Our Story

Our Story

By Linda Barrie, Founder and Chief Taster

There’s something soul-satisfying about chocolate – like a miniature holiday for your senses.

The Choc Affair story began in 2006 when I realised that my daughters had an intolerance to milk – a devastating discovery for children who love chocolate. As there were few alternatives available back then, I decided to have a go myself and with a little time and a whole lot of soy milk I created a hot chocolate they loved. While my first little customers were pretty devoted, they also gave me the idea for a business making handmade chocolate. The next step was a dark chocolate stirrer that melted in warm milk to create an instant chocolatey drink – something we still make today. As demand grew – and not just at home – and with my house now permanently smelling of molten chocolate, I gave up my day job to become a full-time chocolatier.

As family members were always being drafted in to help, stir, drive and taste, most of them eventually joined the company and after first converting our garage, we eventually rented an old joinery as our first chocolate HQ. After that, things really started growing and before long we’d moved into our current home in Hazel Court.

As a business, however, we always wanted to do good by the world and create confectionary that came with a clear conscience. That’s why every bean we use is responsibly and sustainably produced, with a little extra paid for every kilo to help reforest the cocoa-growing regions of Colombia. It’s also why we never use cheap shortcuts like palm oil, and support the small farms and cooperatives we work with and the local community that surrounds them, as well as our own community here in York.

Sixteen years later we’re still making handmade chocolate that has a positive impact and we still love doing it. What more could we ask for?

Choc Affair Timeline

To be continued