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==Boycotts==
==Boycotts==
The Strauss Group's support for the [[Golani Brigade|Golani]] reconnaissance platoon<ref name="Friedman, Ron">{{cite news|last=Friedman|first=Ron|title=Strauss reposts IDF-support commitment on website|url=http://www.jpost.com/Defense/Article.aspx?id=199315|accessdate=30 August 2011|newspaper=Jerusalem Post|date=14 December 2010}}</ref> (part of the [[Israel Defense Forces]]) has made Max Brenner stores a target of the international [[Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions]] (BDS) campaign. [[Activist]] group, [[Students for Palestine]] have organized a series of protests in 2011 outside Max Brenner outlets in Australia, including one in [[Melbourne]] where there were 19 arrests.<ref name="Students for Palestine">{{cite web|title=New information fact sheet about the Max Brenner campaign|url=http://www.studentsforpalestine.org/?p=320|work=Fact Sheets|publisher=[[Students for Palestine]]|accessdate=12 September 2011}}</ref><ref name="McGregor, Ken">{{cite news|last=McGregor|first=Ken|title=Boycott boiling point|url=http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/boycott-boiling-point/story-e6frea6u-1226119966357|accessdate=5 September 2011|newspaper=[[Adelaide Advertiser]]|date=22 August 2011}}</ref><ref name="Brull, Michael">{{cite web|last=Brull|first=Michael|title=The campaign against the Max Brenner protesters|url=http://www.abc.net.au/unleashed/2847334.html|work=The Drum|publisher=[[Australian Broadcasting Corporation]]|accessdate=5 September 2011}}</ref>
Due to Strauss Group's sponsorship of the [[Golani Brigade|Golani]] reconnaissance platoon<ref name="Friedman, Ron">{{cite news|last=Friedman|first=Ron|title=Strauss reposts IDF-support commitment on website|url=http://www.jpost.com/Defense/Article.aspx?id=199315|accessdate=30 August 2011|newspaper=Jerusalem Post|date=14 December 2010}}</ref> Max Brenner stores have been a target of the international [[Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions]] (BDS) campaign.
In 2011, [[Activist]] group, [[Students for Palestine]] organized a series of protests outside Max Brenner outlets in Australia. The protest in [[Melbourne]] led to 19 arrests.<ref name="Students for Palestine">{{cite web|title=New information fact sheet about the Max Brenner campaign|url=http://www.studentsforpalestine.org/?p=320|work=Fact Sheets|publisher=[[Students for Palestine]]|accessdate=12 September 2011}}</ref><ref name="McGregor, Ken">{{cite news|last=McGregor|first=Ken|title=Boycott boiling point|url=http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/boycott-boiling-point/story-e6frea6u-1226119966357|accessdate=5 September 2011|newspaper=[[Adelaide Advertiser]]|date=22 August 2011}}</ref><ref name="Brull, Michael">{{cite web|last=Brull|first=Michael|title=The campaign against the Max Brenner protesters|url=http://www.abc.net.au/unleashed/2847334.html|work=The Drum|publisher=[[Australian Broadcasting Corporation]]|accessdate=5 September 2011}}</ref>


