THE first company in the world to create a dairy-free chocolate Easter egg is establishing a new factory in Holsworthy.

Award-winning Moo Free Ltd has expanded to become a world-leading producer of dairy and gluten free confectionary.

Owners Mike and Andrea Jessop have been awarded £70,000 from North Devon+, which will go towards a new factory in Holsworthy. The move will generate new jobs and allow the company to continue its worldwide distribution.

Moo Free is one of seven businesses to receive a share of £430,000 under the North Devon+ Unlocking Business Investment Programme.

Web developers Mike and Andrea Jessop started the company five years' ago in Reading. What began as research into organic foods, transpired into a life changing business move.

Mike, who is lactose-intolerant, said the couple both have allergies and following research they were surprised to find such little choice of free-from chocolate on the market, but there was a huge demand.

"Parents were getting in touch who were desperate to find dairy-free chocolate for their children. At the time there was no one in the world selling these products."

Over the next two years Mike and Andrea worked on their idea to create dairy-free chocolate, using rice milk.

Despite having no experience, they experimented with recipes using their microwave and gave out hundreds of samples to be tasted, until they 'cracked it' and Moo Free Ltd was born.

"We forced people to try chocolate for two years until we got the right taste. We would send out two different chocolates and ask them what they preferred until eventually we cracked it."

For the full report, and a round-up of the area news and sport, see this week's edition of the Post.