Chocoloza was founded by Vicki Bain, an environmental and sustainability consultant in a previous life but 14 years in Belgium turned her into a homesick chocolatier. After qualifying as a chocolatier and pastry chef she worked for arguably one of the best artisanal chocolatiers in Belgium, Demeestere, as well as one of the biggest and best-known, Neuhaus. But there is no place like home, and so Chocoloza was born.

“All of these experiences left me convinced that there is only one way to make exceptional chocolates, and that is with passion, craftsmanship, and excellent ingredients. You have to have all three. I’ve tasted beautiful Belgian chocolates made with bad ingredients, or made in a rush or without appreciation for the craft. That’s not what Chocoloza is about. We want to combine the best of both worlds – Seriously Belgian but also, Naturally African”.

Our team is made up of women from all over this beautiful continent, we each bring our own skills and beautiful characters to the mix. Next time you pop in, see if you can figure out which of us is a Rubik’s cube fundi, which of us wanted to join the police before carving a career in chocolate, or which of us used to lip-sync on variety shows. We also have a talented young lady who is prone to spontaneous dancing in the workshop, but that’s a little easier to spot…