the nation's top hotel and restaurant chefs to create countless, award-winning signature desserts.
   Its creations include a variety of marbleized chocolate seashells, swans, tulips, and boxes used by chefs who then add fruit, mousse, or sauces to form eye-catching desserts.
   With 5,000-plus customers, 200 employees, and a 20 percent annual growth rate, opportunities remain endless, and growth appears boundless for the company.
   "Last year, in one month alone -- December -- we did as much business as the entire year of 1992," says Richard Pocrass, CEO. "We are not trying to double our growth. We plan for a 20-25 percent growth each year. We could double if we wanted, but that would get out of control,'' he says.
   In addition to its impressive range of products, Chocolates à la Carte attributes its growth to on-time delivery. It is no stretch to say that its reputation precedes itself in this department.
   "Our customers have come to rely on us to deliver chocolates on short notice, or without any notice. This is how we intend to expand our business," says Rena. "Customers have experienced this kind of mentality since day one. The company is prepared to handle it."
   Currently, the bulk of the business lies in the food service industry -- 80 percent of which is geared to the hotel industry.
   "The hospitality industry runs in such a way that they don't know themselves what is going to happen each day. We have geared our company to service this industry. By doing this, we become a major asset to our client," says Rena.
   There are a number of orders placed at Chocolates à la Carte that require same-day shipping.
   "On any one day, there will be 10 percent of orders shipped that were placed that morning, of which we knew nothing about when we arrived in the morning," states Richard.
   This ability has resulted in an impressive clientele of upscale restaurants, cruise lines, airlines, country clubs, caterers, and nearly every major hotel in the U.S. This is not to mention high-profile clients such as Lee Iaacocca, Jack Nicholson, and President Bill Clinton.
   Chocolates à la Carte is also the top catering choice for award ceremonies such as the Oscar and Emmy Awards. Last year, it supplied the chocolate display dinner pieces at the Governor's Ball during the Academy Awards.
   "We've done most of the award statues in some way, shape or form. We've done probably almost everyone of them in chocolate," says Richard.

Wake-up call

   Rena founded Chocolates à la Carte 14 years ago after her business partner wanted out of their chocolate retail operation. Rena didn't skip a beat, however, and made a name for herself by creating unique chocolate pieces from her home.
   From the start, she targeted the hotel industry as catering clients. As her product line and business grew, her husband, Richard, left his executive search firm to partner with her. While she remained the creative force, he managed the business.
   To produce and handle all aspects of production, Chocolates à la Carte hired Van Der Meer, a local contracting company.
   "Chocolates à la Carte eventually became Van Der Meer's largest customer, and as that occurred, the two companies merged together. At one point, Chocolates à la Carte began producing certain items, and for a number of years, we balanced off each other's resources," says Richard.
   But it was an earthquake in 1994 that literally shook things up, and brought the companies together. The earthquake rocked the Los Angeles area, and caused extensive physical damage to Chocolates à la Carte's Sylmar operation.
   Van Der Meer supplied a power generator, repaired the phone and computer system, and moved Chocolates à la Carte's production to its own facility. This allowed products to ship on schedule the day after the earthquake.
   "We had a tremendous backlog of customers, and we downplayed our damage. We knew that our survival was at stake," says Richard. The company was awarded a Chamber of Commerce Blue Chip Enterprise Award for how it handled the effects of the earthquake.
   "We realized that we needed to be together as one company. We needed Van Der Meer and they needed us," says Richard.
   In 1994, Van Der Meer became a subsidiary of Chocolates à la Carte. Frank Geukens, president of Van De Meer, became Chocolates à la Carte's executive vice president.
   And, after two years of planning and construction, the two are now housed under one roof for the first time.
   At the start of the year, Chocolates à la Carte consolidated its two California factories in Cerritos and Sylmar, and moved into a recently built $8 million plant in Valencia.
   "We're very excited about the building because it will be very, very efficient,'' emphasizes Rena.
   "The building was built in a way that we have a great deal of flexibility so if in a five-year time period, we decide that we want to expand, we can," says Geukens. "We have an additional 32,000 square feet that is not being used as of yet. We hope to utilize that space in the next five years.
   "We are now able to fabricate more items simultaneously. In the past, we could only manufacture this item or that item because of space limitations. Now there are no limitations, either peoplewise or space-wise," he says.
The 110,000 square foot factory also includes a retail outlet that allows the company to test their leverage in the retail segment of the industry.
   "We are looking to get into retail, and we're moving in that direction very rapidly," says Geukens.
   "We're not going to jump in overnight. It will be gradual," adds Rena. "We have some incredible people here, so why not go out there and see if we have a unique twist for that end of the market?"
   "We were limited by resources, but the new facility eliminates that. Our future is, in part, to brand the Chocolates à la Carte name in the retail environment,'' says Richard.

