Product Update
Is Loves Cocoa Still in Business? (2026 Update)
Is Loves Cocoa from Dragons’ Den still around in 2026? The deal it made, the dragons who invested, and where to buy Loves Cocoa today.
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Love Cocoa is the rare Dragons' Den story where the founder accepted a deal on camera and then walked away from it entirely after filming, on his own terms. It is also one of the clearer success stories to come out of the show. If you are checking whether the chocolate brand made it, the answer is a confident yes.
The Short Answer
Love Cocoa is still in business, and by most accounts thriving. Founded by James Cadbury, a direct descendant of Cadbury's founder John Cadbury, the brand makes premium chocolate and continues to grow its retail footprint and export business.
This is a food and drink brand sold through its own website and major stockists rather than through Amazon. Since the Dragons' Den appearance, the company has picked up new listings including John Lewis and pushed hard into exports, which now account for a meaningful share of revenue.
The Pitch
James Cadbury brought Love Cocoa into the Den in Series 16, Episode 11, leaning into a heritage story that practically no other food founder in the Den's history could match, direct lineage to the family whose name is stamped on chocolate bars in every UK corner shop.
He asked for £75,000 in exchange for 20 percent of the business. It is a punchy pitch built on genuine brand equity, a name that carries instant credibility in the chocolate category, backed by a product the Dragons could taste for themselves in the room.
The Deal, and the Decision to Walk Away From It
Tej Lalvani made an offer, and Cadbury accepted it on camera. What happened next is the interesting part of this story. After filming wrapped, Cadbury and Lalvani had a series of follow-up meetings, and Cadbury ultimately decided to turn the investment down and build the business independently instead.
That is an unusual outcome. Most founders who accept a deal on air either close it or have it quietly fall apart due to due diligence issues on the Dragon's side. Here, the founder appears to have made a considered choice to go it alone after getting a proper look at what the partnership would actually mean, and the business went on to do well regardless.
Why Turning Down the Deal Did Not Hurt It
A strong personal brand story, a genuinely differentiated product and a founder with existing industry contacts can be worth more than an outside investor's cheque, particularly in a category like premium food and drink, where credibility with retail buyers matters as much as capital.
The reporting since the episode aired backs that up. Revenue has grown substantially, driven by new stockists and export growth, to the point where the company has been described as having tripled its turnover after rejecting the Dragon's offer. Sometimes the best outcome for a founder is the deal they do not take.
Where Things Stand Now
Love Cocoa pitched in Series 16, Episode 11, asked for £75,000 for 20 percent, and accepted an offer on air from Tej Lalvani before deciding, after further meetings, to turn it down and go it alone.
Today the business is still trading and growing, with new major stockists on board and exports now a significant part of revenue. If you came here to check whether James Cadbury's chocolate brand survived its Dragons' Den moment, it did, and arguably it did better without the deal than with it.
Common Questions
Is Love Cocoa still owned by James Cadbury? Yes, he founded and continues to run the business, having turned down the investment he initially accepted on the show in favour of building it independently.
Why did James Cadbury turn down Tej Lalvani's offer? After a series of follow-up meetings once filming had wrapped, Cadbury decided the partnership was not the right fit and chose to grow the business on his own terms instead.
Where can you buy Love Cocoa chocolate? Through the brand's own website and through major stockists including John Lewis, plus a growing export business selling into international markets.
Is Love Cocoa really connected to the original Cadbury family? Yes, founder James Cadbury is a direct descendant of Cadbury's founder John Cadbury, though Love Cocoa is an entirely separate, independently run company with no ownership ties to the confectionery giant that carries the family name.
Did the Cadbury name help the pitch in the Den? Almost certainly, it gave the founder instant credibility on a subject the whole panel understood immediately, and it is part of why the pitch drew a genuine offer despite the crowded chocolate market Cadbury was stepping into as a small independent brand.
Where to buy Loves Cocoa
Still selling as of 25 May 2026. Check today's price and availability.
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See the full Loves Cocoa deal breakdown and term sheet →
