Sweet taste of success for firm that makes gifts out of chocolate

Enjoying the sweet taste of success are Damien ‘Mo’ Toms, 38, and Ed Starr, 35, who run the Amazing Chocolate Workshop from the Burma Road Industrial Estate.

They set up the business in 2014, selling chocolate at small craft events and markets. Now they are the pride of the Midlands after being named the regional winners in a competition run by Love Energy Savings, one the country’s biggest energy comparison and switching services.

Phil Foster, boss of Love Energy Savings, said: “Our ‘Best Of Britain’ awards celebrate businesses for their commitment to a job well done. The Amazing Chocolate Workshop loves to experiment with new techniques and ideas, reinventing the art and science behind chocolate-making. They make food that genuinely surprises and delights.”

“We are over the moon to win this award,” said Damien. “Things are looking really positive for us. We are enthusiastic about how we have developed as a business, and we really enjoy it, which is the key part. Our expansion has been rapid, and we enjoy coming up with new ideas.”

Since those early days, Damien and Ed have expanded their range and taken their crazy chocolate all over the country. They come up with novel chocolate creations to coincide with celebratory events such as Christmas, Valentine’s Day and Mothers’ Day, selling their gifts at pop-up shops at various venues, including Sheffield’s Meadowhall and Nottingham’s Victoria Centre.

For example, this Christmas, they will have 75 pop-up kiosks across the UK, from Aberdeen to Southampton. “It’s our biggest roll-out yet, and we’re so excited about it,” said Damien.

Of all its creations, The Amazing Chocolate Workshop is best known for its DIY tool collection, featuring chocolate hammers, spanners, nuts and bolts. But you can also buy chocolate coffee pots, chocolate cameras, chocolate pipes, chocolate paintbrushes and even chocolate fried eggs!