Beanstalkr began as a startup with a singular focus: to create an online platform where craft chocolate enthusiasts could share reviews and flavor profiles of their favorite chocolate bars. As the platform gained traction, it became apparent that there was an opportunity to transform this passion into a more expansive community and business engagement tool.
Objective
In partnership with Evolut, the objective was to expand Beanstalkr’s initial concept into a dynamic platform that serves not just chocolate lovers but also craft chocolate businesses. This expansion aimed to facilitate greater interaction between consumers and producers through a subscription model, thereby scaling Beanstalkr’s operations and enhancing its value within the craft chocolate community.
Approach
The approach involved broadening the scope of Beanstalkr’s services to include features that cater to both chocolate enthusiasts and businesses. This included the development of a custom directory, enhanced user engagement tools, and a comprehensive rebranding to position Beanstalkr as a leader in the craft chocolate market.
They have a great balance of being both commercial and creative. They’ve got the technical expertise but they really go beyond with the mix of both design and commercial understanding so we can really build something that’ll achieve the desired outcome of the business. They worked with us through that. Additionally, we're impressed with their strategy. They didn’t intend to build a site that’d be demolished in a couple of years’ time. Their team is being scalable so they’ll reuse the work that they’ve done previously to build. They don’t have to restart. This shows that they’re being very careful with our money as well. Additionally, we’ve had a great flow in sales. We’ve had $7 million worth of preorders since we went live. This is far exceeding our expectations and targets. The fact that it flowed and worked well without any errors is a win.
Matthew Muller
The team has been amazing to work with. As someone who doesn’t have a solid background in media and communications, they’ve been able to get me through the process. They make things very easy to understand, and they’re agile and responsive to our needs. We’ve had really tight timeframes, and they’ve come up with out-of-the-box, intuitive solutions to offer our stakeholders during COVID. They’ve always been accessible and able to bring me on the journey very quickly, allowing me to understand web development, web design, and why we do things the way we do. They’ve come up with solutions I never would’ve thought of that have been fantastic and absolutely hit the mark.
Robyn Littlewood
Since the launch of our website in February, we have seen it make great gains when it comes to audience figures and attracting quality leads throughout the site. With the digital realm changing everyday, Evolut have been working closely with me and my team on improving the website to better attain and qualify potential leads, always ensuring that the site's mechanics, creative and analytics are kept up to speed with industry standards. I am very pleased with the level of service that I receive from Evolut and their genuine interest in our products and brand.
Helen McCabe
They have a great balance of being both commercial and creative. They’ve got the technical expertise but they really go beyond with the mix of both design and commercial understanding so we can really build something that’ll achieve the desired outcome of the business. They worked with us through that. Additionally, we're impressed with their strategy. They didn’t intend to build a site that’d be demolished in a couple of years’ time. Their team is being scalable so they’ll reuse the work that they’ve done previously to build. They don’t have to restart. This shows that they’re being very careful with our money as well. Additionally, we’ve had a great flow in sales. We’ve had $7 million worth of preorders since we went live. This is far exceeding our expectations and targets. The fact that it flowed and worked well without any errors is a win.
Matthew Muller
The team has been amazing to work with. As someone who doesn’t have a solid background in media and communications, they’ve been able to get me through the process. They make things very easy to understand, and they’re agile and responsive to our needs. We’ve had really tight timeframes, and they’ve come up with out-of-the-box, intuitive solutions to offer our stakeholders during COVID. They’ve always been accessible and able to bring me on the journey very quickly, allowing me to understand web development, web design, and why we do things the way we do. They’ve come up with solutions I never would’ve thought of that have been fantastic and absolutely hit the mark.
Robyn Littlewood
Since the launch of our website in February, we have seen it make great gains when it comes to audience figures and attracting quality leads throughout the site. With the digital realm changing everyday, Evolut have been working closely with me and my team on improving the website to better attain and qualify potential leads, always ensuring that the site's mechanics, creative and analytics are kept up to speed with industry standards. I am very pleased with the level of service that I receive from Evolut and their genuine interest in our products and brand.
Helen McCabe
They have a great balance of being both commercial and creative. They’ve got the technical expertise but they really go beyond with the mix of both design and commercial understanding so we can really build something that’ll achieve the desired outcome of the business. They worked with us through that. Additionally, we're impressed with their strategy. They didn’t intend to build a site that’d be demolished in a couple of years’ time. Their team is being scalable so they’ll reuse the work that they’ve done previously to build. They don’t have to restart. This shows that they’re being very careful with our money as well. Additionally, we’ve had a great flow in sales. We’ve had $7 million worth of preorders since we went live. This is far exceeding our expectations and targets. The fact that it flowed and worked well without any errors is a win.
Matthew Muller
The team has been amazing to work with. As someone who doesn’t have a solid background in media and communications, they’ve been able to get me through the process. They make things very easy to understand, and they’re agile and responsive to our needs. We’ve had really tight timeframes, and they’ve come up with out-of-the-box, intuitive solutions to offer our stakeholders during COVID. They’ve always been accessible and able to bring me on the journey very quickly, allowing me to understand web development, web design, and why we do things the way we do. They’ve come up with solutions I never would’ve thought of that have been fantastic and absolutely hit the mark.
Robyn Littlewood
Since the launch of our website in February, we have seen it make great gains when it comes to audience figures and attracting quality leads throughout the site. With the digital realm changing everyday, Evolut have been working closely with me and my team on improving the website to better attain and qualify potential leads, always ensuring that the site's mechanics, creative and analytics are kept up to speed with industry standards. I am very pleased with the level of service that I receive from Evolut and their genuine interest in our products and brand.
Helen McCabe
The Beanstalkr
DSM™ Blueprint
Establishing Beanstalkr as a central hub for craft chocolate lovers and makers was critical to its success.
To meet this need, we crafted a custom directory, enhancing the platform’s utility with a faceted search that enables users to find exactly what they’re looking for, whether it’s a rare chocolate bar or a local maker. Alongside, the development of a fresh brand identity elevated Beanstalkr’s market presence, embodying sophistication and accessibility in its design.
The allure of craft chocolate is not just in its taste but also in its presentation.
Recognizing this, we set out to create a product catalogue that not only displays Beanstalkr’s offerings in all their glory but also makes it easy for users to navigate through an extensive array of brands and products. This catalogue serves as a visual feast that entices users to explore deeper, bridging the gap between chocolate aficionados and the makers.
Interaction is at the heart of Beanstalkr’s appeal, driving us to introduce the ‘Chocolate Wheel.’
This engaging feature allows chocolate lovers to add their reviews and see them represented in a flavorful visual format, turning each review into a personalized chocolate profile. This innovative approach not only makes the review process more interactive but also helps users discover new flavors and preferences in an enjoyable and educational way.
Storytelling is a powerful tool in the craft chocolate industry, where every bar has a unique origin and narrative.
To harness this, we developed an AI-enhanced storytelling module for Beanstalkr, giving chocolate brands the freedom to tell their stories creatively and compellingly. This feature allows brands to weave rich narratives that capture the essence of their craft, engaging customers on a deeper emotional level and fostering a strong sense of community.
Future Outlook
With the enhancements made to the platform, Beanstalkr is well-positioned to continue its growth and become an indispensable resource in the craft chocolate community. The platform’s capacity to connect chocolate lovers with makers not only supports the growth of small businesses but also fosters a richer, more engaged craft chocolate culture globally.