Does the thought of a shop totally devoted to the manufacture of quality chocolate set your pulse racing a little faster?
Then join the excitement over a country-style shop that will form part of the Oaklands development at Pambula.
When finished it will be Bega Valley's first chocolate factory, housing not just a shop and a cafe, but a production room where the chocolate is made, and a viewing window so that customers can see it happening.
Behind the project is chocolate maker Peter Weir and Oakland's owner Barry Moffatt who is building the chocolate factory on site.
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Mr Weir approached Mr Moffatt about three years ago with his idea.
At the time he was making chocolates in Geelong and selling them through markets.
He used to make peppermint creams for hotels and motels, but said it could be difficult at times because not all of them were perfect.
"Now I've got the machinery," he said.
He is looking forward to opening the shop which he is calling Waratah Chocolat (the French spelling with no 'e' at the end).
"I'm going to be selling mostly chocolate products, typically chocolate coated fruit and nuts, blocks of chocolate, chocolate ice-cream and chocolate truffles," Mr Weir said.
"I plan on producing a quality chocolate, hopefully gluten free and single origin.
"It won't be cheap, but you will be able to sit down and have a fondue and see the chocolate made on site," he said.
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Mr Weir returned from Indonesia three weeks ago where he was looking at sourcing his basic ingredient, cocoa.
"They are not large plantations and that means you can identify them. The cocoa will come from Indonesia or Papua New Guinea, will be single origin and ethically sourced."
It's all systems go, but to open Mr Weir needs a manager and someone to work in the factory.
Like many businesses he is battling to find staff, ideally someone local, because of lack of accommodation.
He is happy to train them (contact him on 0419 124 134 if you're interested) and said the job wasn't age-dependent.
He wants to open before Christmas.
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Denise Dion
Regional daily news journalist on the Far South Coast of NSW. Contact me on 0418 213 780 or at denise.dion@austcommunitymedia.com.au
Regional daily news journalist on the Far South Coast of NSW. Contact me on 0418 213 780 or at denise.dion@austcommunitymedia.com.au
