“The chocolate space is generally a dull category with most products packaged in brown and gold or black and gold boxes,” says Something Chocolate founder Mitchell Koulouris before I can even get the word chocolate out of my mouth.
Koulouris, like most cannabis professionals and entrepreneurs, has a storied background before Something Chocolate: He was the CEO a digital aggregator startup in the early days of iTunes called Digital Music Group in early 2004. He grew the company rapidly, exclusively acquiring digital rights to music and later video. In early 2006, the company successfully went public on NASDAQ and quickly became the world’s largest independent digital distributor controlling 2.5 million tracks of music on iTunes.
It was here, however, that he began experimenting with making chocolate. “My friends loved it,” he recalls. “So, I finally decided to combine the two things I love: chocolate and music.” As Koulouris set out to create Something Chocolate, he made a checklist: it would have to be cool; it would have to evoke, like music, an emotional response in the consumer; and, of course, it had to be fun.
He tracked down the finest Belgian chocolate in the world and spent many many months coming up with his unique marketing and packaging. “Each 4-pc assortment is musically themed,” he notes. Also in each box are Liner Notes with trivia and facts about the artists and songs that inspired their flavors along with a sticker. This along with his “less is more” attitude—”we use 20mg per piece”—have piqued dispensaries interests in Los Angeles.
A funny thing happened as Koulouris began going door-to-door selling his product. He’s been dubbed “the Willy Wonka of Hollywood.” When not putting together a sales and marketing team, Koulouris thinks about flavors, flavors, flavors. “When thinking about a flavor, I literally think about what a certain song would taste like,” he says. “What are the flavors that evoke the music on your taste buds? Adding cannabis to the mix is huge bonus from an overall experience point of view.” For wholesale orders contact @SomethingChoco on Twitter; by phone at 916-837-5772; and email at [email protected].
TASTE THE MUSIC DEK:
BOXED SETS INCLUDE BACK IN BLACK: Black Betty (hazelnut center); Black Water (cajun spiced/peanuts); Black Dog (amaretto/almond center).
DARK SIDE OF THE MOON: Comfortably Numb (peanut butter/strawberry); Rehab (gingerbread); The Stroke (espresso); Supermassive Black Hole (chocolate mousse)
PSYCHEDELIC 60’S: Purple Haze (lavender/cashew); Crimson and Clover (mango/almond); Psychotic Reaction (cognac/pistachio); In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida (plum/brazil nut)
ROCK CLASSICS: American Pie (peanut butter/strawberry); Bohemian Rhapsody (vanilla/walnut/oreo); Satisfaction (walnut); Sweet Home Alabama (vanilla/maple/pecan)
By John D. Thomas
