Moscow company continues to be a pioneer in the food and candy industries
BOISE, Idaho—Monday, December 9, 2013— Cowgirl Chocolates – maker of specialty chocolates, caramels, cocoa and gifts – has started shipping international wholesale orders to Taiwan and France. The Moscow company pioneered the spicy chocolate, with a signature “Cowgirl kick,” and has continued to be ahead of the curve in the chocolate industry.
Cowgirl Chocolates was founded in 1997 when “Head Cowgirl” Marilyn Lysohir began combining good quality chocolate with spices, creating a signature flavor that was only being duplicated by a few other companies in the United States at the time. To the surprise of Lysohir and her team, the chocolate truffles began to win awards in national competitions, and they were featured on the Food Network, CNBC, and national print publications. CNBC’s On the Money was quoted, “Cowgirl Chocolates, one of the hottest entries in the billion dollar-plus premium chocolate category.” This recognition kick-started the company’s visibility and the team began shipping even more chocolates both domestically and internationally.
Lysohir recently received word that there was interest in her spicy chocolates in Taiwan. She worked with the Idaho Department of Commerce International Trade Office in Taiwan to secure Cowgirl Chocolates a place at an international food show. The trade office also helped Lysohir locate a company in the area that would help market Cowgirl Chocolates correctly for the audience. Just last month, Lysohir and team sent their first wholesale order of Cowgirl Chocolates to Taiwan.
“We had to take small steps at the beginning of the process, but the Trade Office manager in Taiwan, Eddie Yen, was extremely helpful in getting us connected with the right companies to market appropriately in Taiwan,” Lysohir said. “Now we get to add another country to our international shipment list!”
Additionally, last month Cowgirl Chocolates fulfilled a large order in France with the Canadian Canoe Shop. Another Moscow company, Northwest River Supplies, had given out gifts of Cowgirl Chocolates while at a trade show in France, which gave the company visibility in the French market. In the past, Cowgirl Chocolates also has filled orders in cities in Germany, but now that many more chocolatiers are making spicy chocolates, the orders have decreased, as it’s very expensive to ship abroad.
In 2005, Cowgirl Chocolates opened a brick and mortar store in Moscow after relying solely on its Web site for all orders – retail and wholesale, domestic and international. The store is open Monday through Saturday and has all the Cowgirl Chocolate products available: the famous spicy and mild truffles, candy bars, high-cocoa organic chocolate daisies, caramels, brittles, cocoa, special gift baskets, art and more.
To learn more about Cowgirl Chocolates or to place an order online, visit http://cowgirlchocolates.com