- June 27, 2016
- 1:22 pm
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Kras Chocolates
For several months, we have been working with Kraš, a Croatian confectionery specializing in chocolates, biscuits, and candies. Kraš is a well-known brand in Croatia with products in every grocery store, several standalone Bonbonnières (chocolate shops), and Choco Bars (a combination hot chocolate bar and dessert shop). We even found their products in a few surprising places in the Chicago in Mariano’s and our neighborhood grocery stores.
In preparation for our meeting with the company, we had several early morning calls with Goran, a representative from Kraš in the months before our trip, and we prepared a preliminary SWOT analysis on their US distribution and operations. On our trip we naturally did some in-depth field research testing out the varieties of chocolate and desserts offered in the specialty stores across Zagreb.
During the company visit, we met with several members of the Supervisory board of Kraš in the Marketing department, the Exports department, and the Manufacturing department to tour the chocolate manufacturing plant. The meetings were extraordinarily useful for us to gain a deeper understanding of the company and the cultural differences of operating a business in Croatia compared to operating a business in the US.
First, Lajla, a Marketing Manager at Kraš, described the challenges of Marketing such a broad brand portfolio in Croatia, and went into detail about a recent campaign using the popularity of an 80s Croatian pop-song and their efforts to draw in younger generations to Kraš. Then, Darko, the head of Exports marketing for the US and Saudi Arabia, spoke to us about the strengths and challenges that Kraš faces working remotely with distributors in the US and the limits of their current export strategy given the distance to the US market and the focus on Western European markets. Finally, the head of Manufacturing took us on a private tour of the Kraš manufacturing facilities and answered our questions about the chocolate manufacturing, distribution, and shipping.
When we return to the US, we will analyze our field research and see how we can help Kraš explore more opportunities in the US based on their current export strategy and focus.
-Emily Schroeder, MBA student with a concentration in Management; Business Manager in Quinlan School of Business