Kidderminster man's lockdown chocolate business a sweet success

Lance Jinks ran his own debt recovery company until the pandemic forced it into liquidation, but had always dreamt of becoming a chocolatier.

Lance, 30, told The Shuttle: "I've always wanted to be a chocolatier so when my business went under I started looking for apprenticeships but nothing came up.

Lance's chocolates are now on sale at Bell's Farm Shop

"I saw it as an opportunity to set up on my own so I did. The next day I ordered all the equipment and started teaching myself how to make chocolate with a bit of online training."

Lance said he came up with his chocolate recipe "from the top of his head", using knowledge he learned from a catering course he took part in while at school.

"I didn't write anything down, I just tasted the chocolate as I went along and did it from the top of my head and it ended up tasting amazing," said Lance. "I set up my own website, Jinksy's Artisan Chocolates, and it's just grown and grown so fast since November.

A Jinksy's milk chocolate Easter egg

"My chocolates are now on sale in Bell's Farm Shop and I've got other farm shops looking at them too."

Jinksy's products include a variety box, vegan selection box, hot chocolate bomb, milk chocolate Easter egg and chocolate drops.

Lance has also teamed up with Bewdley distillery Wildjac to create a range of alcohol-filled chocolates - one with vodka, a honey rum-filled chocolate, and another with damson and raspberry gin inside.

Jinksy's hot chocolate bombs

Lance makes all of his chocolates from the kitchen of his home in Kidderminster, and hopes his business success story will inspire others whose livelihoods have been impacted by the pandemic.

"I had a dream and made it happen," said Lance. "It just shows that there are good things still happening in the world."

Jinksy's chocolates are available for collection or national delivery. For more information, visit jinksyschocs.co.uk.