OCHO founder Liz Rowe started making chocolate back in 2013. She loved chocolate, but was curious about where it came from. From kitchen-bench experiments she grew a successful boutique business.

Fast forward five years and OCHO was sold to more than 3,000 small investors on the back of the announcement of the closure of the Dunedin Cadbury Factory. It was the most successful equity crowdfunding campaign in New Zealand, raising the maximum $2 million in less than two days. A broad base of community ownership, fair pay for our bean suppliers, and fair working conditions were table stakes in forming the new OCHO.

Of course we’ve always been committed to making damn good chocolate. We’ve moved a few times since those early days as the business has grown, but our roots are firmly planted in Dunedin and this is where we are staying. After all, it’s the home of chocolate in New Zealand.