‘They’re used to a sweet, cheap fix’: Bullion is treating chocolate like fine wine

Bullion is determined to do for chocolate what others have done for alcohol and coffee, writes Martin Flynn

He knows his craft: Max Scotford of Bullion Chocolate (Bullion by Annabel Peake)

It’s not just chocolate – it’s a story,” says Max Scotford, who hails from the Derbyshire town of Dronfield but is now comparing the “jammy, fruity” notes of a Guatemalan option to the “green olive vibe” of a Bolivian alternative.

Either of the 63g Bullion Chocolate bars would cost a customer almost £8. Scotford – born the same year Cadbury relaunched the Freddo at 10p – believes his “bean to bar” brand can change perceptions of chocolate’s value.

One eye-catching effort was a recent collaboration with the Royal Mint, which saw Bullion bars flecked with 23-carat gold leaf. But at his Sheffield factory, Scotford suggests the products which have earned international awards and website-crashing demand reflect substance as well as style.