A CHOCOLATE factory is coming to Wellington, and visitors can see production happen live.

Ruxtons café and shop on the town’s High Street has announced the launch of its newest project — the Chocolate Factory, which will produce a range of artisan delicacies to be sold in their revamped upstairs shop, and in their street level venue.

Inspired by co-founder Gabriel Purdey’s experience running a chocolate business in the past, the new chocolate factory project is being pioneered by gap year employee Imogen Rossiter-Slade.

At just 18 years of age, the Court Fields and Richard Huish alumna, Imogen is working as the brand’s head of new product development, creating and trialling new flavours.

Imogen said: “It's been amazing to have this as part of my gap year and see it unfold

“I did chemistry in college and secondary school and it was my favourite subject, and it’s really relevant to what I’m now doing in producing the chocolates, like learning about the crystallisation. It's been so interesting.”

Of the range so far developed, Imogen has settled on some classics, including a caramel and coffee chocolate, as well as pushing the boat out with a lemon, rosemary and olive oil milk chocolate.

She added: “Wellington love locality so we're hopefully going to have, as we build up stock, [the] shelves full of our own stuff.

“I think we had this space upstairs that sort of wasn't being used and they wanted something that brought something a bit different to Wellington.

“It's definitely quite an original concept, there are very few places where you can see your chocolate being made, and I think it'll be a really great asset to Wellington High Street as a whole.”

Planned open days, events and activities are in the pipeline, with production of the artisan produce underway.