Sales upturn for Moo Free chocolate follows B Corp certification
British free-from chocolate manufacturer, Moo Free, has recorded a positive start for 2023, after celebrating a record year end – 18% up on 2021, as well as recently gaining B Corp certification, writes Neill Barston.
According to the business, which has also gained fresh listings in Sainsbury’s stores, there has been un upsurge in demand for its sustainably-sourced offerings.
As the company noted it has also become a Marks & Spencer’s A+ approved site and supplier of chocolate, specialising in the Made Without Dairy product range. M&S recognise that the risks associated with food safety, integrity and sustainability around cocoa, require specific attention, and as such, suppliers manufacturing chocolate as an ingredient must meet the M&S specific raw materials requirements and be a controlled M&S A list site.
Furthermore, it has also recently achieved certification against the British Retail Consortium (BRC*) Global Standard for Food Safety, attaining AA grade in December 2022.
Moreover, as the business noted, its recent growth has been attributed to gaining retail distribution in recent months for its award-winning chocolate, with new listings in Sainsbury’s, including for its Easter range, and deepened retail distribution in other major grocers including Tesco, Asda, and Morrison.
Andrea Jessop, Moo Free CEO said: “It is wonderful to see our hard work being rewarded like this and achieving recognition for our efforts as one of the UK’s leading free-from chocolate suppliers. As a company, the most important thing for us remains the same – continuing to create delicious new free-from ethical chocolate creations everyone will love, not just people with allergies, but those following a plant-based or vegan diet as well.
“We’ve also built our business on caring about the planet, acting in a humane way, keeping Moo Free’s family feel, and providing an inclusive environment that gives opportunities to people who need them. We have always put our unique stamp on our company since we started. It’s brought us these recent successes, and we are committed to carrying on the tradition.”
Established in 2010, and still run by Mike and Andrea Jessop, the Moo Free family now sits at over 60 employees strong and is based in Devon. All of Moo Free’s creations are free from dairy, soya and gluten and are suitable for those with allergies, vegans and people following a plant-based lifestyle. The company has been shortlisted for The Queen’s Award for Enterprise, which it previously won in 2016. Moo Free’s impressive list of awards also includes Food Manufacture Excellence Awards for Free-From Manufacturing Company of the Year, Free From Food Awards and the Vegan Food & Living Reader Awards.