Food & Drink

“Enjoy!” Chocolate Test Valley’s Best Kept Secret?

Based in Andover, Enjoy! Chocolate is the chocolate manufacturer you have probably never heard of! It was founded in 2014 by Chris Crutchley, who wanted to open up the joy of eating fabulous chocolate to as many people as possible, regardless of dietary needs.

Great-tasting free-from chocolate without compromise.

Chris thinks that being able to enjoy chocolate is one of life’s greatest pleasures and should never be compromised. Unable to eat mainstream confectionery for most of his adult life due to dairy, soya and refined sugar intolerances, and finding the freefrom chocolate on the market unpalatable, Chris decided to make his own.

Enjoy!’s philosophy is to keep things simple. They believe chocolate tastes significantly better when simply made, with just a few organic ingredients and no hidden nasties.

As an engineer, Chris approached the challenge methodically, analysing ingredients and processes. In 2014, after months of wreaking havoc experimenting in the home kitchen (and near divorce according to wife Steph!), he finally created a greattasting dark chocolate bar his body could tolerate. Even better, when tested on friends and family, everyone liked it- regardless of whether they had dietary requirements or not. After discovering his talent for chocolate alchemy, Chris sought investment and Enjoy! was born. Enjoy! moved from kitchen top to their own allergen-free facility in Andover in 2015. Although their scale changed, their principles didn’t. Joy For All: Enjoy!’s mission is to create indulgent treats for everyone: from the most discerning chocoholic, to eco champions, to those with tricky food needs. Free From: Chris likes to say that his chocolate is free-from everything but great taste! All Enjoy!’s product recipes and their factory are free from the 14 main allergens including nuts, dairy and gluten. They use coconut sugar in their chocolate, which Chris found he could tolerate far better than refined sugar. Chris’ own experience of food intolerances showed that sensitivities can develop in response to eating any food stuff, so he is meticulous about ingredient selection and how they’re used in the recipes. Each product contains just a few pure, natural ingredients, which minimises possible reactions whilst maximising great taste. Furthermore, making all products in their dedicated facility helps them control allergens and cross-contamination risks. Vegan: All Enjoy! products are completely plant-based and registered with the Vegan Society. Organic: Being 100% Organic is important to Enjoy! because it’s a sustainable way of sourcing ingredients. They are certified Organic by the Soil Association. Exciting range: Enjoy! started out making solid bars in different flavours, but they have since expanded their range to include filled chocolate bars, giant filled buttons, boxes of Salted Caramel chocolates and chocolate fudge. The bars are great as a self-treat, whilst their boxes of buttons, Salted Caramel chocolates and chocolate fudge come attractively packaged and are perfect as gifts.

Come and try for yourself!

If you’re local, Enjoy!’s shop, situated at Unit 102, The Commercial Centre, Picket Piece, Andover SP11 6RU, is open for business Monday to Friday. Chris and wife Steph are happy for customers to stop by and try the chocolate for themselves! If you mention “Test Valley Forum” they’ll also give you 20% off your order. Alternatively, you can order from Enjoy!’s website with 20% off joyofenjoy.com using the voucher code:TVF20. You can also find Enjoy!’s products online on Amazon, or in many independent shops, supermarkets, and Holland & Barrett. joyofenjoy.com