Catherine and Jamie, the visionary founders of Catherine’s Originals, have transformed the chocolate industry with their world’s first vegan chocolate company, driven by sustainability, creativity, and a passion for ethical confectionery.
Catherine and Jamie are the pioneering founders behind Catherine’s Originals, the world’s first vegan chocolate company creating classic chocolatey treats with a sustainable twist.
Catherine went vegan at the age of 12 and always had an entrepreneurial spark. After years of not being able to enjoy her favorite festive chocolates with family, in January 2021 she decided to turn her dream into a reality. Opting out of college, the confident 18-year-old went all in on her vision for an ethical chocolate brand.
Just 2.5 years later, Catherine and Jamie have achieved phenomenal success. Over the past two Christmases, their handcrafted chocolate sharing boxes have been bestsellers. Since December 2022, they have raised enough funds to scale up, purchasing machinery and moving into their first factory. In a true display of entrepreneurial spirit, they even built the factory themselves with the help of YouTube tutorials, capturing the whole journey on TikTok to build their community. They were also winners of the Deliveroo Big Pitch, taking home £25,000 in funding.
Catherine’s Originals has ambitious plans for the future. They aim to become the most fabulous, fair and fun chocolates on the shelf, launching innovative new products to rival classic brands. They want to drive sustainability in the confectionery world and inspire other businesses to follow their ethical lead. Catherine even dreams of opening a chocolate-themed hotel.
As finalists in the Great British Entrepreneur Awards 2023, known as “The Grammys of Entrepreneurship,” Catherine and Jamie have demonstrated the vision, passion and perseverance needed to build a successful business from scratch. To discover more about these inspiring entrepreneurs and their award-winning brand, visit Catherine’s Originals.
