How do you see Gomomania Bombons growing?
In a very positive way. It was created in 2001 and only sold gum, hence the name Gomomania, then we introduced chocolate and the name became Gomomania Bombons. The last thing we chose to put in our space was Gourmet and from then on we started to evolve more and more.
How did the idea for introducing new products come about?
We tried it out and it started to make sense to us. The gourmet part was a necessity, there was a niche market, which we found and started to explore.
What kind of market do you have at the moment? And what do you want to achieve?
We are part of traditional commerce. We have our store open to the public and an online store. We work for the whole country. At Christmas we work more with companies due to the Christmas hampers. We want to reach an audience that wants something different.
What can people find here?
We have everything sweet as well as gifts associated with gum, for communions, baptisms, birthday parties, for example. Regarding chocolate, what sets us apart is that our chocolate is Belgian chocolate.
At gourmet we work with small producers. We try to go to the origins and make the product as artisanal as possible.
Liqueurs and wines, like the gourmet part, are made by hand.
What sets you apart from others?
We work with a more premium range. This is what sets us apart.
The way we present the product, with our personalized packaging and the product itself is what sets us apart.
Is the creation of the Golden Heart of Gondomar in chocolate, which was presented at Bolsa Turismo Lisboa, a launching pad for Gomomania Bombons?
Is different. It is boosting the business, but we still don’t have any product for sale here. We only show it at the Lisbon Tourism Board and at events that the Gondomar City Council has organized. We already have orders, but we are still improving the product as well as its packaging, which, like chocolate, will be personalized.
As with the filigree, there are three sizes of the Golden Heart in chocolate. Everyone will have their own packaging. In the future it will be sold in bulk.
Can we say that Gomomania is experiencing a high point due to this product?
Yes. We are close to 25 years old. We are a reference store in Gondomar. The celebration of this anniversary combined with this product is something that clearly makes a difference. The creation of this product even more connects us with Gondomar, because Gold is a reference product in Gondomar and we are using it in another way, with edible gold. This product couldn’t make more sense.
How did you go about creating this product?
We had to work with our chocolatier and a designer who did this work. It is made in Portugal with the best chocolate. It is made with chocolate from the Callebaut brand, a sustainable brand, we have and always have this care with our products. In the packaging we are taking care to be sustainable as well as the product, which is differentiating from start to finish. We already have in mind making other products with edible gold. They will also be delicious.
Out of curiosity, why did you immediately accept the invitation from the councilor for Tourism, from Gondomar City Council, Sandra Almeida? Did she feel it was a good way to elevate Coração de Ouro to other aspects such as chocolate?
Yes, it was an excellent idea and we accepted the challenge because we knew we were capable. It was difficult to perfect, but it made up for all the success we had at BTL. When it was time for Gondomar to demonstrate the product, many people showed up to try it, which made me very happy.
Are the orders placed mostly from Gondomar or outside the municipality?
People from outside are starting to look for us, because everyone wants to have contact with this product because of its differentiating form, we cannot forget that people eat gold (laughs).
What does gold taste like?
It does not alter the flavor of the chocolate and gives it a different touch. Just by tasting, you taste the gold and you taste the chocolate. Anyone who wants to taste gold will have to come here!
You said earlier that this house is 25 years old, what can we expect?
This year we are still going to do some renovations and increase the space. Next year we will start the celebrations with activities for children, which is how this store started. We also intend to do chocolate and wine tasting. Above all, we want to highlight our brand.
What do you feel right now?
It is a pride and a reflection of our work.
