It’s a staggering number: some 90% of new food products brought to market fail, according to Columbia Business School Professor Steve Zagor. Deux Cranes, a Japanese and French-inspired artisanal chocolate company, is proving to be an exception. Founded in 2018 by Michiko Marron-Kibbey, Los Gatos, Calif.-based Deux Cranes achieved profitability in 2022 and has since moved into the “growth stage” of a small business, establishing steady profits and a loyal customer base.

Inspired by the flavors of her Japanese culture and French chocolate-making techniques, Marron-Kibbey’s company generated revenue of $800,000 in 2023 and aims to surpass $1 million in 2024 through wholesale, e-commerce, in-store, and corporate sales.

However, rising ingredient costs are creating hurdles for the business, with cocoa prices surging 35-45% this year due to climate change and other factors. In response, Deux Cranes has added more mechanization to its manufacturing process, raised prices, and diversified its product offerings, increasing non-chocolate and less-chocolate items like cookies, caramels, and jellies.

With hopes to expand internationally, Marron-Kibbey envisions bringing Deux Cranes to Japan to showcase its flavors inspired by the country. “I’d love to be able to take the brand back there and show everybody what I did,” she shares.

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