A chocolate factory set up by a couple as a new business idea has seen demand soar during lockdown - and now it needs more staff.
Ruth and Ian Yard set up Ooh! Chocolata, based in Nailsea in 2013 following the birth of their son.
Ian was running a farm shop and Ruth had sold her business selling flowers, with the pair deciding they wanted to work on a new venture together.
Ooh! Chocolata now operates out of a unit at Southfield Trading Estate.
When lockdown was first announced Ruth said business initially "fell off a cliff" with staff having to be furloughed.
But within weeks it all changed and demand for their sweet treats rocketed.
The company already sold to hamper companies but saw the product sales go through the roof. Demand also grew from farm shops, wanting making up parcels for customers.
And online trade from people sending others chocolate to help them through lockdown rose by a staggering 400 per cent.
The demand for larger sized bars also grew with people buying in bigger portions as a treat to cheer them up while at home.
The furloughed staff were quickly brought back in as people went crazy for sweet treats.
“In March at the start of lockdown it went really quiet,” said Ruth.
“But with a week or so sales started to rocket.
“Not only on a wholesale basis but also online with people ordering chocolate to send to one another to cheer each other up.
“We also saw a surge in demand due to people baking at home more, with people buying our chocolate to make cakes.”
Due to the rocketing demand, the company has been unable to start working on its Christmas orders as it normally would.
“We were so busy fulfilling our orders we haven’t had time to start making stock for Christmas,” said Ruth.
“Normally we would start manufacturing for the Christmas period during the summer months
“But we just haven’t had time.
“We are a month or so behind where we should be production wise.
“We are working weekends to ensure we can get items on the shelves when the Christmas orders really start to come in September and October.”
Demand for chocolate has continued to remain high, said Ruth.
But recruiting during lockdown has been difficult due to the coronavirus restrictions.
Ian and Ruth, who already employ two people, have now advertised for an additional member of staff to help them keep up with demand.
And in just 24 hours, they have received more than 50 applications.
The firm, which use cocoa butter in its chocolate rather than vegetable oil, makes a large range of products from traditional chocolate bars to a range of chocolate farm animals.
It also makes chocolate koala bears which are sold by Longleat.
“The business has grown rapidly,” she said.
“We have gone from hand delivering everything we made to regularly shipping out pallets of our goods.”
The new member of staff will be working on the production line.
“The work will involve mainly making the chocolate bars,” said Ruth.
“We have a continuous flow of chocolate here and the work will involve filling the moulds and adding flavours such as salted caramel and the fruit and nut in the fruit and nut bars.
“The response to the vacancy has been incredible and in just 24 hours we have received more than 50 applications.”
Anyone who fancies their hand in following in the footsteps of Willy Wonka can emailus@loveooh.co.uk to find out more.