The protests have drawn condemnation from Australian Foreign Minister and former Prime Minister [[Kevin Rudd]], who remarked “I don't think in 21st-century Australia there is a place for the attempted boycott of a Jewish business.”<ref name=JTA>{{cite web|title=Australian lawmakers support Israeli business|url=http://www.jta.org/news/article/2011/07/14/3088546/australian-lawmakers-support-israeli-business|publisher=JTA|accessdate=30 August 2011}}</ref> In September 2011, the [[Australian Competition and Consumer Commission]] said that "the protesters had not broken federal competition law because the protests did not cause substantial loss or damage to the Max Brenner chocolate stores."<ref>[http://www.jta.org/news/article/2011/09/05/3089228/pro-palestinian-demonstrators-did-not-break-law-panel-says Max Brenner demonstrators did not break law, Aussie panel finds]</ref> Some pro-Palestinian organizations including Australians for Palestine have distanced themselves from the protests but have publicly defended the choice of Max Brenner as a [[boycott]] target.<ref name="Flitton, Daniel">{{cite news|last=Flitton|first=Daniel|title=Citizen Rudd's sweet support for cafe|url=http://www.theage.com.au/national/citizen-rudds-sweet-support-for-cafe-20110714-1hg3l.html|accessdate=12 September 2011|newspaper=[[The Age]]|date=11 July 2011}}</ref><ref name="Sabawi, Samah">{{cite news|last=Sabawi|first=Samah|title=Murdoch Press and the Fictional Jewish Chocolatier|url=http://www.palestinechronicle.com/view_article_details.php?id=17063|accessdate=12 September 2011|newspaper=The Palestine Chronicle|date=16 August 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Press Council adjudication No 1513|url=http://www.theaustralian.com.au/media/press-council-adjudication-no-1513/story-e6frg996-1226194036536|accessdate=16 November 2011|newspaper=[[The Australian]]|date=14 November 2011}}</ref> In October 2011, Izzat Abdulhadi, head of the General Delegation of Palestine to Australia said that he is against the "full-scale" BDS campaign, and in particular expressed his anger over the occasionally violent protests at the Max Brenner stores, saying, "BDS is a non-violent process and I don't think it's the right of anybody to use BDS as a violent action or to prevent people from buying from any place."<ref>[http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/palestinian-envoy-backs-bds-but-condemns-anti-israel-violence/story-fn59niix-1226176664563 Palestinian consul rejects BDS violence]</ref>
The protests have drawn condemnation from Australian Foreign Minister and former Prime Minister [[Kevin Rudd]], who remarked “I don't think in 21st-century Australia there is a place for the attempted boycott of a Jewish business.”<ref name=JTA>{{cite web|title=Australian lawmakers support Israeli business|url=http://www.jta.org/news/article/2011/07/14/3088546/australian-lawmakers-support-israeli-business|publisher=JTA|accessdate=30 August 2011}}</ref> In September 2011, the [[Australian Competition and Consumer Commission]] said that "the protesters had not broken federal competition law because the protests did not cause substantial loss or damage to the Max Brenner chocolate stores."<ref>[http://www.jta.org/news/article/2011/09/05/3089228/pro-palestinian-demonstrators-did-not-break-law-panel-says Max Brenner demonstrators did not break law, Aussie panel finds]</ref> Some pro-Palestinian organizations including Australians for Palestine have distanced themselves from the protests but have publicly defended the choice of Max Brenner as a [[boycott]] target.<ref name="Flitton, Daniel">{{cite news|last=Flitton|first=Daniel|title=Citizen Rudd's sweet support for cafe|url=http://www.theage.com.au/national/citizen-rudds-sweet-support-for-cafe-20110714-1hg3l.html|accessdate=12 September 2011|newspaper=[[The Age]]|date=11 July 2011}}</ref><ref name="Sabawi, Samah">{{cite news|last=Sabawi|first=Samah|title=Murdoch Press and the Fictional Jewish Chocolatier|url=http://www.palestinechronicle.com/view_article_details.php?id=17063|accessdate=12 September 2011|newspaper=The Palestine Chronicle|date=16 August 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Press Council adjudication No 1513|url=http://www.theaustralian.com.au/media/press-council-adjudication-no-1513/story-e6frg996-1226194036536|accessdate=16 November 2011|newspaper=[[The Australian]]|date=14 November 2011}}</ref> In October 2011, Izzat Abdulhadi, head of the General Delegation of Palestine to Australia said that he is against the "full-scale" BDS campaign, and in particular expressed his anger over the occasionally violent protests at the Max Brenner stores, saying, "BDS is a non-violent process and I don't think it's the right of anybody to use BDS as a violent action or to prevent people from buying from any place."<ref>[http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/palestinian-envoy-backs-bds-but-condemns-anti-israel-violence/story-fn59niix-1226176664563 Palestinian consul rejects BDS violence]</ref>


In April 2013, a significant Australian BDS supporter, Palestine Action Group spokesman Patrick Harrison, said that "there isn't really any connection between this Max Brenner store in particular and Israel," referring to the BDS movement's protests against the Max Brenner chocolate store franchise in Australia.<ref>[http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/foreign-affairs/protests-lack-link-to-israel-bds-fan/story-fn59nm2j-1226633490418 Protests lack link to Israel: BDS fan]</ref>
In April 2013, a significant Australian BDS supporter, Palestine Action Group spokesman Patrick Harrison, said that "there isn't really any connection between this Max Brenner store in particular and Israel," referring to the BDS movement's protests against the Max Brenner chocolate store franchise in Australia.<ref>[http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/foreign-affairs/protests-lack-link-to-israel-bds-fan/story-fn59nm2j-1226633490418 Protests lack link to Israel: BDS fan]</ref>

