CREATIVE CONVERSATIONS: Alex Tyumenin

Name:​  Alex Tyumenin                

Job title:​ Managing Director      

Company:​ Chocolette Confectionary Ltd.

Website​: www.chocolette.com​

Linkedin url:​ https://www.linkedin.com/in/alex-tyumenin-5002526/​​

Tell us about your job/company/role?​

There is not a dull moment in my role!

My company, Chocolette Confectionary Ltd, is a sales and marketing representative in the UK for Swiss-owned SIA Chocolette Confectionary, one of the most innovative chocolate factories in Europe, highly automated, based on green principles and located in Latvia.

The chocolate – RED ​– has only 17 calories a piece (45% less than competition) and is sweetened naturally with no added sugar. RED is currently sold in Scandinavia, Central Europe and Russia, with a key message focusing on ‘pleasure, without the guilt’. We are very excited that in 2018 we started sales and distribution in the UK going from strength to strength!

My main responsibilities are financial forecasting and demand planning, implementation of business processes, client management and retention, business growth and marketing strategy, HR and recruitment, as well as business development. 

What drew you to working in the confectionery industry? (Apart from the free chocolate!)​

Apart from all the free chocolate, coming to the industry from Euromoney Institutional Investor, a large PLC focusing on B2B media in the financial sector, I was very intrigued by innovation happening in the confectionery industry. RED, with its focus on a healthier lifestyle, is the first chocolate in the world delivering fantastic taste profiles of the best premium Swiss and Belgian chocolate and 45% less calories with no added sugar. I got so excited about the brand that I took the job without any doubts!

What do you love most about your job?​

I like how varied my role is – from finance to PR, from operations to sales.

What do you dislike most about your job?​

I’m very satisfied with my job. I work with incredibly talented and hard-working people, who inspire me to do more every day!

What is your biggest creative achievement so far?​

Launching a new brand can be a daunting task at times, being able to give my creative input on all aspects of the product from taste to packaging and seeing it becoming a reality is something I’m very proud of.

Where do you see yourself in five years time?​

In Hawaii sipping cocktails.

Describe a typical work day.​

There is no typical work day for me. Every day brings new and exciting challenges to tackle!

What do you do enjoy doing outside of work?​

I like travelling, going to the gym and I play badminton twice a week.

What do you think will be the next big thing in the confectionery world?​

Truly unique products and consumption experiences keep consumers coming back for more chocolate! For brands, determining which features resonate best with the consumers can be very tricky. As the wars on sugar consumption and obesity intensify, more and more consumers in the UK and throughout Europe have either dramatically reduced the amount of chocolate (and other sweet things) that they eat, or they are foregoing them completely, so as to eat healthily. I strongly believe the future is bright for great tasting, calorie-reduced, no added sugar confectionery (think RED!).

Also I believe new gifting products and premium experiences will drive the category overall as our consumers prioritise experience over the physical properties of products.

Apple or Android? ​

Always Apple.

What is your favourite book? ​

'Call me by your name​' by Andre Aciman

Where do you stand on social media – can’t live without it, or an evil necessity?​

I love a bit of social media from Facebook to LinkedIn. Definitely, it has become a cornerstone of modern marketing and can help new brands to become successful very quickly.

If you could change one thing in the confectionery industry, what would it be?​

I would like to see the confectionery industry at the forefront of the wars on obesity and sugar consumption by offering customers more choice of healthier snacking options and unique premium experiences.

What’s the biggest misconception about working in confectionery?​

That all we do is eating chocolate all day long!

What advice would you give to other people looking to get into the confectionery industry?​

The secret of a great career is finding your true passion. Do the thing you love most and always be yourself. Authenticity is a very valuable commodity in our hectic world. Don’t be distracted by external factors and the rest will follow.

Times up! Thank you Alex​

• Please contact CN editor Anthony Myers​ to put yourself or a colleague forward for our Creative Conversations series.