Company Overview
Max Brenner Company was established in 1996 in Israel in a town outside Tel Aviv. Its name is derived from its founders who were Max Fichtman and Oded Brenner. However, Fichman is not part of the company any more since Brenner bought out his shares in the company. He also later sold it to Strauss-Elite and become a consultant and a shareholder of the company.
Since its inception, the company has spread to other countries including the US, Australia, Philippines and Singapore. The vision of the company is to spread its chocolate culture throughout the world. The company operates as a restaurant which mainly deals with chocolate products. Its menu contains hot chocolate drinks, desserts, chocolate waffles and wine among many others. It also offers cocktails, breakfast and many more. It sells its products online and through stores.
Max Brenner was incorporated into Strauss Group Ltd 2001 and today, it operates as a subsidiary of the company. Strauss Group Ltd. is also an Israel company which focuses on food products. Max Brenner International Inc. has continued to open up new branches and boutiques with the latest one being the 143-seat restaurant that was recently opened in Boston in the US and to increase the exports of its products.
The 143-seat restaurant alone employs 112 workers. Its rapid expansion reflects Max Brenner’s confidence in chocolatier. It is the first chocolate company ever in New York. The company’s international expansion was intended to pave the way for spreading the brands in America and its products across the globe.
The company’s 2010 third quarter sales increased by 4.4% having sold ILS 29 million from its previous quarter which was ILS 28 million (Max Brenner International Inc. 2011). In 2006 and earlier years, about 40% of Strauss Group Ltd. Per annum turnover which is approximated to be around $1 dollars is from other countries (Halili 2006). In 2009, its total sales revenue stood at about $32 million (Max Brenner International Inc. 2011).
Products and services
Max Brenner International Inc. mainly focuses on chocolates; however, its menu has a variety of food products which include chocolate drinks and waffles, sweets, tea and coffee, ice creams, appetizers, wine, desserts and many more. In addition, the company offers cocktails, breakfast as well as well as brunch cocktails.
Its menu also contains entrée salads, chocolate martinis, crepes as well as sandwiches. Its hot chocolate comprise of vanilla cream made in Italy as well as red chili from Mexico. The dark chocolate contains about 70% cacao which is used to improve its taste. Max Brenner also offers salad products. According to Halili (2006) the company owns Sabra which has been a very prosperous salad making company in the US. Its hummus has been the second most sold in the US.
Among the most recommended chocolate products customers is chocolate fondue. Its Chocolate Bars allow customers to experience its chocolate that has not been mixed with anything. Customers have a chance to experience chocolate in its melted form. The chocolate bars offer customers a relaxed modern environment where they can indulge.
Max Brenner makes a variety of cold as well as hot chocolate beverages which are served in its cafes. According to The Nibble (2008) the kind of preparation given to the beverages can not be matched by any done anywhere meaning that anybody buying chocolate powder to prepare the same at home can not achieve similar results. Max Brenner is well known for its specialty in Chocolate beverages as well as some selected deserts.
Max Brenner is aware that chocolate is secondary and therefore it ensures that its packaging and design is excellent. It packages its products in beautiful reusable tins as well as sassy boxes.
The company places much emphasis on service and in its restaurants and cafes, every menu entrée comes with a detailed explanation. It also provides for online services which include online reservations to any of its restaurants. One can also make online shopping from its stores. The company offers delivery services to online shoppers. Its websites provide customers with information about all the products that it offers.
It also provides opportunity for customers to have a live chart with its customer care. This enables customers make informed choices and also make reservations. The company also offers corporate gifts as well as wedding favors. Corporate gifts are mainly offered when one makes a large volume order or in corporate orders. They also offer services during weddings.
Aspects of international business
Max Brenner International Inc. applies several aspects of international business. It applies the legal aspects of international business which includes business structure and contacts. In its legal business structural aspect, it operates as an exporter while in its legal business contacts aspects, it operates as a freight Forwarder and also employs commercial bank to help it in its international trade. It uses letters of credit to make its transactions.
The company uses documents to secure its underlying transactions especially when it is making shipment to its customers. Commercial Letters of Credit guarantees the seller that the delivered goods will be paid for. The use of commercial letters of credit has helped Max Brenner to open new markets in other countries.
The company uses trade regulations to protect its intellectual property and trade secrets as well as wrongful trade. It applies trade secrets to protect its chocolate culture from being stolen by competitors. In addition, it uses trademark and corporate name to protect its products. This means that it is also protected by the international agreements which offer international protection given that it is an international company.
Max Brenner has also adapted the cultural aspects of international business. It extends its chocolate culture through its restaurants across the countries it operates in. It has also adopted the European style of making coffee and brought it to its US restaurants and cafes not only to attract the Europeans in the US but to bring a unique experience to all its customers.
It understands the cultural differences that exist across the globe and therefore employs people from the particular regions of operation. Besides, it has franchises to enable its customers to be served by those who understand their habits better. The company owns franchise in its countries of operations which it rents out to other companies.
In Philippines for example, MAC-CO Holdings Inc, operates all its exclusive franchise in Philippines. Therefore, its success lies in the special character of these companies that operates the franchises. Max Brenner assures its customers of the expertise of each of its employee on chocolate. It also ensures that these companies operate the franchises according to the chocolate culture of aesthetics, experience, knowledge as well as artisanship and that the quality remains the same everywhere.
Strengths of Max Brenner
Max Brenner has adopted modern technology especially in its marketing and sales thereby providing solutions to its millions of customers across countries and continents. Its website provides the customers with the details they need and also provides an opportunity for live chart through the internet.
Customers are therefore able to shop or make corporate purchases online and even make reservations to its restaurants and cafes. The online shop has been extended to offer corporate gifts, spa collections as well as wedding favours among many others. The company has contracted an ecommerce agency to provide them with technical expertise and creativity in marketing of their products and services and to provide support and maintenance to its website.
Its waiters are also specially trained to serve the customers with passion and to understand the needs of very customers. All the waiters are made to understand the professionalism of the job so as to maintain and attract customers. Other employers in charge of manufacturing of products as well as the chefs are also trained to always maintain the quality and increase creativity.
Weaknesses of Max Brenner
The company only manufactures most of its chocolate products in Israel and not in all its countries of operation. This means that it has to incur the costs of shipments and customs which could have been reduced if it were to open other manufacturing companies in these countries. It would also reduce the risks that are associated with shipments.
Reference List
Halili, Y., 2006, Israel chocolate hits big apple. Web.
Max Brenner International Inc., 2011, Company overview. Web.
The Nibble, 2008, Max Brenner, chocolate by the bald man. Web.