Chocolate factory expansion sweetens island attraction

A popular tourist attraction and chocolate manufacturer on Phillip Island has received support from the Victorian Government to expand its facilities, creating more local jobs and boosting tourism.

The Phillip Island Chocolate Factory is increasing its production capacity and building new viewing areas for visitors, creating 25 new jobs through the Victorian Government’s Business Competitiveness Program.

The $1.4 million project will bring in new machinery to significantly boost production from 35 tonnes to 550 tonnes of chocolate each year – roughly the same weight as a full Airbus A380 airplane.

This will help the business to meet rising demand for chocolate through wholesale and export sales.

The project will also create more viewing areas to see how the company’s chocolate and treats are made, enhancing the experience for factory visitors which averaged around 170,000 a year prior to the pandemic.

Tourism is big business in Phillip Island. In 2019, Phillip Island welcomed 2.7 million visitors who stayed 3.1 million nights and contributed $579 million into the local economy.

Phillip Island Chocolate Factory is one of 28 small to medium-sized manufacturers across the state to receive a grant from the Business Competitiveness Program which aims to improve production and make our manufacturing sector more competitive.

A full list of Business Competitiveness Program grant recipients is available at Business Victoria.