Mary Ann O'Brien, Lily / "Lily O'Brien Chocolates"

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Still 12 years ago the businesswoman from Ireland Mary-Ann O'Brajn prepared chocolate on kitchen of own apartment and sold its acquaintance. Now the turn of its company makes almost $10 million a year. She explains the success to that was not afraid to struggle for the same contracts, as leaders of confectionery branch.

Still 12 years ago the businesswoman from Ireland Mary-Ann O'Brajn prepared chocolate on kitchen of own apartment and sold its acquaintance. Now the turn of its company makes almost $10 million a year. She explains the success to that was not afraid to struggle for the same contracts, as leaders of confectionery branch.

In the late nineties the British airline British Airways was going to to conclude the long-term contract on cooperation with the large Swiss manufacturer of chocolate Lindt, but at the last minute has changed the mind and has preferred to co-operate with small, to very few people the known company on manufacture of chocolate Lily O’Brien Chocolates. The foundress of this company Mary-Ann O'Brajn admitted later, that watched closely succession of events in the market of airlines and knew about negotiations British Airways with Lindt. «I have thought, that brand Lindt has become boring for a long time already to all, - she tells. - having called in British Airways, I have told, that, in my opinion, the brand has become outdated, and has suggested to meet. I have explained, that I can offer new, delightful chocolate with own design». As a result of British Airways has concluded the contract on cooperation with Lily O’Brien. « Well and sweet it was sensation! Present, as I felt myself! - recollects Mary-Ann. - on the one hand, there was Lindt, such "grandfather" in the chocolate market, corporation with traditions and 150-year-old history, on the other hand - I with my young, developing company. And I have withdrawn at them the contract directly from under a nose! »Passengers of planes British Airways have started to treat with chocolates with various napolniteljami - lemon, crimson stuffings. All stuffings have been prepared from natural components. And after a while such air carriers, as Virgin, Continental, United and US Air became Mary-Ann's clients.

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Thought to create the company for the first time has visited Mary-Ann 12 years ago. She had a rest in Southern Africa and has made friends with the daughter of the owner of hotel where she lived. Once girlfriends have come together on kitchen of hotel restaurant. There the woman stirred in the big bowl hot and more liquid chocolate, trying faster it to cool, and deleted from its surface bubbles. Then the working woman has poured chocolate on special formochkam. O'Brajn zavorozhenno observed of process of preparation of a delicacy and next day has gone to buy to itself formochki for chocolate.

Having returned to Ireland, it has gone deep into studying of cookbooks and began to prepare chocolate under different recipes directly on kitchen of the apartment. A ready product it allowed to try acquaintance. Its personal hairdresser who became its first client later was one of them.

Interest to manufacture of dews, and Mary-Ann has gone to study in art of preparation of chocolate to Belgium, and then to Switzerland. It became the present expert on the business. In 1993 the businesswoman has bought on credit ($46 000) the first industrial car for preparation of chocolate and has had small industrial rooms. Mary-Ann's new company has named in honour of the daughter Poured - Lily O’Brien.

Business began to develop gradually, however the enterprise was very small and continued to concern branch so-called cottage industry (small rural manufactories). The first investments into $61 thousand in exchange for considerable enough share holding Lily O’Brien of Mary-Ann has received from the friend who is engaged in manufacture of meat products that has allowed it to increase considerably manufacture volume - «to cease to think of kgs of chocolate and to start to measure it in tons». The second financial injection - $1,5 million - in the enterprise of the enterprising Irish has been made thanks to the state economic program of support of small-scale business Business Expansion Scheme. This money has gone on purchase of the new equipment and start of a conveyor line that has promoted the conclusion of the first large-scale contract for chocolate delivery to local supermarket Superquinn. In a year Lily O’Brien delivered in Superquinn so much chocolate that has superseded the Belgian competitors. Now company O'Brajn supplies with chocolate the majority of the British supermarkets.

After tragedy on September, 11th, 2001 in New York in the market of aviatransportations sharp recession was outlined. But O'Brajn has done the utmost not to lose contracts with airlines. It has sharply reduced expenses for design of chocolate tiles and was kept in business. Last year Lily O’Brien has put to 8 million airlines t. Chocolate products.

Today in company O'Brajn 140 persons work, and the annual turnover of capital Lily O’Brien makes $9,7 million Company exports chocolate to many countries of the world, but more all to the Great Britain, the USA, Canada and Australia. Production Lily O’Brien it is possible to carry to a class lux, because in it of 55 % of natural cocoa. The most popular brand of the company is called Chocolate Crispy Hearts.

Now to traditional dairy chocolates chocolate tiles with different stuffings and with nuts, truffles, white and black chocolate have increased. The company makes on the average 10-12 t chocolate in a week, and sometimes even on 20 t for seven days.

Mary-Ann says often, that on character it not the manufacturer, and the seller. «Allow to me to drink only a vodka wine-glass at lunch, - she laughs, - I will some speak all second half of day and with everybody: with the companies, with buyers …»

Before in Ireland almost did not make some chocolate. In the market was only two small companies - Lir and Butlers. In many respects development of chocolate business was promoted by the state Irish organisation specialising in area of marketing, - Bord Bia (The Irish Food Board). The organisation, in particular, has helped the companies - to manufacturers of chocolate to enter the foreign market. The researches spent Bord Bia, have revealed, that in the Irish market chocolate of a class lux uses the greatest success. At the same time the Belgian chocolate seems to much excessively found and, that is more important, the expensive. Sweets Lily O’Brien just meet the requirements of the market.