Choc Affair Wins Prestigious Made Smarter Award

The region’s manufacturers took centre stage at Insider’s 2024 Made in Yorkshire Awards. The prestigious event celebrated Yorkshire and Humber’s world-class companies and their impact. One of the big winners was Choc Affair, the beloved York chocolatier renowned for its ethical and award-winning creations. Choc Affair clinched the top spot in the Made Smarter Yorkshire & Humber Awards.

Held at Royal Armouries in Leeds and hosted by Sameena Ali-Khan, the event recognised businesses who had used the Made Smarter programme to maximum effect . Choc Affair emerged as the overall winner, praised for its pursuit of manufacturing excellence. This was in large part thanks to its strategic use of the Made Smarter initiative.

Made Smarter award winners

Choc Affair’s journey to success is marked by a huge leap in production capacity. This was made possible by the purchase of cutting-edge technology. With the support of Made Smarter and the York & North Yorkshire Growth Hub, Choc Affair secured a £20,000 grant. They used this to buy a new labelling machine, a game-changer for the company.

Prior to this investment, Choc Affair faced limitations in labelling capacity. This capped production at 600,000 bars annually. Recognising the need for change, Managing Director Julian Barrie attended the York Manufacturing Roundtable in March 2023. This is where he connected with Mike Pennington. Mike is the Business Relationship Manager for Made Smarter at the York & North Yorkshire Growth Hub.

Mike referred Julian to the guidance of Neil Harriman, Digital Manufacturing Advisor for Made Smarter. With Neil, Julian mapped out a digital roadmap to steer Choc Affair towards a smarter and more efficient future. Using the roadmap as a blueprint for success, Choc Affair secured funding through Made Smarter. This enabled the purchase of a new labelling machine. The machine raised production capacity to an impressive 1.5 million bars per year.

The investment not only addresses short term challenges but also positions Choc Affair for long term growth. The new production line translates to faster turnaround times and reduced costs. This has resulted in a projected increase in business turnover of 45%, achieved without the need for additional staff.

The process is really easy

Julian Barrie showed his gratitude for the support received. He said, “The process with Made Smarter was really easy. The support and financial assistance have been invaluable. We’re excited to scale up our business and secure our future thanks to this investment.”

Mike Pennington echoed Julian’s sentiments, highlighting the transformative power of Made Smarter for local businesses. He said, “It’s inspiring to see this York chocolatier flourish with Made Smarter support. This is a perfect example of how digital transformation empowers local businesses to compete and thrive in today’s market.”

Choc Affair’s success story is a great example the impact of Made Smarter on businesses in York and North Yorkshire. The programme is about to begin a new round of funding on 1st April 2024. Manufacturers are encouraged to get in touch now to fine out more.

Explore how Made Smarter can support your journey at ynygrowthhub.com/resources/made-smarter/. Next year you could be a Made Smarter award winner too!