Bean-to-bar chocolate consultant · India
Build a profitable bean-to-bar chocolate brand in India.
Chocolate factory setup, recipe development and online chocolate courses — from a consultant with 25 years on the production floor and 5,000+ makers trained.
years in chocolate
makers trained since 2011
businesses consulted
Brands empowered
The Whole Truth FoodsDarkinsPink HarvestBean to ChocolateAmazerChablonDontelaJas ChocolatesYellow Muffin& many moreTwo ways to work with me
Building a brand and learning the craft are different journeys. Pick yours.
For founders & brands
I’m building or scaling a chocolate business
Factory setup, machinery, sourcing, recipes and launch — mentored over six months, or delivered for you end to end.
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For bakers & chocolatiers
I want to learn chocolate making and sell it
Self-paced online courses in bean-to-bar, panning and tempering — with costing, suppliers and pricing built in.
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Consulting
Chocolate factory setup & product development consulting
A recipe is a small part of a chocolate business. The rest is the system around it: the right machine at the right capacity, a process your team can repeat, a product that survives an Indian summer, and a price that leaves margin. That system is what I build with you.
Chocolate factory setup
From a micro unit in a spare room to a full production line. I plan the layout, match machinery to real capacity and map the process flow — so you buy once, and buy right.
Recipe & product development
Bean-to-bar couverture, panned dragées, clean-label protein and energy bars, fillings and pastes. Formulated for taste first, then engineered for texture, shelf life and cost per unit.
Sourcing, costing & launch readiness
Cocoa and ingredient sourcing, costing sheets, margins, packaging and pricing. Your first commercial batch goes out priced for profit and stable on the shelf.
Two ways to engage
Six-month mentorship
Done With You
For founders who want to own the know-how, not rent it. We work in three phases:
- Brand foundation — product range, positioning and numbers
- Technical infrastructure — equipment, process and recipes
- Launch readiness — costing, packaging and first production runs
You run every trial in your own facility. I review, correct and guide each iteration, so the product — and the skill — stays yours.
Turnkey delivery
Done For You
For brands with capital ready and a launch date to meet. I take the build off your plate:
- Factory layout, machinery selection and setup
- Recipes developed, tested and handed over
- Process documented so your team can run it
- On-site visits anywhere in India
You get a working unit and a finished product range, ready for production.
Every engagement is scoped to your stage and scale. Fees are shared after the discovery call.
Book a discovery callHow a consulting engagement works
- 01
Discovery call
We check fit, stage and budget. No obligation.
- 02
Evaluation & roadmap
I assess your kitchen, vision and numbers, then set out the equipment, product and plan.
- 03
Build & launch
Regular reviews until your product is market-ready.
Courses
Online chocolate making courses with a business built in
Self-paced and practical. Learn the craft, then the costing, suppliers and pricing — so you can sell what you make.
Bean to Bar Online Certificate Course
Make clean dark, milk and white chocolate from cocoa beans at home. Roasting, winnowing without machines, recipe formulation with jaggery and no lecithin — plus costing, pricing and packing.
Enrol in Bean to BarChocolate Panning Course — Dragées
Build a long-shelf-life chocolate product line from home. Panning setup, machine selection, coating technique, packaging, pricing and vendors.
Enrol in PanningTempering Chocolate with Confidence
A short, practical lesson on tempering — the foundation skill behind every bar, coating and moulded chocolate. Start here if you are new.
Get the tempering courseFree tools for cake & chocolate businesses
Not ready to commit? Start here. No sign-up, nothing stored.
Profit Audit
Are you running a business, or a job with ingredient costs? Enter your numbers and see where you stand in 3 minutes.
Take the audit →Run Your Shop
A four-week business simulation. Start with ₹50,000 and see how your decisions play out.
Play the simulation →
About
Rakesh Saini — pioneer of India’s bean-to-bar movement
I studied software and never practised it. Chocolate won. Twenty-five years on, I have worked every side of this industry — chocolatier, bean-to-bar maker, manufacturer, teacher, consultant and author.
Since founding 32 Degree Studio in 2011, I have trained 5,000+ makers and consulted for 150+ businesses. That work has empowered brands like The Whole Truth Foods, Darkins, Pink Harvest, Bean to Chocolate, Amazer, Chablon, Dontela, Jas Chocolates, Yellow Muffin and many more — home kitchens, micro factories and national names alike.
My job is simple: turn your chocolate idea into a product that tastes right, holds on the shelf and makes money.
- Trained at Felchlin, Switzerland
- Limca Book of Records — tallest caricature cake
- Author
- Industry speaker and competition judge
Questions founders ask
How much does it cost to start a bean-to-bar chocolate business in India?
A home micro-lab can start at around ₹10,000. A commercial micro-factory depends on capacity — we size it on the discovery call.
Do you consult outside Mumbai?
Yes. I travel across India for consulting assignments. Done With You mentorship runs online. On-site visits for Done For You projects happen wherever your unit is, and every visit is a paid trip, Mumbai included.
Which chocolate course should I start with?
New to chocolate: Tempering Chocolate with Confidence. Making your own chocolate from beans: Bean to Bar. A long-shelf-life product with a small setup: Chocolate Panning.
Do you develop protein bars and other food products?
Yes — high-protein and energy bars, fillings and pastes, with texture and shelf life engineered in.
What does chocolate consulting cost?
It depends on your stage, product range and scale. You get a clear scope and fee after the discovery call.
Your chocolate brand starts with one conversation.
A short call. No obligation. Leave with clarity on your next steps.
Pick a time on the calendarPrefer to write? Use the form.