It was confirmed yesterday Ocho founder and general manager Liz Rowe had tendered her resignation to the company's board and would leave in three months.
Yesterday she told the Otago Daily Times there was no underlying issue or problem behind her imminent departure, which was "entirely my choice".
Ms Rowe said she had always considered the company would need a new general manager in time, once it entered its expansion phase, and now was that time.
She had enjoyed the "start-up phase" of the expanded Ocho, but was less interested in the mechanics of running a much larger entity as it grew.
"I like starting things. I like making stuff, and the job's getting bigger - it's changing. The chief executive doesn't get down and tend to chocolate any more.
"There's going to be quite a big growth stage for the company coming up ... I think it is the right time to go.
"It's been a pretty full-on 18 months and I'm pretty pleased with how it's all turned out."
She had helped guide Ocho from its craft chocolate roots through the "Own the Factory" PledgeMe campaign, headed by Jim O'Malley, in 2017.
The campaign, started in the wake of news Dunedin's Cadbury factory would close, raised $2million in just two days to buy out and expand the company.
More than 3200 people bought Ocho shares, helping finance an investment in new staff, manufacturing equipment and a new factory, greatly expanding the company's production capacity.
Ocho chairman Jim O'Malley was full of praise for Ms Rowe yesterday, saying she had "done a great job" and her contribution would live on.
"One of the things that she and I talked about at the start was the commitment to the quality of chocolate. We will definitely keep that commitment up.
"The chocolate that Ocho makes is all due to Liz, so we acknowledge that and will always remember that. That will be part of going forward - that this is her chocolate."
Some of her duties would be spread between other staff, while others were picked up by the board's directors, until a replacement could be recruited, he said.
Ms Rowe said her departure would give her more time to pursue another love - her artwork - but she would not rule out a return to Ocho in future.
That could perhaps involve a new role, helping develop new products, but one thing was certain - she would not work for another chocolate company.
"Ocho is the only chocolate company I'll ever been involved with."
