The Falmouth chocolate maker says the funds will help finance a new cooling line and additional equipment to help regulate and optimise the temperature of the chocolate prior to packing.
Founder Mike Longman said it is a “timely investment” as the new cooling line has already helped to improve consistency and accelerate production - helping the company to meet the unprecedented demand for its ethically sourced bean-to-bar range.
“We are absolutely focused on creating delicious, high-quality chocolate using sustainable and ethical practices, and the cooling line will help us to ensure it can be enjoyed by even more customers across the country and beyond.”
Chocolarder has been trading near Falmouth for almost 10 years and is one of only a handful of bean-to-bar dark and milk chocolate makers in the country, supplying retailers such as Selfridges and The Great Cornish Food Store.
Its organic cocoa beans are sourced directly from selected single-estate and family-run farms from Peru and Dominican Republic to Sierra Leone, Madagascar and Colombia.
The chocolate maker said it approached Ignition three years ago for help financing a winnower for removing the out shells of cocoa beans.
Ross Hyde, relationship manager from Ignition said: “We’re really pleased to have been part of Chocolarder’s journey, providing finance for essential equipment to help them grow.
“We look forward to continuing to assist Mike and his team in the years to come, and to watching the company flourish – they definitely have the recipe for success.”