Fiona Harrison of Chocolate On Purpose has won the Business Pivot Award at the 2023 AusMumpreneur Awards, designed to recognise the growing number of women successfully balancing motherhood and business.
Harrison is a proud Wiradyuri woman, living and operating her business in Regional NSW and is the founder and CEO of Australia’s first Indigenous Chocolate business, Chocolate on Purpose.
In 2022, Chocolate on Purpose won Indigenous Business of the Year at the inaugural Australian Rural Business Awards, and was nominated for Best Free From product for its Walking On Country Chocolate Bar Vegan Milk Chocolate with Guwandang at this year’s Naturally Good Awards.
Harrison is passionate about the empowerment of Australia’s Indigenous people, and equity in participation and leadership by women in particular in the Australian Native Food and Botanical supply chain.
The business was formed during Harrison’s journey to heal from complex PTSD, during which she discovered the healing power of Australian native botanicals and embarked on a mission to share this knowledge through storytelling with chocolate.
Chocolate On Purpose blends premium gourmet chocolate with Australian native botanicals to create its Bush Food Chocolate range.
The Chocolate On Purpose mission is to disrupt the cacao supply chain through sourcing sustainably grown, palm oil free chocolate; build an Indigenous led and owned supply chain to increase participation of Indigenous people in the growing native food and botanical industry; and while sharing the traditional use of the botanicals leverage segues to discuss the bigger Indigenous issues and truth-telling towards Reconciliation.
The AusMumpreneur judges’ recognised the business’s resilience and creativity to persist during Covid, and its innovation to achieve continued growth during a difficult time for businesses everywhere.
Harrison says that as a mother of three, it was challenging to be a successful businesswoman whilst supporting a family and has advice for others thinking about starting their own enterprise.
“When you have a vision that is greater than yourself and your business, know you’re in the right place. So when you’re full of worry thoughts, be kind to yourself and know it’s because this is the first time you’ve been in this space and you’re figuring it out; and you will,” said Harrison.
