Luxury chocolatier boosts its business thanks to 'Big Jim' and an Invest in Wiltshire grant

Coco Chemistry, a local chocolatier that specialises in handmade luxury chocolate products, has boosted its production thanks to a £6,100 grant through Wiltshire Council's Invest in Wiltshire scheme.

The grants, which are funded by the government's UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) and Rural Prosperity Fund, are used by businesses to improve productivity by buying new equipment, machinery or digital infrastructure, and improve premises and creating workspaces. All applications needed to show how they would create new jobs or more skilled jobs, while also helping the business to reduce its carbon footprint.

Coco Chemistry has made chocolate in Coate, near Devizes, since 2017 and was looking to streamline its production, increase productivity and decarbonise the processes through more efficient equipment.

This was made possible when they invested in a Firex caramel making machine with the grant money, which they have called 'Big Jim'. The new machine dramatically reduces labour time as well as energy input, as one machine is used instead of multiple smaller, less-efficient ones.

This is a big change in the production processes of the business, which allows the company to be more productive and continue to develop the business, with a focus on trading - such as setting up new retail outlets.

Dr Richard Phillips, Director of Coco Chemistry, said: Securing the Invest in Wiltshire grant has significantly enhanced our caramel production capacity by over 400%, achieved through improved efficiency and reduced energy consumption. This advancement enables us to fulfil orders more swiftly, allowing us to accept additional orders and produce even more high-quality chocolate.

Cllr Richard Clewer, Leader of Wiltshire Council, said: Invest in Wiltshire was a huge success, we received 55 applications and added additional money to the pot increasing the grants to £1.83m. This grant gives businesses in Wiltshire a chance to grow and flourish by providing them with another opportunity to achieve longer-term success.

Coco Chemistry has proven how beneficial it is to apply to one of our business schemes, it has made a real difference to them.

It's fantastic that we're able to champion these quality Wiltshire producers, and we're excited to see how the other businesses have invested their grants and the positive outcomes it will have for their businesses.

We're committed to having a thriving economy in our Business Plan and this is just one of the things we've implemented to make this a reality.