Unusual flavours are adding spice to a chocolate company near York.
Since Tockwith-based Bon Bons Ltd acquired chocolate maker Choc Amor, the company has been winning plaudits and awards for producing something special.
Bon Bons Ltd originally began as a wholesaler in supplying premium confectionery.
But in recent years, it has expanded to make its own chocolate, something that was extended when it acquired the artisan chocolate manufacturer Choc Amor 18 months ago.
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For the past two years, chocolate has been made at the Moorside Business Park, just outside Tockwith.
Bon Bons’ head of brands Gary Johnson says in recent weeks, Choc Amor has been winning awards including three Great Taste Awards and it has been shortlisted for The Grocer’s new product award for 2026.
Gary says the founders of Choc Amor, Jackie and Paul Williams, created Choc Amor in 2012 but had taken the business as far as they could.
They remain with Bon Bons in a development role, creating new flavours of their unique and award-winning chocolate.
Choc Amor uses a single-origin Colombian chocolate and in November, he and managing director Ben Yates will be meeting their suppliers in Colombia.
Gary says the chocolate is special as the suppliers have their own corporate social responsibility organisation called The Chocolate Dream, which represents 4,000 Colombian farming families.
It pays a fair price for the chocolate and it invests in community welfare schemes, and in hospitals and schools.
It also protects the rainforest by using regenerative farming practices.
Gary further explained: “The real difference is also Choc Amor wins awards for its unusual flavour combinations. The Milk Chocolate Orange Jalfrazi is our biggest seller by an absolute country mile. Other winners include a Blackcurrant Salt Chipotle and a Salt Liquorice.”
Tasting the chocolate orange jalfrezi, you initially experience a chocolate orange flavour, followed by ginger and then cardoman.
Tasting notes explain what you can expect.
The dark chocolates are 61% cocoa and the milk chocolates are 41% cocoa.
Bon Bons Ltd and Choc Amor works in partnership with the Wensleydale Creamery to produce an afternoon tea combining chocolate and cheese.
There is also a tasting plate matching various chocolates with five cheeses.
Gary says Bon Bons and Choc Amor is currently selling "really well" to speciality shops and garden centres.
He continued: “The biggest growth is coffee shops and bakeries. We also sell online.”
It has also started selling Choc Amor in Fenwicks and in National Trust properties.
When the Press called this week, staff were busy making chocolate for the Christmas season.
A gift pack range is about to be launched.
Bon Bons recently gained planning permission from North Yorkshire Council to expand its premises.
But this scheme has been paused whilst chocolate gets the focus.
This includes both the Choc Amor and the Bon Bons brands.
This year, the companies expect annual revenues of £13 million a year.
Looking ahead, Gary says the focus will be pushing Choc Amor into more speciality venues.
He said: “We have invested heavily in chocolate manufacturing. Also, the expertise to run the chocolate production.”
The chocolates are already sold in 1,800 places, with plans for more outlets across coffee shops, bakeries, hotels and leisure facilities, plus a push into corporate gifts.
Gary added: “We are really excited with the Choc Amor brand and delighted that we have won Great Taste awards so quickly. We are looking forward to a really successful Christmas selling period and equally successful 2027.”
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