Hop into the Hunter for Easter Treats!

Image Source: Hunter Valley Chocolate Co.

For more than 25 years, Hunter Valley Chocolate Co. has been defining luxury and indulgence in the Hunter Valley and with Easter just around the corner, there's no better time to discover this local treasure.

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Hunter Valley Chocolate Co. isn't simply a shop. It's an attraction where visitors can watch master chocolatiers create chocolate and fudge before leaving with treats that would impress the Easter Bunny himself.

The company boasts two locations: their factory and showroom at Twenty-3-Twenty on Broke Road, Pokolbin, and a second location at Peterson House, where chocolate and bubbles create the ultimate celebratory partnership. The recently renovated flagship showroom features a light, airy interior with a distinctive circular display counter in white, beautifully contrasted by warm timber floors.

Owner Jo Clarke, found inspiration for the circular counter during her travels to Bariloche, Argentina—a chocolate haven with 23 shops on a single street.

"When we were looking to freshen up our space, I made a rough sketch of what I wanted. The new counter makes it easy for customers to see our products and for staff to serve them," Jo explains.

Jo's international inspirations extended beyond the redesign, with travels to Europe—particularly Paris, Brussels, and Spain—influencing the packaging designs to complement the space.

The Hunter Valley Chocolate story began over 25 years ago when Jo, originally from western Queensland, grew tired of Sydney after 30 years and sought to create a small business in the country.

"Back in 1999, there was nothing here in Pokolbin except a few cellar doors, one cheese shop, and one art gallery," Jo recalls.

"One evening, I noticed every magazine on my coffee table had something about chocolate on the cover, and the idea just clicked. Everyone loves chocolate, and it was an ideal product to complement the wine-growing region."

Jo's son, Pete Carpenter, transitioned from photojournalist to chocolatier after studying at Melbourne's William Angliss Institute. Today, Pete's daughter (Jo's granddaughter) is learning the craft, ensuring the family legacy continues through generations.

Hunter Valley Chocolate Co. uses only the finest Belgian couverture chocolate—white, dark, and milk—along with a Swiss milk base for extra creaminess, Australian dried fruits and nuts, and distilled pure fruit oils for authentic flavors.

"We use over eight tonnes of chocolate yearly—five tonnes of milk chocolate, two tonnes of dark, and one tonne of white," Jo shares.

The secret lies in freshness and quality ingredients. Made in small five-kilogram batches and packed in-store, the chocolate never travels far and is turned over quickly, guaranteeing freshness.

"Dark chocolate has gained popularity as people become more health-conscious, and it's dairy-free, making it suitable for vegans," said Jo.

"Major chocolate companies extract up to 70% of cocoa butter from chocolate mass, replacing it with animal fats, leaving a greasy taste when eating mass-produced chocolate. Cocoa butter provides smoothness, flavour, and that perfect melt-in-your-hand quality."

Both stores are fully prepared for Easter with an array of handcrafted treats. Savvy shoppers should visit early for the best selection of chocolate bunnies and Australian bilbies, freckled and marshmallow-filled eggs, colourful chocolate eggs with various fillings, chocolate chicks hatching from eggs, Easter hampers of every size, and custom-made-to order selections.

Prices start from just $5.90 for a 100-gram bag of foil eggs or $6.90 for marshmallow bunnies—offering affordable luxury that far surpasses supermarket alternatives.

Beyond seasonal specialties, the regular range includes caramel frogs, golf balls, echidnas, chilli bombs, peppermint creams, Nutella bonbons, strawberries and cream, honey milk ganache, cherry liquors, salted caramels, and more. The bestsellers remain peppermint thins and Rocky Road.

Not a chocolate lover? Choose from over 20 flavours of handmade fudge, Italian-style gelato, candies, or visit the café for desserts and their famous chocolate fondue.

Visit the Chocolate and Fudge Factory at 2320 Broke Rd, Pokolbin or Peterson House at 2457 Broke Road, open seven days from 9am to 5pm. Shop online at www.hvchocolate.com.au.