Recognising a gap in the market for delicious plant-based milk chocolate, Kate Necklen and her husband Scott started Wonderland Chocolate.
Their purpose was to support the transition to plant-based eating, which would benefit not only personal health but also the environment.
To be successful, they knew they had to make a product that tasted delicious and just happened to be plant-based. The first six months were spent developing the formula, during which time they discovered cashews delivered a creaminess like dairy milk chocolate without a strong nutty taste.
A small factory was established in Lyall Bay, Wellington, and the doors were opened in June 2023. Necklen said since then, it has been about building awareness and trial.
“Once people taste our chocolate, caramels and chews, they’re often amazed that it’s plant-based. We’ve also won our fair share of awards, with Gold and Silver medals for our chocolate bars at the 2023 Artisan Awards,” said Kate Necklen.
“Being an Artisan Awards Supreme winner is not something we thought we’d achieve so early on in our journey, but we’re super chuffed that the judges appreciated our products as much as our consumers do.”
Not only are Wonderland Chocolate’s offerings dairy-free, gluten-free, vegan-friendly, and 100 percent plant-based, but they taste as good, if not better, than their dairy alternatives.
Their chocolate is made from fine cacao beans, which have been great for experimentation since, like wine, cacao from different regions and harvests can taste very different.
In addition to chocolate, the brand has recreated nostalgic treats such as chewy salted caramels, pineapple chews, and Easter creme eggs.
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