Dairy-free chocolate has a reputation problem: a lot of it doesn't taste much like chocolate. Moo Free was built specifically to fix that, and its origin story involves rather more risk than most confectionery brands are willing to take.
Two years in a garage, funded by a re-mortgage
Moo Free was founded by Mike and Andrea Jessop, a husband-and-wife team who couldn't find a dairy-free "milk" chocolate that tasted like the real thing. Rather than wait for someone else to make one, they re-mortgaged their house, bought small-scale chocolate-making machinery, and spent two years teaching themselves how to formulate it. The result launched in August 2010.
Rice milk, not dairy
The breakthrough was using rice milk in place of cow's milk, giving the chocolate a creamy, familiar taste without any dairy at all. It's a deceptively simple swap that took two years of experimentation to get right — close enough to conventional milk chocolate that it doesn't read as a compromise.
From Reading to Devon
Moo Free started out based in Reading before relocating to Holsworthy, Devon, in 2015, where it remains today. The company has grown into one of the UK's leading free-from chocolate brands, with a range that's free not just from dairy but from wheat, gluten and soya too — making it one of the more genuinely allergen-conscious options on the confectionery shelf.
You'll find the range in our vegan collection and alongside the rest of our chocolate range.
Frequently asked questions
Is Moo Free chocolate vegan?
Yes — it's dairy-free and vegan, and also free from wheat, gluten and soya.
Who founded Moo Free and when?
Mike and Andrea Jessop founded it, launching the brand in August 2010 after two years of recipe development.
What does Moo Free chocolate use instead of milk?
Rice milk, used in place of dairy milk to replicate the taste of conventional milk chocolate.