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Water for chocolate: Somerville chocolate company still recovering from weekend flash floods
By adamg on Thu, 07/15/2010 - 8:35am
Taza Chocolate reports on the mess that is its new manufacturing plant:
... Our chocolate production capacity will be shut down for at least a week, and cash flow will be a big challenge as we find a way to finance the repair of the facility we just made a major investment in upgrading. The silver lining? Our stockpile of bars, Mexicanos, and other Taza goodies is still stored on the second floor of our building, and remains safe, dry, and delicious. ...
Meanwhile, WBUR reports Somerville Mayor Joe Curtatone wants an investigation to see why Somerville seemed to get hit so much harder than surrounding communities by flooding.
Via Reddit.
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Comments
Revenge of the Middlesex Canal?
Or just rapid runoff from the seven hills. I'm wondering if it does have something to do with how transportation corridors tend to be routed through the remnants of the canal, and how canals in general tended to be built along local drainage paths.
In any case, do you really need an excuse? BUY TAZA!
Population density too
With Somerville having the highest population density in the state, they probably also have the highest proportion of paved ground as well.
I knew it
Paved surfaces, poorly designed transportation corridors. I knew that our murderous car culture was somehow to blame.
I love Taza chocolate. I hope they manage to stay afloat, as it were.
Before the cars
The railways tend to follow the old canal routes, too. Only the canal was supposed to be full of water ... and canals were often placed where natural drainage systems - creeks, streams, etc. - already existed.
Add in a bunch of hills for water to run off of and you get an eventual disaster in an extreme circumstance.
roads initially paved for cyclists
By your logic then the trucks that deliver Taza chocolate to your local store are also murderous. You might want to put things in perspective before you get so worked up. Not everything is black and white.
Snarks in the Water
Big ones - bigger than cars! Murderous ones! Careful, they bite the unsuspecting.
Taza does as much Human-Powered Delivery when possible
From their website.
http://www.tazachocolate.com/AboutUs/Sustainability
"Taza Chocolate is committed to reducing consumption of non-renewable resources. As a company full of cycling enthusiasts, we’re glad to provide the option of bike delivery to retail customers in Cambridge and Somerville.
For bike delivery to wholesale customers in Cambridge, Somerville, and Boston, we’ve partnered with Metro Pedal Power. MetroPed provides eco-friendly pick-up and delivery services for local businesses, organizations and universities.
Finally, factory pick-up is available for local customers at no charge. We hate the idea of shipping a package to someone who could walk here and pick it up. Boston winters notwithstanding."
These really are good folks. Buy TAZA!
Miller's river?
I wonder if the flooding in the Union square area has something to do with the filled-in Miller's river.
Here's a little blurb on the old river:
http://www.cctvcambridge.org/node/4719
Never thought to look for a
Never thought to look for a Boston Reddit-- thanks!
Uninsured?
Wouldn't a company like this have some sort of insurance that would cover damage from natural events?
Flood insurance
Flood insurance is tricky. It is often an add-on, and it can be difficult to collect on it. Even if they do eventually collect, they need some short-term cash flow help to clean up as quickly as possible and get up and running as soon as possible.
business continuance or interruption Insurance
Google "Business Interruption Insurance".
BII/BCI pays for all the stuff you have to keep paying for, which is what they indicated was the problem ("cash flow"). It doesn't pay to fix equipment, but it sounds like the manufacturing facility wasn't damaged, probably just needs a hell of a cleaning/disinfection. Most of the damage seemed to be in their new offices.
It also sounds like they didn't finance their capital improvements. Well...they just learned why you don't do that.