Salesforce.com: What's the chocolate budget?

Salesforce.com's sales and marketing budget has surged to $252.9 million for the fiscal year ending Jan. 31, up from $149.6 million the prior year, and I think I know why: Shipping, printing costs and chocolate.

Salesforce.com sends a lot of chocolate to journalists—and probably bloggers too. In fact, I just opened a box--a rather large one with a bunch of foam peanuts--with three big "S's" made of chocolate (left) and a folder highlighting the AppExchange incubators--nevermind I perused the release the day it came out. And I'm not alone--there are a bunch of these boxes floating around the CNET offices in New York.

While the media guide was glossy, the chocolate was better. And this isn't the first item I've gotten from Salesforce.com. It's gotten to the point where I hear Salesforce.com and think chocolate. Some folks think of melted chocolate.

These things have to add up. You have printing costs, shipping (FedEx overnight) and the chocolate. In addition the average journalist type may get 6 or 7 of these a year. And there's more on the way I'd bet.

Salesforce.com just announced its first-ever developer conference in Santa Clara on May 21. Here comes the chocolate.