CCBR Business Review

25 B U S I N E S S I N V E S T M E N T C R E AT I N G E M P L O Y M E N T An innovative Accounting & Consulting firm that has been assisting businesses develop and succeed since 1973. www.lwm.com.au 1/106 Erina St, Gosford 2250 4324 2988 P R O F E S S I O N A L . R E L I A B L E . L O Y A L . CALL US NOW ON 4337 0700 We Provide •Business quality PC’s, laptop’s, tablets •Business grade software and applications •Peripheral equipment •Business grade servers •Cloud-based business I.T. platforms •Security and backups – on-premise and/or cloud •Remote and on-premises technical consulting and support •Business hours helpdesk and after-hours support Five reasons to choose Loyal I.T. •Guaranteed response times •Excellence is our standard •No Geek Speak •No lock-in contracts •We will provide a solution-guaranteed BUSINESS I.T. SOLUTIONS ONE OF THE great success stories of the year was the opening of the Chocolate Factory at West Gosford in late July and the people just turned up – 7,000 of them over two days! In one weekend Andrew Yiasemides created an iconic tourist attraction for the Central Coast with Factory Tours, Chocolate Workshops including Junior Workshops for kids, a European style Café Patisserie, a Retail Store selling every type of top quality chocolate and confectionary that equals any in the world including those he makes in the Chocolate Factory. The world-renowned producer of Australian made confectionary products; Bon Bon Fine Chocolate, Nougat Limar and The Sydney Marshmallow Co in Jusfrute Drive, West Gosford couldn’t believe how successful this new addition to his business would be. “It was amazing. There was a queue stretching back to the shopping centre before we opened,” Mr Yiasemides told CCBR. “And it continued all day Saturday and Sunday.” Mr Yiasemides relocated his factory to West Gosford in 2008 but Bon Bon Fine Chocolate was born in Double Bay in Sydney in 1982, as an exclusive boutique supplier of handmade chocolates. Bon Bon was loved by many customers, with one of them Mr Yiasemides, eventually becoming the owner, taking over the business in 2002. Since then Bon Bon has had stores in the Queen Victoria Building and The Strand, including a cafe. Unable to find the perfect Nougat for his shops Mr Yiasemides learned how to make it in his home kitchen and create the perfect Nougat. When it was finally introduced to the public through Bon Bon Fine Chocolate shops it was quickly picked up by Food writer and critic Mr John Newton who said Andrew’s Nougat was the best Australian Nougat he'd ever tried. He named this delicious product "Nougat Limar" and its popularity was instant. It is now available Australia wide, exported to New Zealand, USA, Canada, Europe, Asia. A few years ago, as Sydney retail rentals continued to sky rocket Mr Yiasemides closed his shops and concentrated on manufactur- ing but he had the dream to turn his West Gosford factory into a new Bon Bon Fine Chocolate shop, the only one in Australia. He achieved that with the opening of The Factory last month. “There's never been an interactive choco- late experience quite like this on the Coast, in Sydney or even in Australia,” enthused Mr Yiasemides. “Central Coast locals and tour- ists alike can visit The Factory to experience something new, so much of life is now on screen, people live vicariously through tv shows. The Factory offers a place for people to live in real-life and enjoy good old-fashioned fun feeling as he did so many years ago when he embarked on his journey in chocolate "Like a kid in a candy Store". From exploring new products in the shop, to catching up with friends in the cafe, The Factory isn't just about making chocolate, it's about making memories.” With one of the most exclusive ranges of hand-made chocolates in the country, The Factory retail store is a trove of indulgence, and with a gourmet patisserie, professional baristas, activities and experiences, The Factory is set to become a must-stop desti- nation for travellers and tourists Crowds flocking to The Chocolate Factory The Chocolate Factory’s retail shop adjacent to their production factory CENTRAL COAST BUSINESS REVIEW YEARBOOK 2018