In its trading update, Hotel Chocolat has reported sales of £116 million for the 52 weeks ended 1st July 2018. This was up by 12 per cent on the previous year. The business had opened 15 stores during the year and had added 200,000 new online buyers to its customer file.
CEO Angus Thirlwell said: “Hotel Chocolat has had another strong year. Whilst there has been considerable recent media coverage of retail generally, we are encouraged by the performance of both our new and existing locations. Customers are continuing to respond well to our luxury brand and lifestyle propositions, unique Chocs to Chill, Ice Cream of the Gods, and improved Cocoa Beers have been very popular.”
The business has developed a number of innovative new products for the upcoming Autumn/Winter season and expects to announce its preliminary results for FY2018 on 27th September.
To read how Waitrose responded to Hotel Chocolat ‘s concerns that some of its products had been copied, subscribers can log in to view: The ‘Chocolate War’: unwrapping the intellectual property Lessons by Gina Lodge, Managing Associate, Marks & Clerk.
Share