A taste of Dutch Delight for chocolate lovers
Chocolate is the food of love – and, certainly, for one Bahrain-based couple it is at the centre of their relationship. Bahraini-Dutch husband and wife, Ali Rashid and Marjo Rashid-Stals, are the undisputed rulers of Bahrain’s confectionary scene, supplying royalty and locals who rate hand-made premium chocolate – as well as Gulf Air’s first-class passengers.
For all their success, it’s hard to believe the couple had, until recently, never made chocolate before. They used to import food from Holland to the Gulf and on trips to the Netherlands became intrigued by the chocolate industry; Ali, in particular, began to experiment with making chocolate at home. They then took a course in chocolate-making at a Dutch family business, which was founded in the 19th century, and, in 2005, set up Dutch Delight.
Given the surfeit of stores in Bahrain that sell chocolates and flowers (not an unusual combination in the region), you might think the couple would be up against tough competition. Not so, remembers Marjo. “We knew there was no other factory and that, in general, the quality of the chocolate sold was poor. It was more to do with extravagant packaging.”
The couple set up shop in the Bahrain Business Incubation Centre (BBIC), which was established by the Bahrain Development Bank – along with the Ministry of Commerce & Industry and the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation – to encourage entrepreneurship in the Kingdom. The BBIC offers ready-made factory units, as well as marketing support and other services, and Dutch Delight is still based there.
Being hands on – unusual in Bahrain’s small- to medium-sized business sector – has been another key difference. “People order our chocolates because they see we make them ourselves and do so with passion,” Marjo says. “You are not just marketing a product; you are marketing [to fulfill] a deeper need.”
Decisions are made jointly by the couple at regular management meetings – held in their car. “I am very fussy and I believe perfectionism is one of the qualities of an entrepreneur,” Ali says. “I know we have produced something of quality, but there is no end to our vision: we aim to keep improving.”
Having just celebrated their third business anniversary, and currently being on the brink of expanding the company, Marjo’s and Ali’s biggest frustration is being unable to satisfy some of the more ambitious orders (400kg!) – but then quality, not quantity is their hallmark.
Fiona Clark; portraits by Phil Weymouth |
