Who is Maria Antoniou and what does Chocolate Moments make?

CHOCOLATE MOMENTS owner Maria Antoniou is hoping to impress the Dragons' Den panel with her unique tasty treats.

The business owner - who was at centre of a dispute with radio host Roman Kemp in January 2024 - is a contestant on the 21st series of the BBC show, hosted by Evan Davis.

1

Who is Maria Antoniou?

Maria Antoniou is a chocolatier and the owner of Chocolate Moments Ltd.

The company was started by Antoniou in February 2018.

According to her LinkedIn, prior to starting her chocolate business she was a personal assistant at Hayman's Gin Distillery.

When you tell people it's cheese and onion with chocolate, they think you're crazy. But it really works.

Maria Antoniou

Antoniou has also worked as an Executive Assistant at companies like CWT Meetings & Events, NBCUniversal Media and Branded Entertainment Network.

She studied English and Media at the University of Northampton.

Dragons' Den is not Antoniou's first television appearance as she was featured on Channel 4's Aldi's Next Big Thing in November 2022.

She has also appeared on ITV's This Morning to talk about her famous Bar of Crisps.

In 2022 it was reported that Antoniou was opening a chocolate shop in Billericay, Essex, on a one-year lease.

What does Chocolate Moments make?

According to the company's official website, Chocolate Moments is a specialist in "making unique luxury chocolates branded with your logo or message".

As well as artisan chocolates, Antoniou's company also makes brownies.

The personalised treats are said to be "perfect additions to corporate events" and are ideal for "client gifts, client visits" and "office parties".

Chocolate Moments products are all gluten free and can be delivered anywhere in the UK.

There are no added artificial flavours or colours and the products are made with as few ingredients as possible.

What is the Bar of Crisps?

Chocolate Moments' most famous product is the controversial Bar of Crisps.

The unique snack combines two of the UK's favourite things - crisps and chocolate.

The Bar of Crisps is a sweet chocolate bar stuffed with a savoury crisp filling and is available in three flavours – ready salted, salt and vinegar and cheese and onion.

A bar costs £4.99 for 100g.

Revealing the origin of the Bar of Crisps, Antoniou said on Aldi's Next Big Thing in 2022: "Bar of Crisps was born in lockdown, when I used to sit on the sofa watching TV eating chocolate and crisps.

"I just want to create products that you can't get anywhere else, something different to what's already on the shelves.

"When you tell people it's cheese and onion with chocolate, they think you're crazy. But it really works."

The Bar of Crisps has previously gone viral on TikTok and also caused a stir when it was discussed on Roman Kemp's Capital Breakfast radio show.

Kemp and his co-hosts Sian Welby and Chris Stark were accused of bullying by angry listeners in January 2024 after they ridiculed Chocolate Moments and the Bar of Crisps.

The trio received over 100 Ofcom complaints after claiming the company's website looked like it had been "made by a child" and that it probably operated "out of a garage".

Antoniou addressed the comments online, sharing an audio clip of the radio show and a video of herself listening.

She captioned the Instagram post: "So many have said how triggering the comments, cackling and bullying behaviour is so I've added in a warning.

"So keen to hear your thoughts on the utter annihilation of my website, phone number, email...!!!"

She later confirmed that two of the three presenters had contacted her, but did not name them, and said they had issued her an apology that was "flippant" and "not meaningful".

When is Maria from Chocolate Moments on Dragon's Den?

Antoniou is scheduled to appear on the February 15 episode of Dragons' Den.

The BBC show airs on Thursday evenings at 8pm.

It is also available for catch up on BBC iPlayer.

Dragons' Den features Sara Davies, Peter Jones, Deborah Meaden, Touker Suleyman and Steven Bartlett on the panel.