Chocolate lovers assemble! Local Zero partner with Enjoy!
We’re on a chocolate high! Local Zero are delighted to welcome Enjoy! chocolate to our growing directory of supplier partners.
Based in Andover, Hampshire, founders Chris and Steph Crutchley are passionate for everyone to be free to enjoy delicious chocolate, and they are certainly succeeding; after taste testing just a few (dozen) packets of Enjoy! We knew we wanted to work with this fantastic, local, free-from chocolate company.
The story of Enjoy! begins with founder, Chris Crutchley - a man on a mission to open up the joy of eating fabulous chocolate to as many people as possible, regardless of dietary needs.
To Chris, enjoying chocolate is one of life’s greatest pleasures and should never be compromised. Unable to eat mainstream confectionery for years due to dairy, soya and refined sugar intolerances, he was despondent at facing “a life of misery” without chocolate! Free From products either tasted unpleasant or he reacted to them, so he decided to make his own.
As an engineer, Chris approached the challenge methodically, analysing ingredients and processes. In 2014, after months of wreaking havoc experimenting in the home kitchen (and near divorce according to wife Steph!), he finally created a great-tasting dark chocolate bar his body could tolerate. When tested on friends and family, it satisfied not only those with tricky food issues but also discerning chocolate lovers, and in doing so, Chris had overturned the typical perceptions of Free From and Vegan chocolate.
After discovering his talent for chocolate alchemy, Chris sought investment and Enjoy! was born. They found the professional expertise of Tyrone, their Michelin star trained chocolatier, and expanded they range, moving the business from their home kitchen to a purpose built allergen-free facility in Hampshire. Their scale changed but their principles didn’t.
No need to compromise on flavour!
The Enjoy! mission is to create fabulous Vegan treats for all: from the most discerning chocoholic, to eco champions, to those with tricky food needs.
With Enjoy! there is no need to compromise - they create indulgent, Organic, dairy-free dark chocolate for both adults and children to enjoy. Some chocoholics may avoid ingredients through diet, health or personal preference, but no chocolate lover will ever compromise on fabulous taste.
Enjoy!’s philosophy is to keep things simple. They believe chocolate tastes significantly better when simply made, with just a few Organic ingredients and no hidden nasties.
Their short ingredient list demonstrates just that; they only include what’s needed for pure deliciousness, with recognisable ingredients and none you can’t pronounce!
A Michelin Started Chocolatier
Led by the expertise of chief-choccy maker Tyrone Hull, a Michelin star trained chocolatier and pastry chef, their recipes and factory are dairy-free, soya-free, gluten-free, nut-free and they use coconut sugar in preference to refined sugar.
Forbidden from using the typical ingredients of mass-produced chocolate, a very patient Tyrone has worked his magic crafting new processes. His life would be far easier with more ingredients, but that’s not the Enjoy! way. Tyrone would argue the quest for simplicity means more complexity
Natural organic ingredients
What makes Enjoy! chocolate taste different to others? Quite simply, it’s their commitment to using the best quality ingredients, together with their unique manufacturing processes.
At the heart of Enjoy! is a magical trinity of Organic ingredients – cocoa butter, raw cacao powder and coconut sugar. Their dark chocolate is considered ‘couverture’, meaning they use a higher ratio of cocoa butter to cacao powder. This reduces the bitterness associated with high cocoa solids chocolate and increases creaminess.
Other Organic, natural ingredients are added to create different flavours and textures, with the philosophy of keeping recipes simple with as few ingredients as possible. Check out the wrapper for the best-selling Salted Caramel Buttons: just 6 pure ingredients and no sneaky small print to hide unwanted nasties or allergens.
When they say their chocolate is made without compromise, they REALLY mean it. Being sustainable is as important to Chris and Steph as great taste.
Ethically sourced ingredients
Scale is everything and currently they partner with importers for their ingredients to meet sustainability goals. E.g. their Peruvian organic cocoa supplier is committed to sustainable environmental practices and provides benefits to the growers and their families.
As the business grows in scale, it is their intention to work directly with farmers to create closer relationships and more financial rewards for them.
Sustainability at every level.
Enjoy! Only buy from sustainable farms with Organic practices that promote biodiversity and protect the environment as they believe the better the soil quality, the better the ingredient quality.
Enjoy! is certified Organic by the Soil Association, the country’s leading Organic certifier. To be awarded the official logo, any food product sold as ‘Organic’ in the UK must comply with Organic regulation requirements written into a set of standards.
Organic farming is a holistic system, working with nature and placing soil health at the centre. Benefits include:
- Increasing biodiversity and protecting ecosystems
- Lowering the risk of environmental pollution
- Nourishing the soil naturally without artificial fertilisers.
They use a number of organic ingredients sourced from coconuts, including: coconut sugar, creamed coconut and coconut oil. Coconut sugar, which comes from tapping the coconut palm tree, is more sustainable than cane sugar. This is because coconut palms benefit the environment - they require very little water and improve soil quality. Tapping palm trees for sugar has been carried out for centuries and does not harm the trees nor affect their ability to produce coconuts.
They never use palm oil in their products because of its negative environmental impact.
Working towards 100% recyclable or compostable Packaging
Chris and Steph want all their product and delivery packaging to be recyclable or compostable as soon as possible and they are nearly there. They are always looking at more sustainable options are hoping to eradicate plastic in 2022.
Add some Enjoy!ment you your next shop!
Local Zero are stocking a range of Enjoy! products, starting with a choice of buttons in four delicious flavours (with some available as refills) salted caramels, velvety vanilla fudge refills and drinking chocolate.
shop now!