Waitrose also tends to have more affluent shoppers which are well suited to Hotel Chocolat’s offering,” he said. The newest convert, opened in Belfast in March, saw an immediate 244% sales uplift – before the pandemic forced the business to shut all its stores. Milk chocolate contains: cocoa solids 30% minimum, milk solids 20% minimum.Dark chocolate contains: cocoa solids 48% minimum.

Thorntons losses mount, can Ferrero turn the heritage As Thorntons losses mount, can Ferrero turn the heritage

The Waitrose partnership has been carefully considered rather than rushed. I’ve built the brand so I’m most protective about it and failure isn’t going to happen on my watch,” he said. Hotel Chocolat’s partnership with Waitrose is an extension of its relationship with the John Lewis Partnership. Bringing together some of our finest creations, this curated collection makes an ideal gift – perfect for sharing with someone special. Shop online for personalised gifts, chocolate hampers and a huge range of milk, white and dark chocolate for delivery by post. There may also be a strategy to shift focus away from the high street, reducing the retail estate, and using premium department stores and supermarkets for wider distribution.”

For over a century, Thorntons has specialised in crafting high quality chocolate sweets, toffee, fudge and other confectionery. This box is no exception, bringing together some of our finest creations… from our much-loved Continental range – inspired by travels across Europe, to Classic – a celebration of our nation’s most loved chocolates and finally to Thorntons Pearls with their delicious centres, just perfect for sharing.

Thorntons Hot Chocolate Sachets 50 x 21 Gram Per Pack (1 x 50

That’s why when we first started working with any third parties, we started with John Lewis, and we said we need our own dedicated space, and that we’re not keen on being put on the shelf, no matter how nice it is. We need a dedicated space of our own.” Thorntons closed down its entire UK store estate earlier this year. Watch: M&S unveils Christmas ad starring Tan France and Sophie Ellis-Bextor posted on November 1, 2023 Hotel Chocolat, with fewer outlets than Thorntons, can use this partnership to expand access to their products more widely.” Entering the fmcg market meant they had to promote the hell out of it [the product],” a chocolate industry source says. “But it was seen as a way to keep the lights on.” Unfortunately, the strategy had the unwanted side effect of eroding the brand value built up over a hundred years. We’ve been making our delicious chocolates for over 100 years, exploring flavours and textures, to create new recipes and finesse your favourites for you to enjoy. Our Chocolate Makers drawon our rich British heritage and their knowledge of what you love, working passionately to ensure that every first bite of Thorntons is as pleasurable as the last.​Thorntons on the other hand has been struggling with its profitability since the late 1990s. The retailer’s difficulties saw its share price plunge from a high of nearly 300 pence in 1998 to as low as 85 pence at the turn of the century. As Hotel Chocolat has demonstrated, offers such as a subscription box service, a diverse core product offering such as coffee and alcoholic drinks, and an ethical business model named “Engaged Ethics scheme” have been proving popular with consumers. We wanted to preserve the brand and how it feels like when you buy from us, and it’s really about commoditization,” he told Retail Gazette. At one time in the UK, if you wanted a nicer bar of chocolate than Bournville, there wasn’t anywhere to go but Thorntons. Hotel Chocolat has stolen their lunch since then. And all the supermarkets are now doing very well in own label with single origin, high-cocoa content.

in danger of mirroring Thorntons with new Is Hotel Chocolat in danger of mirroring Thorntons with new

Arguably, Thorntons’ offerings in supermarkets gave it a run-of-the-mill effect with its products being readily available. Although its products appeared mass market, its prices still suggested a premium product.Established in 1911, Thorntons was in poor shape long before Ferrero acquired it. Its time as a listed company will be remembered for a string of profit warnings as it struggled to adapt the dilapidated and sprawling estate of almost 400 stores to the modern world. Ferrero understood when it acquired Thorntons that a long-term investment was required, with a strategic plan put in place to secure a sustainable future for the business, a spokeswoman for the group says.