Schoko & Co House Rules
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I use the following general changes:

1) Cocoa is far too plentiful, and there is no difficulty getting as
   much as you want.  So make it harder to get enough by limiting each
   player to requesting up to half (rounded down) of what he needs to
   fill his cocoa store.

2) Salesmen allow too many contracts to come up with less than 4
   players.  Thus I recommend the maximum number of meetings a
   salesman can go to equal to the number of players.

3) Startup - randomised starting positions should make things more
   interesting (making each game more different).  Each player
   gets the same as every other player though ... 

   Money: 40000 + 1d6 x 10000 each
   Initial Cocoa: 1d6 each
   Initial Chocolate: 1d3 each


Improved (balanced and more varied) Express and Wirtschaftsdienst
cards - here are what I have put on a new set of cards:

Wirtschaftsdienst cards:

Next turn all secretaries are promoted to bookkeepers, and these new
bookkeepers may not be sacked next turn.  These new bookkeepers are
paid the standard rate for bookkeepers.

If you are left with any chocolate in your warehouse at the end of
this turn then 20 tons is lost due to flooding (lose less if you have
less).

Next turn salemen may only go to half (rounded up) the normal number
of meetings, due to a transport strike.

Next turn any contracts which remain in the bookkeepers dept at the
end of turn, receive 15000 less payment each.  Any contract which now
has no cash with it is discarded.

Wages change next turn: Workers cost 10000, Secretaries cost 12000

Next turn cocoa is overproduced.  Double the amount of cocoa requested
is offered for sale at the markets.

Wages change next turn: Bookkeepers 14000, Salesmen 16000

Next turn all contracts are urgent, and may only be bid for by players
who have enough secretaries and bookkeepers to process that contract
completely that turn.

Public demand for chocolate increases next turn - the number of
contracts that come up increases by the number of players.  Salesmen
still go to the normal number of meetings.

All factory workers produce only 1.5 chocolate each rather than the
normal 3.  If you have an odd number of workers round down.  This
takes effect next turn.

Next turn no new staff may be taken on.  Existing staff may be
retained or sacked.

Only half the requested amount of cocoa makes it to the market next
turn (round down).

Industrial espionage - anyone who looked at this card in advance
should take an extra (random) Express card when this card is made
public.

At the start of next turn any chocolate in your warehouse is found to
be substandard by health inspectors.  You are fined 5000 per 10 tons
of chocolate.  You retain the chocolate for sale however!

Next turn the Unions cause trouble - no employees may be sacked.

Express cards:

Your salesmen call in some favours - a contract which has just been
accepted by another player is now yours.

Unexpected Vacation - Target player chooses an employee who does
nothing this turn, but who must still be paid.  Play immediately after
staffing phase.

Employee Discontent - Christmas bonuses must be paid.  Target player
must pay 1000 to the bank for each employee they have.

Tax Inspection - All players except the player who plays this card
must show their cash and Wertpapier holdings (and let them be publicly
counted).

Bookkeepers go on strike - Target player's bookkeepers can only
process one contract each this month.  Play this card prior to
contracts being offered.

Inept personnel department - target player may not take on any new
staff this turn.  Play immediately before staffing phase.

Overstressed Salesman - one of target player's salesmen misses half
the meetings he would normally attend (round up).

Patent Infringements - Target player pays the player of this card
8000.

Great Chocolate Giveaway restores market position.  Target player
gives one or two bars to each other player: 1 if 3 or 4 players
playing, 2 if 2 players are playing.

Bad Batch of Cocoa - All the cocoa sold from one market this turn is
bad and must be discarded (money is lost).  Play immediately after
cocoa from that market has been purchased.

Fire In the Factory.  Target player must return 1/3 (round down) of
their chocolate bars to the bank.

Tricky negotiations - play on a contract before it is bid upon, but
after players decide whether to attend.  This contract is worth only
2/3 the amount actually accepted (round down).

Factory Workers become Chocolate Addicts!  All target player's factory
workers effectively produce only 2 bars this month.  However, 1 extra
cocoa is used (which is eaten by the workers after processing).
ie. take 3 cocoa, put one in the bank and 2 turn into chocolate.

Illness - One factory worker of target player cannot produce any
chcoloate this month, but must still be paid.  Play prior to chocolate
production phase.