Insider Media Limited

A Nottingham-based organic chocolate company is set to hit the shelves of 477 Holland & Barratt stores over the coming months. Stephen Rudkin, founder of Organic Seed and Bean, told Insider it was now concentrating on inventing new flavours and targeting independent retailers and cafes to stock the products.

Six of the Organic Seed and Bean flavours have been launched in Holland & Barratt after the retailer swapped its previous range of eco-friendly Green & Blacks chocolate.

"It's definitely an exciting time," said Rudkin. "It's our first major high street deal and we're now working on new ways of expanding the brand. We wouldn't want to go into all the major supermarkets – it's not really been in our plan.

"We would maybe like to get into Waitrose and there are several high-street café chains that I think our products would work in. But we really concentrate on selling to small independent retailers."

Organic Seed and Bean underwent a re-brand in 2009, overhauling the company image. Prior to this Rudkin admitted, trading was "very tough".

"We were selling the product more like a gift", he explained. "Most customers thought it was a luxury product which could be given on special occasions but not eaten every day."

Two years ago, the wrapping and branding of the label was altered, resulting in what Rudkin describes as "affordable but premium".

The company supplies its chocolate bars, including white chocolate, lemon and poppy seed and dark chocolate and Cornish sea salt, to about 500 independent retailers across he country. However, Rudkin says that the company's white and milk chocolate versions are "by far the most popular".

"I suppose people know what they like – and as long as they're buying our product, I don't mind which bar it is. But we continue to create different and unique flavours because there's definitely a market for it – people want something different from time to time."

He added that he would like to create a Scottish honey variety next. However, despite the company's ethically sound production, Rudkin said the products are not marketed as organic.

"We market the chocolate as a premium chocolate bar; most people don't really care about the organic label and wouldn't pay more for it. They do, however, want to pay more for higher quality and better tasting products," he said.

Earlier this month, Organic Seed and Bean launched its online operation. Rudkin said that he thought the website would be "the future" of sales within the company.

"I think it will definitely be a good move – with rents so high these days, online sales will definitely have a big place in the future of the business," he said.