My Story: A Chocolate Adventure with Nicola
Hi, I’m Nicola - the maker, educator, and chocolate explorer behind Nicola’s Chocolate. I craft small-batch, bean-to-bar chocolate using ethically sourced cacao in my tiny chocolate factory, creating delicious bars and drinks while sharing the fascinating journey from farm to fork.
But my business isn’t just about making chocolate. It’s about making chocolate matter - to communities, to children, and to people who want to understand where their food comes from.
From Classroom to Cacao
Before chocolate, I was a primary school teacher for over a decade. My very first teaching role was in the Caribbean, and it was there, on a visit to a cacao plantation, that I first fell in love with real chocolate. I saw the colourful fruits growing on trees, met the farmers, and tasted cacao pulp straight from the pod. That moment opened my eyes to the incredible world behind a simple chocolate bar, and set me on a path to understand what makes chocolate so special!
Years later, during lockdown, I began experimenting in my kitchen - roasting cacao beans in the oven and making my first few bars, which I sold to friends. What started as a passion project quickly grew into something more. I now run my small-batch chocolate business from a tiny unit in my back garden, where I roast, grind, temper and pack every bar by hand.
I find so much joy in the mindful process of chocolate making - the tinkering with small machines, the precision, the creativity. Craft chocolate is all about the details, and I absolutely love that. But now, I’ve outgrown my little workshop, and I’m ready to take the next step.
Balancing Craft and Family
I'm also a mum to three amazing kids, and starting this business has allowed me to stay closer to home and create a life that’s better balanced than when I was working full-time in the classroom. I've worked hard for the last 4 years to build something meaningful and flexible, and something that gives back.
Since stepping away from full-time teaching, I’ve combined my love for chocolate and education by running interactive workshops in primary schools across the UK. I teach children about the history of chocolate, the farm-to-fork journey, and the importance of ethical sourcing. It’s hands-on, inspiring, messy, and something I want to bring into my physical space too.
A Deeply Rooted Passion
Alongside the practical skills of chocolate making, I’ve developed my knowledge as a certified chocolate taster and spent time working as a tutor for the International Institute of Chocolate and Cacao Tasting. That experience has deepened my understanding of flavour, origin, and ethical sourcing - and it’s at the heart of every bar I make.
Why I'm Crowdfunding
Now, I’m ready to grow. I want to move out of my garden unit and open a dedicated chocolate factory shop - a space where I can:
- Make chocolate on-site from bean to bar
- Welcome the community for workshops and tastings
- Offer mini chocolate factory tours and hands-on experiences
- Create a small team and offer local employment
- Build a warm, accessible space for chocolate education
What Your Support Will Do
With your support, I’ll be able to:
- Secure a larger commercial premises
- Purchase essential equipment and retail fittings
- Expand production and take on some help
- Host more tastings and chocolate events
- Share my passion with more people - both in-person and online
This is more than just a business. It’s my mission to demystify chocolate and create a joyful, inclusive space for learning and indulgence - one delicious bar at a time.