Ocho Chocolate
Business Name: Ocho Chocolate
Owner/Operator: Founded by Liz Rowe, now funded by shareholders.
Product/Produce: Chocolate and Cocoa Products
Key information:
In 2013 Liz Rowe created a boutique chocolate business in Dunedin however on the back of the announcement of the closure of the Dunedin Cadbury Factory OCHO was sold to more than 3000 small investors. It was the most successful equity crowdfunding campaign in New Zealand, raising the maximum $2 million in less than two days. A broad base of community ownership, fair pay for their bean suppliers, and fair working conditions were table stakes in forming the new OCHO.
Right from the beginning their philosophy was to source all their cacao beans from farmers in the Pacific Islands. Today, they still visit their suppliers and ensure they're paid a fair price for their beans. The beans are shipped directly to New Zealand and then every step of the hands-on bean-to-bar process is done under one roof at the Ocho chocolate factory.
Beans are hand sorted before being roasted, winnowed, refined and conched, then tempered and moulded into bars and finally wrapped for chocolate lovers to enjoy.
They sell bean to bar chocolate as well as drinking chocolate and a selection of other products in their Dunedin factory and online.
Contact Details:
03 425 7819