Sweet RGF deal for Harrods chocolatier
A FAMILY-run chocolate company which has supplied Harrods for more than 25 years is expanding with a £123,000 investment.
Holdsworth Chocolates has expanded to create a larger manufacturing and office facility in the heart of the Derbyshire Dales, helped by a grant from the Sheffield City Region Local Enterprise Partnership’s Regional Growth Fund (RGF) of almost £25,000.
This formed a crucial part of a £123,000 investment in fitting out new premises and purchasing new machinery.
Seven new jobs have also been created as a result of the company’s expansion.
David Sharples, managing director of Holdsworth Chocolates, said: “Prior to this project taking place, production was running at capacity.
“Holdsworth Chocolates was experiencing good levels of growth but there was a need to relocate to larger premises in order to meet production demand and retain and grow our customer base.
“Without the RGF we would not have been able to raise sufficient finance to carry out the project within the desired timescales.
“This in turn would have jeopardised our ability to service current customer demand and create the almost immediate growth we needed to meet demand from new areas.
“It’s great news that, thanks to this RGF funding, we have been able to drive our business forward and sell our delicious chocolates to thousands of new customers.”
The firm was established in 1988 by Barbara Holdsworth, whose daughter Genevieve took up the reins in 2002 and has helped to guide the company to its present position as one of the UK’s fastest-growing premium chocolate brands.
She said: “We operate in a very exciting and fun industry, but competition is tough and standards are high. The RGF funding that we received couldn’t have come at a better time.”