Max Brenner Australia spokespersons stated that the sole shareholders of the franchise operation in Australia are a young Australian couple who have no direct connection to the Strauss Group. The franchise employs over 1,100 Australian residents across 4 states.<ref>[http://www.theaustralian.com.au/higher-education/anti-israel-rally-draws-small-crowd-at-unsw-max-brenner-protest/story-e6frgcjx-1226632345790 Anti-Israel rally draws small crowd at UNSW Max Brenner protest]</ref>


==References==
==References==

Revision as of 17:38, 1 May 2013

Max Brenner cappuccino
Max Brenner shop

Max Brenner is an Israeli chocolate shop chain. It is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Strauss Group, Israel’s second-largest food and beverage company.[1] Max Brenner chocolates are marketed as "Chocolate by the Bald Man."[2]Max Brenner operates Chocolate Bars in Israel, Australia, Philippines, Singapore and the United States.[3] In 2010, a new Max Brenner restaurant and chocolate store opened at Caesars Palace, Las Vegas.[4] In 2011, another branch opened in Boston.[5]

History

Max Brenner was founded in 1996 in Ra'anana, Israel, by Max Fichtman and Oded Brenner who combined their names.[6] The business began as a small shop selling handmade chocolates.[7]

In the early 1990s, Israeli born Oded Brenner worked in pastry shops apprenticing to the legendary likes of George Maushagen in Germany and at Fauchon in Paris. It was at that time that he said he “fell in love with the happiness chocolate brought people.”[8] Working as an apprentice in Paris in 1994, Brenner met well-known chocolatier Michel Chaudun and convinced the maestro to take him on.[9] Oded Brenner spent six years learning the art of chocolate-making in Paris.

Upon his return to Israel in 1996, Brenner opened a small retail chocolate shop with a workshop in the back. Brenner said he came to see chocolate as “an emotional product that should be experienced through all senses.” [8]The result was the opening of "Handmade Chocolate by Max Brenner"[10] derived from Oded’s last name and co-founder Max Fichtman’s first name—in Ra’anana, just outside Tel Aviv.

By 1999, Fichtman and Brenner had opened ten chocolate shops.[11] Later, Brenner bought out his partner and embraced the Chocolate by the Bald Man concept, adopting the nickname Max.[10] Aspiring to take chocolate to a new level, Brenner sought to create a "chocolate culture” that would acquaint people with the story of chocolate, reveal ancient secrets, and revitalize traditions lost over the years.[12]

“I think most people think of chocolate like Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, as fun and happiness, childhood memories and romance. They can only experience all this in their dreams. Then I knew what I wanted to create: a 3D chocolate experience, to tell the chocolate story in a very broad way; a way that hadn’t ever been done before. I wanted to create a chocolate culture.”[13]

A chance meeting with an Israeli entrepreneur in 1999 sparked the idea of expanding his business, and the first of the Max Brenner-branded cafes opened in Australia, in Sydney's hip Paddington, in 2000.[9] This newly opened “Max Brenner Chocolate Bar” was to be the centre of Max’s new chocolate culture, combining a bar and a shop. This allowed people to enjoy a “holistic” chocolate adventure, experiencing their shopping in the bar section and shopping their experience in the shop section.[12]

In 2001, the chain became part of the Strauss Group, Israel's second-largest food and beverage company.[14]

According to the founders of Max Brenner, "chocolate is not just about taste. It’s a symbol of different aspects in our lives - of romance, of sensuality, of decadence. These aspects actually create the new chocolate culture of Max Brenner."[15] In 2009, Oded Brenner explained the philosophy behind his chocolate enterprise: "Chocolate to me is European so the restaurant is part Parisian cafe. Then I added some Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. I added spices from all over the world that we use to create our chocolates. And then part of it is like a lab - like a drugstore."[7]

Max Brenner chocolates are certified kosher by the Nazareth Rabbinate.[16]

Chocolate menu

Max Brenner store in Parramatta, New South Wales

Max Brenner restaurants offer a large selection of chocolate-based dishes, including chocolate waffles and crepes, fondues, ice creams, hot chocolate drinks, smoothies and chocolate martinis.[17] Max Brenner's chocolate pizza was featured in a February 2011 segment of Food Network's The Best Thing I Ever Ate/Pizza.[18]

Boycotts

Due to Strauss Group's sponsorship of the Golani reconnaissance platoon[19] Max Brenner stores have been a target of the international Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) campaign.

