How one couple built a business that changed the face of the chocolate industry

On a mission to bring quality organic chocolate to the marketplace Josephine Fairley and her husband Craig Sams co-founded Green & Black's. After 14 years of positive growth Josephine, Craig and the investors sold the business to Cadbury for £20 million and now operate an organic award winning bakery in their hometown of Hastings

A self confessed chocoholic and environmental columnist for The Times newspaper, Josephine Fairley combined her passions for all things sweet and eco-friendly when she co-founded Green & Blacks chocolate in 1991 with her husband Craig Sams. 'Establishing Green & Blacks took a lot of time and energy, but it was worth it,' reflects Josephine. 'It was a difficult path to take, because as the world's first creators of organic fair-trade chocolate my husband Craig and I were walking blindly into the unknown. Thankfully, we had the full support of our bank manager and in 1999 an 80 per cent private equity investment ensured we were able to trade and build the business and the brand to what it is today.

'We intended to start small and grow gradually - however nothing could prepare us for the consumer demand for our products. Our business grew 100 per cent annually - as a result any extra money we had was ploughed back into the business to help sustain the growth.'

Josephine and Craig initially sourced their organic cocoa beans from West Africa and in 1994 added Belizean Maya- sourced cocoa beans to the supply - creating the UK's very first Fairtrade-certified product, Maya Gold. The couple visited the local cocoa farming community to assess the quality of the products and negotiate a fair price. Before Green & Blacks invested in the cocoa, only 10 per cent of the community's parents could afford to send their children to secondary school to continue their studies. Now, thanks to Josephine and Craig paying the cocoa farmers a fair price, 70 per cent of the community's children are able to continue with their studies at secondary level. So Green & Blacks has made, and continues to make, a big difference to the community.

'Running Green & Blacks was immensely satisfying because not only were we producing high quality products, we were also making a difference to other people's lives. One of the best things about running your own business is being in control of your own timetable - you have a great sense of freedom. This means that jobs like bookkeeping and other paperwork can be fitted around other commitments at a time that suits you. At the time my stepchildren were old enough to look after themselves, but if they had been younger it certainly would have been beneficial to have that flexibility.

'This is why, becoming your own boss is a great option for women looking to juggle a full time career with a family because you can work around your family commitments and earn a decent salary. Genetically, women are programmed to multitask - a skill which is crucial when you are setting up a business by yourself because at the start you have to take on a variety of roles. Business used to be very much a man's domain, however times are changing, and women are beginning to realise the benefits of becoming self-employed.'

After 14 years of heading the operation, Josephine and Craig sold Green & Blacks to Cadbury Schweppes for £20 million. Today, Craig is President of Green & Blacks, ensuring that the chocolate is sourced and produced on the principles it was founded on. Josephine and Craig have since invested in a new business venture - a bakery in their hometown of Hastings. Over time the couple have converted all of the ingredients over to organic and have built an organic delicatessen and health centre nearby, which has been well received by the local community.

Josephine and Craig have had interest from people wanting to franchise the business model and replicate their success in other parts of the country. However, for the moment Josephine is focussing on keeping the business small and local, with a few products - such as sourdough breads, award-winning macaroons and muesli - offered on a wholesale basis for the foreseeable future.

'While I can see the benefits of franchising - right now I am happy to focus on making our bakery the best it can be,' continues Josephine. 'I think franchising is a great idea for those looking to go into business by themselves but not completely on their own. Franchisees have the best of both worlds, because not only are they in control of their timetable, but they also have access to a blueprint to success, which is like a 'dot-to-dot how to guide' to running the business and providing they follow the plan outlined they cannot go wrong.'

Josephine's five secrets to running a successful business

1 Be prepared to work harder than you ever thought possible.

2 Try to do good while you are doing business and you will be repaid many times over.

3 Have fun - organise work outings and make the work environment an attractive place to be.

4 Don't ask anyone to do something you wouldn't be prepared to do yourself.

5 Harness the power of publicity and contact your local media - Josephine's experience as a journalist proved invaluable.

Reported by Jess Sturman