Duffy's Chocolate: A Pioneer in British Bean-to-Bar Chocolate Making

In the quaint town of Linkonshire, England, an unlikely chocolate revolution began in 2008. Duffy Sheardown, a former Formula One motor racing engineer, heard a radio broadcast that would change the course of his career and the British chocolate industry.

The Birth of a Chocolate Maker

The broadcast revealed that Cadbury's was the only company in England making chocolate directly from cocoa beans. For Sheardown, this sounded like both a challenge and a gap in the market. A year later, while on holiday in Guatemala, he purchased two 500g bags of cocoa beans, determined to teach himself the art of chocolate making.

Back in Lincolnshire, Sheardown spent 18 months honing his skills, experimenting with recipes, and mastering techniques. In 2010, he took a leap of faith, renting a small factory in his hometown, and Duffy's Chocolate was born - becoming the UK's first small artisan bean-to-bar chocolate company.

Craftsmanship and Quality

Now, over a decade and countless awards later, Duffy's Chocolate maintains its dedicated, hands-on approach. The company sources approximately 90% of its cocoa beans directly from farmers, focusing on the finest 10% of beans available. This commitment to quality is key to the unique taste of Duffy's chocolate.

Sheardown's engineering background is evident in his meticulous approach to chocolate making. He spends hours comparing different combinations of roasting and conching (mixing, kneading, and agitating) to achieve the precise flavors he seeks. The process is labor-intensive and time-consuming: it takes four days of careful roasting and stone-grinding to produce just 30kg of chocolate - enough for about 300 bars.

After production, the chocolate is aged for up to three months, allowing the flavors to mature and develop fully. Each bar is then individually wrapped by hand, emphasizing the company's commitment to quality and craftsmanship.

Ethical Sourcing and Global Reputation

Duffy's Chocolate has built a global reputation for flavor, sourcing small quantities of beans from carefully cultivated contacts in Central America. The company intentionally pays significantly above fair-trade prices, supporting their guiding principle of helping other small businesses along the way.

This approach not only ensures a decent living for farmers and enables them to send their children to school but also incentivizes the cultivation of unusual cocoa bean varieties. These unique beans contribute to the complex, rich flavors that have become Duffy's signature.

A Hidden Gem

While not easily found on foot, Duffy's Chocolate has made its mark in the online world. Available on Hello Chocolate, these award-winning chocolates offer consumers a taste of some of the world's finest chocolate while supporting sustainable and ethical practices.

By choosing Duffy's Chocolate, customers are not just indulging in exceptional confectionery; they're supporting a small British business, sustainable farming practices, and the preservation of diverse cocoa varieties in countries such as Ecuador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama, and Venezuela.

From a Formula One engineer to a master chocolatier, Duffy Sheardown's journey embodies the spirit of innovation and craftsmanship. Duffy's Chocolate stands as a testament to the remarkable flavors that can be achieved when passion, ethics, and expertise converge in the world of artisanal chocolate making.