Hotel Chocolat has reported a significant uplift in its Christmas sales as a result of revamped stores and its Velvetiser hot chocolate line. Sales were up by 15 per cent over the 13 weeks to December 30, with five per cent coming from its newly opened stores. The retailer now has 117 UK stores, 15 of which opened during the six months to December. Its online and wholesale sales were also said to be on target, with some 400,000 new sign-ups to its loyalty scheme primarily recruited from its stores.
“This was another strong Christmas for Hotel Chocolat. Our new store openings contributed five per cent of the growth in the period, with the balance coming from existing stores, digital and wholesale channels,” commented Hotel Chocolat co-founder and CEO Angus Thirlwell.
“Our wholesale partnerships were notable successes with strong growth, balancing lower margins with lighter capital investment. Initial customer response to our new location in New York and joint venture store in Tokyo has been very encouraging, demonstrating the global appeal of the Hotel Chocolat brand and its ability to travel overseas.”
Share