York Cocoa House is to convert an empty office space in the city centre into a chocolate production facility, including a development centre, an education centre and a retail outlet and café.
The factory, named York Cocoa Works, will supply chocolate to Cocoa House and other chocolatiers around the country. Other businesses will also be invited to use the facility’s equipment to create their own chocolate blends.
The 278m2 site is reportedly the first traditional chocolate manufacturer in the city centre since the closure of Craven’s Ebor Confectionery site in Coppergate in the 1960s.
£250,000 will be raised via crowdfunding
An extra £250,000 will be raised via crowdfunding website Crowd Cube to cover construction and the refit of the site. Backers will be offered a total of 15% equity in the business.
Work on the factory is expected to start in September, with the factory ready for use in January next year.
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Meanwhile, Müller UK and Ireland Group has applied for planning permission to extend its Telford factory in a £40M investment – a move which would double its capacity and create 52 jobs.