Tiroler Edle: Artisanal Chocolate from Tyrol, Austria
Laird R. Smith
The University of Texas at El Paso ,USA
Laura Guerrero
University of Houston – Clear Lake, USA
Volume 11: 2016, pp. 169-182; ABSTRACT
Hans-Jörg Haag owned two businesses in Landeck, Tyrol in Austria. One produced Tiroler Edle, a high-quality artisanal chocolate. Except for the cacao beans, Tiroler Edle was made entirely from high quality local ingredients. Tiroler Edle was sold only online and in Tyrol, including in specialty stores in Innsbruck, a top ski destination. In terms of marketing, Tiroler Edle had an online presence and Haag was sometimes portrayed on TV and in magazines as a master chocolatier. The other business was Café Haag, which he inherited from his parents. While Tiroler Edle’s sales were growing, Café Haag was slowly losing revenue. Café Haag’s clientele was aging and the café was not attractive to younger customers. In addition, due to various changes, Landeck received fewer visitors. Now, Haag wondered if it would be a good idea to consider expanding Tiroler Edle to other markets beyond Tyrol. Should he close Café Haag?
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