Last updated at 19:47 14 December 2007

A dyslexic teenager has become a real-life teenage Willy Wonka by opening his own chocolate factory aged just 16.

Louis Barnett left school aged 11 and began making chocolate in his parents garage as a hobby.

Now, five years on, Louis has been working around the clock to get products on the shelves in time for Christmas since landing contracts with food giants Sainsbury's and Waitrose who are stocking his luxury chocolates over the festive season.

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The plucky confectioner has opened the factory and employed members of staff to help keep up with demand after his company "Chokolit" attracted worldwide interest.

The Chokolit factory in Bridgnorth, Shropshire was first opened in September but now the Christmas rush is coming to an end, the site was officially opened yesterday by MP Patrick McCormack.

Louis's chocolates are unique as they come packaged in an edible box and Waitrose bosses say Christmas shoppers can't get enough of the innovative treats.

The Waitrose store in Stourbridge sold out in just two days with shoppers snapping up over 300 boxes.

But it is not only stores in the UK which are interested in stocking the chocolates. Companies in Russia, Sweden, India and Japan are also expressing an interest in the products.

Louis said: "It's been a phenomenal year. I was making chocolate in my parents garage in June and now I am making for the supermarkets from my own chocolate factory.

"I really had to hit the ground running because the stores were desperate to have the chocolates on the shelf in time for Christmas.

"I have had some fantastic feedback from Sainsbury's and Waitrose - they say my chocolate has been flying off the shelves."

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Louis says he is planning to expand his rapidly growing chocolate empire in the new year to satisfy international demand.

He added: "I've just finalised a contract with a store in Moscow so we will probably need to open another factory but I'm just going to enjoy Christmas first and celebrate what we have achieved so far."

At 11-years-old Louis set about a vocational-based home study programme after reading a book about Belgian chocolate cakes.

He went on to achieve a qualification in chocolate making at the prestigious Zurich-based Callebaut Academy.

He was the youngest ever chocolatier to gain accreditation from the academy and they are now sponsoring him through the rest of his "chocolate education".

Louis added: "I have always loved food and used to make cakes and mince pies in the kitchen with my mum when I was as young as four.

"I started making birthday cakes and gift chocolates for people in the village and got some really complimentary feedback."

After borrowing £500 from his nan and grandad he purchased a special chocolate temperature-regulating machine to perfect his creations.

He chose the company name, Chokolit, as that was how he would spell the word at school due to his dyslexia.

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When Louis began to develop a reputation as a budding chocolatier the orders came in thick and fast.

He added: "Because the chocolates were for gifts I decided to buy some decorative boxes to put them.

"But the packaging started to cost more than the actual chocolate so I thought; 'why not make the box out of chocolate too?'

"It improves the enjoyment of the overall product - when you have eaten all the chocolates you have still got one really big chocolate left to eat."

Louis who lives at home with parents Philip and Mary, in Kinver, near Stourbridge, West Midlands, added: "We started on the kitchen table, then moved to the garage and now we've had to move to a production unit.

"Next year we'll have to move again." He is now at the start of successful business career but Mum Mary, 50, said Louis was frustrated and disheartened at school.

She said: "It was terribly difficult for him. His hand writing was really bad and struggled with spelling.

"He would come home and throw his bag across the room saying he couldn't stand it anymore.

"He would sometimes come home with black eyes and bruises after getting into fights with other school children.

"He was just different and the other boys couldn't understand him - he was confident without being cocky.

"They couldn't engage intellectually with him so would punch him instead."