Entrepreneur behind upcoming Sheffield chocolate café targets five-figure crowdfund

A craft chocolate business is looking to open Sheffield’s first ‘bean to bar’ chocolate café

Bullion Chocolate, set up last year by entrepreneur Max Scotford, has embarked on a crowdfunding campaign to raise £10k towards the new venture.

The café is launching at the city’s Cutlery Works food hall, due to open later this year, where it will offer treats ranging from freshly baked cookies to Bullion brownies and hot chocolate.

The venue will also offer visitors the chance to tour a working chocolate factory.

Founder Max said: “One of the first business ideas I had was a bar themed around chocolate.

“I remember approaching Business Sheffield for support at 17 years old, trying to make a bar when I wasn’t even old enough to drink! After looking at the costs involved, the idea never came to fruition – but it’s funny how things come back around.”

Max Scotford

Recalling how the early setback gave him the resilience to approach his idea again from a new angle, Max explained: “Although my vision for how I work with chocolate has developed and changed, my dream of having that chocolate-themed bar is within reaching distance.

“I need a little hand to help bring this dream to life, eight years later.”

At the time of writing the campaign, on crowdfunding platform Kickstarter, had raised more than 40% of the goal from over 100 backers.

Max continued: “We want to thank everyone for getting behind the project. If we can keep this momentum up, we’ll be well on our way to reaching our goal.”