INAUGURATION: Abdul Rahman bin Ahmed bin Ghorab al-Mari and Vito Cerabona cut the ribbon for their new store at Souq Waqif as others from the Buono Chocolate team look on. Photos by Jayan Orma
Sourcing more than 30 variants of chocolates and chocolate products from Italy to Dubai, and from Belgium to Lebanon, has enabled Buono to enjoy the privilege of having access to the finest ingredients and specialties, writes Anand Holla
Glass racks full of glittering goodie bags and heady wafts of rich Belgian chocolate greeted visitors to the new outlet of Buono Chocolate that opened at the Al Jasra hotel in Souq Waqif on Wednesday.
However, it was déjà vu for the loyal patrons — and there are many — familiar with their signature treats such as the flavourful Majnoon Qatar (Crazy Qatar) and the funky cheesecake chocolates, because the third store of the popular Qatari chocolate brand continues to build on a story that Qatar’s chocolate lovers and their taste buds are accustomed to.
Moments after cutting the ribbon with Vito Cerabona, General Manager of Buono Chocolate, Abdul Rahman bin Ahmed bin Ghorab al-Mari sports a satisfactory smile as the two settle down for a chat.
“Back in 2010, when we founded this chocolate brand,” says al-Mari, co-founder of Lerida group and co-owner of Buono Chocolate along with his brother Mohammed, “we knew why we were doing it. Our family, like most Qatari families, loved shopping premium chocolates from abroad but the exorbitant prices were annoying.”
The idea certainly was to bridge a huge gap in the market by offering top quality products blending European style and Qatari sensibilities, at a reasonable price. Cerabona says, “Given the amount of travelling that Qataris do, for long, they have sought the high-end, refined European style chocolates. But the ridiculous pricing was spoiling the fun. From our experiences in the corporate world, business world and even privately from Qatari families, we found there was a huge gulf in the market.”
That’s when Buono Chocolate decided to chalk out a fresh concept. “We combined the high-end, design-based, stand-out flavours and varieties of chocolate sourced from all over the world with effective management to offer our products at a mid-price range,” Cerabona says.
Al-Mari nods along, and says, “We wanted to create a Qatari brand which allowed people here to not need to travel and pick up international brands, because we would be offering them top-of-the-line quality and taste right here. In Qatar, before us, nobody had married the European concept and the local flavours in chocolates. What we had were either the well-established plain vanilla sorts, or the luxury brands that didn’t have the flexibility to deliver what the community wanted.”
In the four years since its launch, Buono Chocolate has established itself as the go-to shop for all kinds of chocolate and sweet treat lovers. Their first store came up at Wathnan Mall, followed by their second branch at Umm Salal and their third outlet now at the Souq. More than market research, it’s the voice of the community that the brains behind Buono keenly listen to.
“The biggest market research has come from Qatari families,” Cerabona says, “When they travelled abroad, Qataris came across chocolates they liked and brought them back home. That was nice but it didn’t actually meet their needs as there was no flexibility to explore options. So we went to different places, tried several price ranges, and sampled a lot of chocolates to find answers.”
For one, they saw a lot of repetition in the chocolate industry here, says al-Mari. “The materials would stem out from the same suppliers and the same places,” he points out. That necessitated Buono to use the finest Belgian chocolate and a specially made range from the most trusted chocolate manufacturing units all over the world.
Sourcing more than 30 variants of chocolates and chocolate products from Italy to Dubai, and from Belgium to Lebanon, has enabled Buono to enjoy the privilege of having access to the finest ingredients and specialties. “Lebanon, as we all know, is a famous supplier of chocolates in the Middle East,” Cerabona says, “Although we didn’t want to veer too much away from the tastes of the Qatari market, we didn’t feel the need to stick to one supplier. Doing this is much more headache and work for us, but our customers can walk into our store and travel the world of chocolates.”
Bespoke chocolates mean that the Buono team has had to specially design some chocolates modelled on the Qatari taste palette. In fact, their design expertise has allowed them to foray into fresh flowers, baby shower gifts and even events. “We are always looking closely at the market and seeing where the gap is and understand how we can fill it,” says al-Mari.
The only way to keep up with the Qatari market dynamic is to understand the close-knit Qatari culture, al-Mari feels. “That’s because the market here is unique. People here jump onto the trend very quickly. If you can’t meet their demands, they will get bored and move on. Qataris celebrate many occasions through the year, and each time, they want something distinct.”
That explains Buono’s exclusive cupcake and cheesecake chocolates, or the Majnoon Qatar which packs a delicious combo of saffron, cardamom and pistachio. “Our most regal product, the American Roasted Pecan which is enrobed in full-bodied Belgian chocolate, is famous all over Qatar as our signature product,” says Cerabona proudly.
Conversely, the European notes to their products have helped Buono catch up remarkably with the expat communities. “That has been heartening, too. Qatar is indeed a unique place in how there’s so much fusion between the local market and the expats,” says Cerabona.
Although Buono has had several opportunities to roll out its stores in various malls across Doha, it has refrained from that temptation. “A lot of people flock to the newest mall and the newest stores,” Cerabona explains, “But for us, catering to the Qatari community was most important. That’s why we opened stores in reaching distance of people’s houses, you know, these pockets of shops to serve a community. With our third branch, we hope to extend our reach.”
Al-Mari can’t agree more. “We can’t forget why we started Buono in the first place. The cornerstone of our model is to address the wants of the Qatari community, its culture, and try and incorporate as much customisation as we can so that we get to stay close to them. That will remain our priority, because community comes first.”
BELOW:
COLLECTION: Some of the treats stacked up in the new store.