The Coronavirus pandemic has changed the world as we knew it. Festivals all across the globe involve staying at home, avoiding large gatherings and celebrating with close family members only. However, many businesses have reinvented with the times taking the pandemic in their stride. Laszlo Rimoczi is one such Hungarian confectioner who has a small workshop in the village Lajosmizse, about 70 kilometres south of Budapest. His business idea to sell chocolate Santas with tiny marzipan masks has won him a huge fan following online.
Rimoczi had originally intended the chocolate Santas as a light-hearted joke amid the festive season and the Covid-19 pandemic, which is showing no signs of ending anytime soon. However, the move has got orders surging online and he is struggling to keep pace with the demand pouring in. Thus, he has simplified the designs and is now producing 100 chocolate Santas in a single day. He paints the hats red, and makes the masks from tiny white marzipan strips, adding the ribbons with icing.
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"I think by the time Santa comes he will have to wear a mask because Santa has to show a good example to people," Rimoczi said. The increased demand of the product further spurred him to change the design of his bigger chocolate Santas, which were originally created without masks. "They were wrapped, but we had to unwrap them and give them masks as our customers now only want masked Santas," he said.
Rimoczi's business suffered losses due to the pandemic in March, so the revenue from chocolate-covered Santas is definitely a boost. However, he is a practical thinker and does not expect this additional revenue to last too long. "I am sure next year I will sell only a fraction of these, as Santas will no longer have to wear a mask," he said with a smile. We definitely hope he'd be able to continue to innovate with his chocolate treats even then!