A British premium chocolate maker is set to open its first bakery and hot food outlet, in a move that aims to rival long-established bakery chain Greggs.
Hotel Chocolat is expanding its Velvetiser Café format, with four new bakeries opening in Yorkshire locations over the summer.
As the chocolate specialist’s new owner Mars begins its store investment plans, concessions are expected to arrive at cafes in Harrogate, Leeds Springs and Leeds Trinity in August, with a fourth site set to open in Ilkley in September.
The dishes on the menu are all homemade and are based on dishes from the Hotel Chocolat restaurant, according to reports. The shopkeeper.
Putting a unique spin on the typical baked steak, a variety of savory patties will be available, including Piton Pulled Pork and Soufriere Spinach flavors, inspired by the brand’s resort in St. Lucia.
Hotel Chocolat is expanding its Velvetiser Café format, with four new bakeries opening in Yorkshire locations over the summer
Customers will be able to enjoy a variety of delicious sweet and savoury items, with items ranging from a chocolate carrot cake to a Caribbean curry chicken empanada.
Other sweet pastries include a cocoa pod cake and a hazelnut crownie, which has been described as a cross between a cookie and a brownie.
To support the launch, the retailer has converted the upper floors of its Leeds Trinity store into a bakery, where products for all the new sites will be made.
Ian Mackie, Director of Velvetiser Café, said: ‘This launch represents a significant milestone for Velvetiser Café as we expand our offering to include a diverse and delicious menu inspired by our commitment to quality and innovation.
‘Each item is crafted with care and precision, using the finest, responsibly sourced ingredients, reflecting our dedication to ethical and sustainable practices.’
He added: “We look forward to our guests experiencing the unique flavours and exceptional quality that define Hotel Chocolat.”
This comes after Mars bought Hotel Chocolat for a staggering £534m in November, surprising industry insiders.
Mars now hopes to use its new purchase to enter the luxury chocolate market, following in the footsteps of several other companies.
To support the launch, the retailer has converted the upper floors of its Leeds Trinity store into a bakery, where products for all the new sites will be made.
The dishes on the menu are all homemade and are based on dishes from the Hotel Chocolat restaurant.
Chocolate sales are forecast to grow by 13 per cent between 2022 and 2027 to reach a staggering £6.66 billion, so companies have been racing to stand out from the pack.
And they have identified luxury chocolate as the next big trend in the market amid the success of labels such as Tony’s Chocolonely and H!P Chocolate, created by the great-great-grandson of the original Mr Cadbury.
Earlier this year, Paramount Retail Group spent a lot of money to buy Montezuma’s, a struggling luxury chocolate company.
Helen Pattinson, co-founder of Montezuma’s, told MailOnline that during tough financial times, people tend to turn to small luxuries to treat themselves, and fancy chocolate appears to be an increasingly popular choice.
She said: “It’s well documented that people like to continue to indulge during a recession or tough financial times, and a special bag of truffles costs a lot less than inviting the family over for dinner, so chocolate often wins out during these tough times.”
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