From inception up until the setting up process, how did you start your business?

Upon discovering and tasting high premium chocolate from overseas made with no modification and no artificials I knew immediately that this was something, purely special and extremely rare to find in Melbourne.

My brother in law, Michael Racovalis, was working for a pastry/cake company, struggling to achieve recognition for his artistic work.

Upon tasting this seductive chocolate and listening to my enthusiastic vision and passion of starting our own company in Melbourne, Michael was hooked.

We started our business from home. As our clients and staff base grew, so did the need for larger premises, which we established at Preston.

Has your Greek Australian background been an influence to your work?

Absolutely. My father, Nick Floratos, has been the biggest influence in my work.

His traditional values of honesty, respect and hard work ethics, have moulded me into the optimistic businesswoman I am today.

How is business currently?

We have just recently opened our direct to the public chocolate boutique and the overwhelming response from people is truly wonderful.

Our customers’ satisfaction makes our hard efforts all worth while.

Our chocolate collection continues to grow not only in wholesale, but also for weddings, christenings, corporate gifts and functions.

What is your vision for the future of your business?

Our vision is to continue to strive for true elegance and secure a bright future for Chocolate Master to hand down to our children.

What would you say stands out as the comparative advantage of your business over the competition?

Our handcrafted colour chocolate jewels. They are truly a work of art.

It takes time, patience and skill to achieve this little piece of handmade chocolate. It is the ideal portion to enjoy an intense, beautiful, unique, fresh taste, which offers a more pleasurable experience.

We don’t use artificial flavourings. We use the real thing. When you taste our strawberry delight, you taste pure strawberry puree, blended with fresh local ingredients.
Artificial preservatives are strictly forbidden.

High quality chocolate is growing in Melbourne and people are beginning to understand the different tastes between compound cheap chocolate bars to high premium handcrafted chocolates.

We are also proud of having won the People’s Choice Award during last year’s Australian Chocolate Championship.

What makes a good quality chocolate?

The quality of chocolate, like most food, is determined by the quality of the raw ingredients.

The higher the cocoa content, the lower the amount of sugar will be present, the more intense the flavour of the chocolate will be.

High-quality (couverture) chocolate, breaks cleanly, and is smooth in texture and melts on your tongue. True chocolate must have a high amount of cocoa solids present – over 45 percent for dark chocolate, 30 percent for milk chocolate.