WNWN Food Labs has begun a facility expansion that will increase its production space eightfold.  

The space in Main Yard in vibrant Hackney Wick nods to the neighborhood’s rich history of commerce, scientific innovation and food, as well as the historic home of Clarnico, once the largest confectioner in Britain. The facility will house R&D, manufacturing, a test kitchen, office space and allow intimate events and demonstrations.  

WNWN (pronounced “win-win”) has released two cocoa-free chocolate products, and following the expansion, will begin producing in volume to supply a more ethical alternative to commoditized chocolate to CPG food companies. The company also expects to double its staff by the end of the year.

“With this expansion, we’ll be in gear to begin supplying small to midsize brands, including Michelin-star restaurants, bakers, and foodservice distributors,” said WNWN CTO Johnny Drain. “Our direct-to-consumer product drops have sold out instantly, so this new space also allows us to perform more testing and development for future launches.” 

WNWN applies traditional fermentation techniques to sustainable, widely available plant-based ingredients in a proprietary process to create cocoa-free chocolate that tastes, melts, snaps and bakes just like chocolate. Its formula is vegan, caffeine-free, gluten-free, palm oil-free, lower in sugar than comparable products and safe for dogs since it contains no theobromine.  

Because WNWN uses widely available ingredients and production methods that don’t require regulatory approval or expensive platforms, the company expects to be able to produce its cocoa-free chocolate affordably when fully at scale.