Oded brenner biography of michaels
Home / Related Biographies / Oded brenner biography of michaels
Today, it is jointly owned by Oded Brenner and Strauss Group.
Oded Brenner's mission was to cultivate a chocolate culture akin to the coffee culture that had developed in Europe and Israel. Share them in the comments below.
Oded Brenner: Crafting a Chocolate Legacy
Biography
Oded Brenner grew up in the city of Rehovot, Israel.
Unique and creatively designed drinking vessels (such as hugging mugs and sacao cups) and retro-style packaging were also part of this cultural development. I enjoyed the bar – I am not sure I enjoyed it enough to go out of my way to buy it again.
Pay No Attention ...
...
But, not really an excuse.) The grinder used to grind the nibs for the hot chocolate was covered in plastic indicating it was not in use – but I ordered one anyway to see what would be served.
I did get a beverage that tasted like what I remembered the one made from freshly-ground nibs I have ordered previously, which was good – though I could not observe the method of preparation, so I don’t know what actually went into the cup.This is a case of trust but verify – and I personally would like to see the verification somewhere.
I am also intrigued by the ingredients list which includes nibs, mass, butter, and powder.
There is a slight taste of ferment funk, which I don’t mind at all – in fact the marketing language at the top of the back side of the pack touts “wild aroma” which definitely shines through.
Open for six days at the time of my visit, Blue Stripes is a small, unassuming cafe for someone with Brenner’s history. Blue Stripes closed its doors temporarily while the neighboring Nutella (a Ferrero brand) flagship store, which had just recently opened on the corner of University and 13th, closed permanently.
First Impressions
On the surface level, the changes in the store itself seem pretty minor.
” section, below.
This may be attractive to a large segment of the market – and I am confident it was extensively workshopped and tested in depth before it was decided on – but it is not a positioning that appeals to me. So branding language that focuses solely on wellness, and not about happiness, falls short.
I am very curious about the decision to use ORAC (oxygen radical absorption capacity) as a measure of antioxidant levels without using ORAC, alongside the abstruse technical nature of the measurement — µmole TE (trolox equivalent).
When I first moved to NYC over 30 years ago that vibe might have appealed to me, but now I could not wait to get back outside.
Brand/Product Impressions
The new branding leans heavily into cacao being a superfood, with packages touting various wellness benefits without making any actual health claims: “Whole Cacao, Whole Wellness.” We'll get back to that claim in the “Pay No Attention ...
After completing his military service, he enrolled in a confectioner's course at "Tadmor," sponsored by the Israeli Ministry of Labor for discharged soldiers. 4,612 seems like a big number but it is presented without any context and so is misleading because it lacks important and necessary context.
The bar is also surprisingly bright-sweet, not something I would have expected given that sugar is the fourth ingredient (after nibs, mass, and whole milk powder).
His first venture, Max Brenner: Chocolate
Over the course of the next year or so I had the occasion to visit many times and my favorable impressions of what Blue Stripes was looking to do only became more favorable.
Looking to expand, Oded started looking for outside investment (probably low-seven figures, although I could not find an exact amount) which he found in the form of the corporate personage of The Hershey Company’s C7 Ventures group.
The Hershey Co.
invests in Fulfil and Blue Stripes
Snacking businesses are ‘at the cross section of new consumer snacking needs,’ company says.
And then Covid happened.
My overall impression was one of barely-controlled chaos, like the happening trendy bar at a trendy restaurant, one that also featured NYU students glued to their computers in the front window.
But of course, I do, and what I saw makes me wonder about the breadth and depth of what appears to me to be a disconnect between the branding and what could be happening.
As we were leaving after picking up our beverages, a delivery was being made:
After all the branding language about whole cacao/wellness and superfood benefits on the Blue Stripes-branded packaged goods, it looks like bog standard Barry Callebaut 811 is being used for at least some of the products that are being made in-house and served (I am guessing here – I cannot think of any other reason for this chocolate to be delivered) to unsuspecting customers, believing everything they are consuming is made from whole cacao.
This is a mistake of major proportions if that is the case, IMO and is the reason I titled this review with the word “strikes” replacing the word ”stripes.”
Concluding Impressions
Because the new branding no longer appeals/speaks to me, and the crowded nature of the shop, coupled with the fact that most of the patrons inside were not masked, Blue Stripes has fallen off my ‘Must Visit Chocolate Destinations’ when in in the Union Square vicinity list.
That said, the branding does appear to appeal to at least some segment of the market – the place was packed, SRO inside, people waiting for their orders, and all of the chairs/tables outside full.
At least the blurb for magnesium has a %DV value but there is no RDI (Recommended Daily Intake) guidance from the USDA for either phenethylamine (regulates monoamine neurotransmission) or theobromine (a stimulant) so the amounts again lack context.
In response to Brenner's attempt to establish a competing coffeehouse chain in New York, Strauss Group filed a lawsuit in New York, claiming a breach of agreement.
Brenner drew design inspiration from observing different cultures, eating habits, beverages, and art.
Brenner pioneered the concept of chocolate bars as an alternative to coffee shops and restaurants where most of the food and drinks were cocoa-based. Everything is now branded Blue Stripes Urban Cacao; the phrase “distributed by” on the pack which likely indicates the product was made for them by an undisclosed co-packer, not manufactured by them.
The menus have changed, and the place was really busy with virtually every table and chair filled – mostly by the unmaked, many of them I would guess to be in their 20s.