In 2011, Activist group, Students for Palestine organized a series of protests outside Max Brenner outlets in Australia. The protest in Melbourne led to 19 arrests.[20][21][22]

The protests have drawn condemnation from Australian Foreign Minister and former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, who remarked “I don't think in 21st-century Australia there is a place for the attempted boycott of a Jewish business.”[23] In September 2011, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission said that "the protesters had not broken federal competition law because the protests did not cause substantial loss or damage to the Max Brenner chocolate stores."[24] Some pro-Palestinian organizations including Australians for Palestine have distanced themselves from the protests but have publicly defended the choice of Max Brenner as a boycott target.[25][26][27] In October 2011, Izzat Abdulhadi, head of the General Delegation of Palestine to Australia said that he is against the "full-scale" BDS campaign, and in particular expressed his anger over the occasionally violent protests at the Max Brenner stores, saying, "BDS is a non-violent process and I don't think it's the right of anybody to use BDS as a violent action or to prevent people from buying from any place."[28]

In April 2013, a significant Australian BDS supporter, Palestine Action Group spokesman Patrick Harrison, said that "there isn't really any connection between this Max Brenner store in particular and Israel," referring to the BDS movement's protests against the Max Brenner chocolate store franchise in Australia.[29]

Max Brenner Australia spokespersons stated that the sole shareholders of the franchise operation in Australia are a young Australian couple who have no direct connection to the Strauss Group. The franchise employs over 1,100 Australian residents across 4 states.[30]

References

  1. ^ "Strauss Group". Dun & Bradstreet Israel Ltd. 2010. Retrieved 2011-08-11.
  2. ^ You Can Almost Eat the Dishes
  3. ^ "Max Brenner: Branches". Retrieved 19 February 2009.
  4. ^ "Max Brenner to open large new Las Vegas store". Yedioth Ahronoth. Retrieved 201-10-26. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  5. ^ Max Brenner International Inc., Bloomberg Business Week
  6. ^ Milking It
  7. ^ a b Chocolate pinnacle: Max Brenner's new place takes the treat to a new tier
  8. ^ a b The Jewish Chronicle - Max Brenner brings Israeli ingenuity to an international passion
  9. ^ a b Life is sweet for chocolate master
  10. ^ a b Max Brenner
  11. ^ Trinity Completes Construction of Chocolate-Themed Restaurant
  12. ^ a b About Us - Max Brenner
  13. ^ Max Brenner: Australia’s real life Willy Wonka | Dynamic Business – Small Business Advice – Forums | Dynamic Business Australia
  14. ^ Targeted chocolatier Max Brenner 'a man of peace'
  15. ^ Life is Sweet at Max Brenner, Chocolate by the Bald Man
  16. ^ Questions about kosher chocolate
  17. ^ Max Brenner International Inc., Bloomberg Business Week
  18. ^ Food Network
  19. ^ Friedman, Ron (14 December 2010). "Strauss reposts IDF-support commitment on website". Jerusalem Post. Retrieved 30 August 2011.
  20. ^ "New information fact sheet about the Max Brenner campaign". Fact Sheets. Students for Palestine. Retrieved 12 September 2011.
  21. ^ McGregor, Ken (22 August 2011). "Boycott boiling point". Adelaide Advertiser. Retrieved 5 September 2011.
  22. ^ Brull, Michael. "The campaign against the Max Brenner protesters". The Drum. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 5 September 2011.
  23. ^ "Australian lawmakers support Israeli business". JTA. Retrieved 30 August 2011.
  24. ^ Max Brenner demonstrators did not break law, Aussie panel finds
  25. ^ Flitton, Daniel (11 July 2011). "Citizen Rudd's sweet support for cafe". The Age. Retrieved 12 September 2011.
  26. ^ Sabawi, Samah (16 August 2011). "Murdoch Press and the Fictional Jewish Chocolatier". The Palestine Chronicle. Retrieved 12 September 2011.
  27. ^ "Press Council adjudication No 1513". The Australian. 14 November 2011. Retrieved 16 November 2011.
  28. ^ Palestinian consul rejects BDS violence
  29. ^ Protests lack link to Israel: BDS fan
  30. ^ Anti-Israel rally draws small crowd at UNSW Max Brenner protest
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