Those with a sweet tooth look away now: our showcase of food and drink producers across the north and north-east turns to Aberdeen chocolatier Jamie Hutcheon of Cocoa Ooze.
Owner Jamie started the company from his parents’ kitchen in 2008 when he was just 17.
He opened a chocolate store and coffee shop in Aberdeen but since 2019 has scaled back operations.
This has allowed him to zero in on his speciality chocolate bars, which sell in local shops and online.
The pandemic has seen the online side of his business soar and he is selling record levels of chocolate.
Meanwhile, he has welcomed the return of the chocolate-making workshops that make up about a third of his revenues.
The chocolatier – described as Aberdeen’s Willy Wonka on his successful 2020 Dragon’s Den appearance – creates his confectionery treats at his production site in Aberdeen, mixing exotic flavours from his South American and African cocoa including liquorice & black pepper, gin & tonic dark chocolate and prosecco strawberries & cream.
Recently, he has looked to pair his chocolates with gin and whisky, teaming up with local distillers.
Provenance is a byword for Jamie and he is proud to tell customers exactly where his chocolate comes from.
He adds: “(The demand for provenance) is really helped by the diversity of larder in the north-east of Scotland where you know where your fish comes from, you know where your beef comes from.
“Now you can actually know where your chocolate comes from.”
This is Jamie’s Cocoa Ooze story…
Cocoa Ooze will be attending Taste of Grampian which takes place on Saturday June 4 at P&J Live in Dyce, Aberdeen. Be sure to pay them a visit at their stall to sample their array of chocolate treats.
Tickets for the festival are priced at £13.50. To purchase them, click here.