Over the past 15 years, Moo Free has grown from a small start up with a big dream into a thriving, award winning ethical chocolate brand. Along the way, our CEO Andrea has kept a personal diary of the journey - capturing the highs, lows, and unforgettable moments that shaped who we are today.
In Andrea’s own words, this blog post offers a behind-the-scenes look at Moo Free’s evolution - from our very first chocolate bar to royal recognition, rebrands, and resilience through global challenges. It’s a story of chocolate, community, and the power of staying true to your values.
In 2010, we made 900 Easter eggs in a week. Today, we make 700 an hour.
2010
The Moo Free Journey Begins. Back in 2010, we were torn between naming the business Moo Free or No Moo Cow. We chose Moo Free, and that same August, we made our very first products: a 100g chocolate bar and a bag of dairy free chocolate drops.
2011
By August 2011, we hit our first sales target and won our first award in the Free From Awards. We also scooped Best Vegan Chocolate Bar at the VegFest Awards. We were starting to make some noise in the free from world!
2012
Making News and Making Moves
During the 2012 Olympics, Moo Free appeared on national news - not for chocolate, but as a case study in how banks weren’t lending to small businesses. It wasn’t ideal, but it was exposure!
2013
In 2013, we sent Mike out to work elsewhere to raise money to buy our first conche. It arrived six months later, marking a big leap forward in our production. That year, we also partnered with the Shaw Trust, helping people with disabilities find employment. Some of our earliest hires through Shaw Trust are still with us today.
2014
2014 was a big year. By Easter, Moo Free had scaled up to 50,000 eggs.
2015
2015 saw us relocate entirely to Devon, where team members Lee and Reanne, both still with us today, joined the journey. We also received a 1.25-tonne conche.
2016
In 2016, we partnered with Pluss, an organisation like Shaw Trust. Nick, our first Pluss hire in Devon, remains a key part of the Moo Free family. That year, we also won the Queen’s Award for Enterprise and were invited to Buckingham Palace. Yes, we drank champagne on a palace sofa and chatted with Prince Philip!
We also exhibited internationally in Chicago and Amsterdam, and held our first staff festival, MooFest, complete with bouncy castle, BBQ, and fire eating (thanks, Tony!).
Growing Pains and the Birth of "The Hub"
We created our own internal business system ‘The Hub’ because nothing affordable on the market fit our needs. Mike built it himself.
As Moo Free outgrew its Reading factory, we fully relocated to Devon in 2016, offering relocation to staff, including a member of our autistic team who still works with us today.
2017
By 2017, we were running out of space again. We asked our landlord to build a new unit and ordered a 3-tonne conche, backed by a grant. At this point, 4 out of 19 staff in Devon had come through Pluss. It was, and still is, something we’re very proud of.
Nick’s Story
One moment that stands out from our journey is Nick’s. During his trial, he said, “I’m on a traineeship, not sure what happens after!” I reassured him, he had a future with us. When he got his first ever work contract, his joy was unforgettable. Today, he drives himself to work, shares the car with his twin brother who struggles with anxiety, and still greets us with a smile every day. These are the wins that matter most.
Staff Fun Days and Local Pride
We’ve had murder mystery team building days, bouncy castles, and even sponsored Holsworthy’s St Peter’s Fair, bringing music and joy to the heart of the town.
2018
In 2018, we relocated to our new, purpose-built factory, marking a significant step in our growth. That same year, we installed a new conche and a state-of-the-art bar line to enhance our production capabilities. We also committed to sourcing more sustainable ingredients by signing up to UTZ certification (now part of the Rainforest Alliance) for our cocoa.
2019
Brexit, COVID & Going Online
Brexit loomed large in 2019. Packaging rules, cost hikes, and uncertainty hit hard. I even wrote to our MP, who visited and promised to escalate our concerns.
2020
Then came 2020: COVID. Like many, we had to furlough most staff (after Googling what “furlough” meant!). We topped up wages and kept a skeleton team going. Then Aldi called, needing a special buy. That order helped us stay afloat.
When supermarkets dropped our products to make room for essentials, I posted on Facebook:
HAMMY NEEDS YOU
These are difficult times... If you can’t find us in stores, please shop online. Free shipping over £10. Thank you.
We had 40 orders in the first hour, then 1,000. Our online store saved Moo Free.
We also launched a long awaited rebrand in October 2020. A fresh face for a maturing business.
2021–2022: Resilience in Action
The pandemic continued in 2021. Easter sales dipped, uncertainty remained. We joined government track and trace to stay operational and safe.
In 2022, we produced our first hunt eggs (which was much harder than expected!) Everyone, from directors to the CEO, hand wrapped chocolates late into the night.
Rising costs, heatwaves, fuel price spikes, and the war in Ukraine added pressure. Sunflower lecithin prices tripled. Still, we passed our first BRC inspection with a double A rating and hit £5 million turnover.
2023
2023 was tough. But we kept going. This was the year we were awarded the Kings Award for Enterprise: Promoting Opportunity. This award recognised our inclusive environment and the workplace opportunities we provide for people with autism and other disabilities.
2024: Still Fighting
In 2024, cocoa prices skyrocketed….from £8/kg to £25/kg. Negotiations with supermarkets got harder. But we’re still here, still doing what we love.
15 Years of Moo Free
We’ve made millions of chocolates. But more than that, we’ve built a workplace where people of all abilities can thrive. We’ve been scrappy, proud, exhausted, and overjoyed. We’ve faced a global pandemic, Brexit, and cocoa price crises.
But through it all, we’ve stayed true to our values: making delicious, ethical, dairy free chocolate for everyone, and creating opportunities for those often left behind.
Thank you for being part of our journey. Here's to the next 15 years of Moo Free!
The Moo Free Team
