West Coast Chocolate Lovers Reveal Surprising Traits

CAMPBELL, CALIF. October 9, 2004 Most chocolate lovers prefer chocolate over sex because there is no pressure," according to a survey released today by Cocoa Pete's Chocolate AdventuresTM.

Completed just in time for World Chocolate Awareness Month (October), the survey revealed both surprising and humorous insights into the habits of West Coast chocoholics.

The less-than-scientific sample consisted of roughly 1,000 respondents ranging in age from 21 to 75 years. Two-thirds were women and one-third men. Cocoa Pete's conducted the survey at stores and special events during the 2003-04 chocolate-buying year. Each respondent sampled one or more of Cocoa Pete's four premium chocolate bars prior to answering the nine survey questions.

Cocoa Pete's was founded on April Fools Day 2002 by Pete Slosberg, one of the San Francisco Bay Area's most inventive "foodies. Pete is best known as the creator of Pete's Wicked Ale and founder of Pete's Brewing Company, which he sold in 1998.

In 2003, with a year's chocolatiering under his belt, Cocoa Pete decided on a completely chocolate-in-cheek way to survey previously unexplored aspects of and attitudes toward chocolate.

Following is a sampling of the surveys more interesting revelations:

In a head-to-head popularity contest, sex barely won out over chocolate. In fact, the contenders were so nearly tied that 13 percent of respondents couldn't make a choice, weighting both as equally desirable!

More than twice as many women (39 percent) as men (18 percent) preferred chocolate over sex.

Explained one: "Tough choice, but at this point in my life with the guys I know, I choose chocolate." Another noted, "I don't smoke afterwards!"

As people aged, the percentage who preferred chocolate to sex climbed dramatically, with 41 percent of the 55-plus crowd saying they'd rather have chocolate.

More than twice as many men (40 percent) as women (20 percent) buy chocolate for others, instead of themselves.

Almost half the female respondents hide their chocolate while the vast majority of men (73 percent) wouldn't dream of it. One of the younger respondents freely admitted to hiding chocolate; "I hide chocolate from my mom; she eats all of it otherwise."

Perhaps this is why more women than men feel guilty about eating chocolate (86 percent of women felt guilty vs. 65 percent of men).

Women do, however, take smaller bites by a two-to-one margin. Again, the 55-plus crowd led the pack among both sexes with 62 percent reporting they nibble rather than wolf chocolate.

Respondents of both genders thought eating chocolate was good anytime of day, morning, noon, after dinner, in the evening or to counteract stress. Said one, "I feel most like eating chocolate when I am awake. When I am asleep, I dream of eating more!"

Cocoa Pete's chocolate bars are 100 percent all-natural and come in four bodacious flavors Maltimus MaximusTM, Nuts So SeriousTM, Berry Berry DangerousTM and Caramel KnowledgeTM.

They are widely available in the San Francisco Bay Area, Pacific Northwest and New York Metro areas. The brand is currently making its debut in stores in Southern California and in selected natural food stores across the country.

Each bar sold spreads Cocoa Pete's vision of great chocolate for everyone, everywhere and his mantra of it doesn't have to be pretentious to be premium.

About the company
Founded on April Fools Day, 2002, Cocoa Petes Chocolate AdventuresTM is based in Campbell, CA, in the San Francisco Bay Area. Its mission is to make premium chocolate more accessible by helping Americans discover a whole new world of chocolate flavors and have some fun in the process. For more information, visit www.cocoapetes.com.

About Pete Slosberg
The cre