May 2012
For Immediate Release
Contact: Debby Fortune
[email protected]
510-548-1097
About Jean Thompson, Owner and CEO of Seattle Chocolates
How She Turned an Infrequent Gift into an Everyday Indulgence
Jean Thompson took the helm at Seattle
Chocolates in 2002. She'd been an investor
in the company for several years, and she
recognized untapped potential for Seattle
Chocolates to be a true player in the highend world of chocolates. When she took
over as CEO, she had a turnaround strategy
in mind.
What Happiness Tastes Like
Jean had an unconventional idea about
chocolate: She thought chocolate should be
an everyday indulgence. She disagreed with
the traditional approach to marketing
chocolate, which was that chocolate was only purchased once or twice a year by men as a gift
for their wives or girlfriends. "I eat chocolate every day, to give myself a little lift," explains
Jean. "I believed there was a much bigger audience for chocolate than just the special occasion
buyer."
While adhering to European traditions of premium
quality and flavor, Jean created a line of premium
"I believed there was a
chocolates that is uniquely American, with a feminine
touch. To get her message across, she designed several
much bigger audience for
lines of playful, affordable chocolates with a variety of
chocolate than just the
celebratory themes and vibrant, eye-catching
special occasion buyer."
packaging. Jean's first creation was Chick Chocolates,
which became the hallmark of the company. The four
Chick lines (Strong, Nutty, Extreme and Survivor) were
conceived and developed around personalities that
resonate with women, with flavor combinations that surprise and satisfy. The individually
wrapped chocolate pieces were packaged in bright pink, lipstick-sized boxes. It was a fresh take
on an old standard, and the chocolate flew off the shelves.
Since taking over the company, Jean has grown the Seattle Chocolates team from 35 to 50
employees, tripled its sales and overseen its expansion into a new, 65,000-foot production and
warehouse facility.
More...
Page 2: Jean Thompson, Owner and CEO of Seattle Chocolates
Jean combined her management and leadership skills with creative vision and a lifelong love of
chocolate to position Seattle Chocolates as one of the leading manufacturers of all-natural
truffles, dessert shells, truffle bars and chocolates in the industry.
Leading with a Woman's Sensibility
Jean encourages the Seattle Chocolates team to work collaboratively to seek out emerging
culinary, design and lifestyle trends, take risks and, above all, enjoy being part of a team that
brings the delights of chocolate to the consumer. She is the spokesperson for the company and
always has new ideas percolating for the brand. Jean and the Seattle Chocolates team are
currently developing a revolutionary line of chocolates that will launch in late 2012.
In addition to her duties at Seattle Chocolates, Jean also serves on the Foundation Board for the
National Confectioner's Association, one of the oldest trade groups in the United States. She is
also an active member of the Entrepreneur's Organization Seattle.
Before her involvement with Seattle Chocolates, Jean served as a corporate communications
manager at Microsoft and a marketing manager for Gupta Technologies in Menlo Park,
California. Originally from Connecticut, she currently resides in Yarrow Point, Washington, with
her two children Danny and Ellie, and her dog Scarlett.
All these years later, Jean still eats a little chocolate every day. Her favorite remains blackberry.
# # # # #
Seattle Chocolate Company
1180 Andover Park West, Seattle, Washington 98188
425-264-2800
www.seattlechocolates.com
800-334-3600