Two Millthorpe locals who call themselves ‘chocolatier pals’, Fiona and Jo, make up the small business of ‘Chocolate on Purpose’. These wonderful ladies were involved in the Nowra Chilli and Chocolate festival on July 29 winning the Mr Chilli Award First Place Trophy!

Fiona explained, “We heard about the chilli festival and we thought, what could we do? So, we came up with this range of chocolate called ‘Choc full of Zing.’ Our three chilli flavours were a white chocolate jalapeno and raspberry, a milk chocolate with habanero chilli and mango and a dark chocolate.”

With the experience being all very new to them, Fiona recalled, “Mr Chilli came up and had a taste, he didn’t really react either way. I turned to Jo and said, oh well we don’t have a chance, but it was nice to be here, then he started walking towards us with this trophy and the white choc with jalapenos and raspberry had won.”

“I said to him, oh my gosh did you like that? He said I loved that! It was a real thrill for us because we are very proud of our flavour profiling, none of our flavour combinations come together by accident. To actually get a trophy it actually felt surreal, we were up against people who had won numerous years in a row, and it was our first time, it was incredible.”

Chocolate on Purpose was born five years ago, aromatherapists by trade, Fiona and Jo completed a chocolate making course in Sydney. “We were looking at a way to use plants for wellness in food and we toyed with the idea of doing it as chefs, but I don’t cook very well, I looked at Jo and said maybe chocolate can be the vehicle. Here we are today.”

Three ranges of chocolate the ladies are known for is their combination of chocolate with bush food- Australian Native fruits, choc full of local- which is the local produce and Brekkie chocolate- a breakfast theme.

“We are aromatic flavour profilers, we are always really interested in combining flavours so they have a balance and they belong together. The biggest comment we get for our chocolate it, wow, that really works.”

“Being an Aboriginal woman, my passion is in the bush food chocolate. I always get so excited doing the flavour combinations. I enjoy the challenge and creativity of pulling the flavour profiles together, most people are very interested when we tell them what we do. I think people want to know your story and we have such a unique one.”

What’s next for Chocolate on Purpose? Well, Fiona and Jo will head back to Nowra next year with a big shiny trophy sitting on their table announcing them as this year’s winners.

“Our challenge is to come up with a new flavour, we can’t give Mr Chilli the same, Fiona laughed. “Now we are looking at how we can grow.”

You can find the ladies at; Orange Farmers Markets, Bathurst Farmers Markets and are always on sale at the May Rochelle Art Gallery or find them at www.chocolateonpurpose.com.au