William Harcourt-Cooze, a self-styled Willy Wonka, is launching what is thought to be the strongest chocolate on sale in any UK supermarket.
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With 100% cacao content, the chocolate is believed to be more suited for recipes than for eating, and is set to be rolled-out in Waitrose stores around the UK with immediate effect.
Harcourt-Cooze ‘s unique Venezuelan Black was produced after a life long quest to find the “perfect chocolate”, which was followed by Channel 4 in the documentary Willie’s Wonky Chocolate Factory.
“Many people who knew me thought this was a madcap scheme, but for me it’s a passion and I’ve never been more serious about anything in my life,” said Harcourt-Cooze. “I’ve seen my bank manager more often than my wife in the last couple of years. But seeing the results of my labour on the supermarket shelves will be like a dream come true.”
Eleven years ago Harcourt-Cooze purchased land in Venezuela and planted 10,000 cacao trees at the Hacienda El Tesoro. Soon afterwards he set up a small chocolate factory in Devon.
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By GlobalData“Chocolate is Willie’s life and his passion shows in the high quality of Venezuelan Black”, said Waitrose home baking buyer, Christopher Moore. “A chocolate with 100% cacao content is something we haven’t offered our customers before. The strongest we currently offer is 85%.”
Waitrose will be stocking all three cacao bars from Venezuelan Black.