Custom creations

   Chocolates à la Carte's product line has undergone tremendous growth, as has the company. "When you look at some of the items that we fabricate today, even as much as two years ago, we said that it could never be done. We said that it was too difficult, but we constantly surprise ourselves," says Rena.
   With thousands of chocolate creations and 1,800 different moulds, Chocolates à la Carte finds a way to fill nearly every order.
   "I didn't like telling people no, nor did I like people telling me no," says Rena.
   "I don't recall the last time we've said no," says Geukens. "Sometimes the mould hasn't even been made yet when an order comes in. But we'll still get it done."
   Because the company creates custom work for numerous different companies, it fabricates moulds in-house.
   "Moulding gives us a great deal of flexibility. If we don't have sufficient moulds for our customers, we make them so we can get product out. There are customers who expect to have products produced today for today," says Geukens. "It's faster, and gives us more control. We order some moulds from other companies if it's cost effective, but that's not very often. We also manufacture our own liners to be able to ship products. It's easier to box, and for our customers to handle."
   In addition to moulded chocolates, the company produces truffles in 15 different flavors, and ships logos to nearly every major company. It also does contract work for manufacturers.
   Although Chocolates à la Carte is a large company, it employs very little automation.
   "A lot of that is due to the items that we fabricate. There isn't any one particular item that requires equipment, and we don't sell enough of it to warrant an equipment purchase," says Geukens.
   The majority of items are handmade and hand packaged. Currently, production equipment includes an APV enrobing line, Doboy wrapper, and Savage Bros. melting and tempering machines.
   The company plans to add new equipment that will quadruple production to meet demand over a three-year period.

Pushing the envelope

   Chocolates à la Carte earned its rags to riches status for many reasons -- quality, creativity, and unwavering knowledge that it alone controls its destiny.
   "Everyone here knows that you can only control yourself. You're the person that has your neck on the line. That is one of the reasons why we like to do as much in-house as we possibly can. It keeps you from relying on people that don't have the same beliefs and understanding that we do," says Geukens.
   This belief has resulted in a successful in-house moulding operation, graphic division, and foil stamping department.
But possibly the underlying force at Chocolates à la Carte is its never say die attitude.
   "We will always come up with solutions for our customers. We may have to get a private pilot to fly your order out, but that's do-able," says Richard. There have been instances when the company bought an airplane seat to ensure ontime arrival of a chocolate creation.
   "Attitude is everything. The customer is our partner, and we will do everything in our power to satisfy them," says Rena. And the more complex the order, the better.
   "If it was easy, everybody would do it. So, we like difficult projects. We push the state of the art of our product. We're on our fourth generation of moulds because we are never satisfied with the quality. We keep improving," says Rena.
   As Chocolates à la Carte looks toward the future with a new facility, and a retail market to conquer, this attitude will surely pave the way.
   "The underlying thread is that we're all major risk takers. We do think things out, and it is calculated to some extent, but we go for it. We like being on the edge," says Rena.