Text for reading A recipe of success
Before you read

1. What are the main reasons for the company successful performance? Do you agree with the following ideas? Tick the items.

• reputation
• strong brand name___
• quality product___
• modern design___
• customers’ loyalty___
• knowledgeable and enthusiastic staff
• interest abroad___
• market research
• investments___
• expanding business

2. Read the text and do the tasks.

​Of Italian origin, Silvana immigrated to England from Lugano, Switzerland, with her family when she was ten years old. Later, she married Pierre, who was also Swiss, and worked in his designer clothing business in London. In 1980, they moved to Oxford and opened a French-Style restaurant.
​The restaurant was very successful, but Silvana found it difficult to get high quality after-dinner chocolates in England. She was so disappointed about this that she decided to return to Lugano and learn how to make them herself. A friend of hers owned a large chocolate factory there and happily showed her how chocolates were manufactured. Back in England she started producing hand-made chocolates for her restaurant clientele and friends. She used top-quality ingredients, and the chocolates were greatly praised by all who tasted them.
​The idea of establishing a hand-made confectionery business came almost by chance. One day, on impulse, they contacted a famous chain of quality food stores based in London. The firm's chief buyer expressed interest in their products, and the following week they went to London with their samples. To their astonishment, they left the buyer's office with an order for 30 kilos!
​Seeing the potential in Silvana's "hobby", the couple sold their restaurant and used the proceeds to set up Silvana Chocolates. Within a year, they were unable to cope with the demand and had to take an additional labour. Five years later, Silvana Chocolates was a flourishing business producing a wide range of truffles, pralines and liquor chocolates. Today the chocolates are selling well in the UK, but Silvana and Pierre are ambitious: they want the business to be much bigger. They would also like to expand into Europe as soon as possible. To do so successfully, they know they must create a stronger brand image - the chocolates don't really have a personality at the moment - and devise a marketing plan to increase brand awareness - their products are still not widely known by the general public.
3. Find the equivalents of the following words and expressions in the text:
1. possessed
2. customers
3. sweets and chocolates
4. grocery store
5. patterns
6. request
7. create or arrange something
8. require , need
9. series
10. knowledge of a situation or fact

4. Make the best choice. Tick the right item:

1. Silvana emigrated to England…
a) when she married Pierre.
b) when she was a child.
c) when she started working in clothing business.

2. When she opened a French style restaurant she was disappointed because
a) her husband didn’t help her in business.
b) low – quality chocolate didn’t sell well.
c) it was difficult to get high quality after - dinner chocolates in England.

3. Her chocolates were in great demand because…
a) she learned how to manufacture high quality chocolates
b) people liked to visit her French-style restaurant.
c) she carefully tested her product.

4. Silvana and her husband sold their business because
a) it broke…
b) Silvana and her husband were unable to run their business any more.
c) they wanted to have their own brand.

5. To expend their business in the future they have to…
a) return to Lugano to learn how to do it.
b) take an additional labour.
c) increase brand awareness.

5. Answer the following questions on the text in written form:

1. How did Silvana get to England?

2. What was her first family business?

3. Why did she decide to make chocolates herself?

4. How did they get the first big order for their hand-made chocolates?

5. Why did they have to take on additional labour?

6. What must they create if they want to do successfully?

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