If her Kickstarter campaign is successful, Gráinne Mullins could be Ireland’s answer to Willie Wonka
Grá Chocolates began as a hobby in the pandemic and quickly blossomed into an award-winning company that makes some of the most beautiful chocolates in Ireland. Now, from a start-up with a single product offering to a small business with over 50 different product lines in just three and a half years, it’s time for Team Grá to expand.
Former pastry chef, Gráinne Mullins, first started making chocolates in her parent’s shed in 2020 and has now passed the two-year mark in a rental unit outside Galway City. However, due to rising rent prices and the ever-increasing cost of chocolate ingredients, she has decided that it’s time for her team to move on and build a permanent headquarters for Grá Chocolates.
This desire has inspired her Kickstarter campaign to build Galway its first ever community-funded chocolate factory. The businesswoman’s vision is to create a destination in the West of Ireland that will bring joy to people of all ages, teach them about chocolate, and stimulate the local economy. She hopes to have a visitor centre, a workshop for chocolate making, and most importantly, a space where she can meet her customers face to face and make more memories together.
On her Kickstarter page, the 30-year-old said:
“I have poured all my heart into Grá Chocolates and with constant innovation, drive and passion I have grown [it] into the brand it is today. Our rent is increasing to a price that we just can’t keep up with. So, we need to take action now to continue our dreams of finding a permanent home for Grá Chocolates – our very own chocolate factory. Unfortunately, the rising cost of operating has made it impossible for us to tackle this challenge alone.
“Our project will include an innovation hub for small businesses where they can utilise a state-of-the-art facility to kickstart their own ventures. Additionally, a content studio will offer a place to to create high quality content for Grá Chocolates and external businesses.
“Join me in creating a space where chocolate lovers can gather, create, and celebrate the sweet moments that make life so special.”
Click here to find out more about Grá Chocolates’ kickstarter campaign or to donate to this exciting new project.
For more incredible Irish chocolate-makers around the country, click here.
