Hotel Chocolat
Encyclopedia
Hotel Chocolat is a British
chocolatier and cocoa grower, with 55 stores in the United Kingdom
and 5 stores within the U.S.A.
and the Middle East
.
To this day, Hotel Chocolat are the only company in the United Kingdom to grow cocoa on their own plantation.
In 1998, the Chocolate Tasting Club was launched in Britain, and now currently has around 100,000 members. To date, the Tasting Club has trialled over 1,500 different recipes. As detailed on their website, the Chocolate Tasting Club sends out boxes to customers all over the country, and each month, these boxes feature "a brand new selection of chocolates including cutting edge, new recipes and timeless classics alike – all made with passion, flair using only the best ingredients and no artificial colours."
In 2003, Choc Express rebranded as Hotel Chocolat and launched their first retail store in the city centre of Watford
. The company then grew initially to having four stores in the East Anglian area, with stores in Milton Keynes
, Cambridge
and St. Albans opening between 2005 and 2006. A full list of stores can be found on their website, adjacent. (see link). List of Hotel Chocolat stores
In 2006, the company officially acquired the Rabot Estate in St. Lucia, West Indies, and are to-date, the only company in the UK to own their own cocoa plantation. Today, the company has fifty-six stores around the UK, including twelve locations in Central London.
Currently, the company has a transactional website, a mail order catalogue and a retail expansion program underway for the United States, anchored by a flagship store on Boston's Newbury Street. The store in Boston
, Massachusetts
, in the United States, is the owner of Hotel Chocolat's first-ever "Tasting Room".
In the first quarter of 2010, Hotel Chocolat also went into the Middle East and as a result have one store each in Bahrain
, Dubai
and Kuwait
.
In 2011, Hotel Chocolat opened its Hotel in Saint Lucia, West Indies. The hotel sits on the Rabot Estate which is perched high up between the Piton mountains. The hotel currently has 6 Cocoa Cottages and a cocoa inspired Boucan Restaurant. In December 2011, Hotel Chocolat plans to open large cottages on the site called Cocoa Pods Luxe.
Hotel Chocolat has been awarded Emerging Retailer of the Year by Retail Week
and nominated as one of the UK’s CoolBrands. The company were also been awarded Silver prize in the 2009 Academy of Chocolate awards.
Selectors are assigned to different categories such as solid chocolates, fruity and boozy chocolates, as well as chilli, ginger and cinnamon. There are always new selectors that are added to the range, on average every 3 weeks.
contains less sugar and more cocoa, compared to normal hot chocolate. Liquid Chocolat ranges in flavours: from a 'Caramel' chocolate combination to an 'Aztec Chilli' made with 72% dark chocolate with a spicy twist. The company stock these varieties in all of their stores, as well as on their website. The standard sized jars retail at £8.00 (approx. $12)
, Ecuador
and the company's very own St. Lucian cocoa from their estate in the West Indies. Within this particular range, Hotel Chocolat sell a multitude of bars ranging from a 50% St Lucian Milk to two 100% cocoa bars from Ecuador
and the Dominican Republic
. The range also includes Trinitario
cocoa nibs wrapped in either house milk or house dark chocolate, containing naturally occurring vitamins and minerals from the cocoa bean. Hotel Chocolat's range of dark chocolates are also high in antioxidants (flavinoids).
–the original French capital. St Lucia lies in the cocoa belt which girdles the earth, plus or minus 20 degrees latitude from the Equator.
The estate is divided up into 16 different cortès or areas of terroir, with names steeped in history, such as L’ Hermitage, Ti Jardin, Marcial, Mathilde and Rameau.
The cocoa trees of Rabot Estate are primarily Trinitario
species rich in Criollo genes, and with new trees continually being planted, record quantities of cocoa are being harvested.
The Rabot Estate is part of Hotel Chocolat’s 'Engaged Ethics' Cocoa Programme (HCCAPEE). Over a hundred new jobs have been created since the estate’s opening, and with prices guaranteed to be 30-40% above the world market price of cocoa, as well as being paid within a week of selling their crops, local farmers are provided with a secure income.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
chocolatier and cocoa grower, with 55 stores in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
and 5 stores within the U.S.A.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and the Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
.
To this day, Hotel Chocolat are the only company in the United Kingdom to grow cocoa on their own plantation.
History
In 1988, Angus Thirlwell and Peter Harris began designing and selling mints as "MMC", before moving to chocolates, some five years later. Rebranded as "Geneva Chocolates", the current co-founders of Hotel Chocolat adapted trade to the catalogue-based world and before long, had steered towards the name "Choc Express". Throughout these next few years, Angus and Peter had turned their focus on making this brand of exclusive chocolates available to UK consumers.In 1998, the Chocolate Tasting Club was launched in Britain, and now currently has around 100,000 members. To date, the Tasting Club has trialled over 1,500 different recipes. As detailed on their website, the Chocolate Tasting Club sends out boxes to customers all over the country, and each month, these boxes feature "a brand new selection of chocolates including cutting edge, new recipes and timeless classics alike – all made with passion, flair using only the best ingredients and no artificial colours."
In 2003, Choc Express rebranded as Hotel Chocolat and launched their first retail store in the city centre of Watford
Watford
Watford is a town and borough in Hertfordshire, England, situated northwest of central London and within the bounds of the M25 motorway. The borough is separated from Greater London to the south by the urbanised parish of Watford Rural in the Three Rivers District.Watford was created as an urban...
. The company then grew initially to having four stores in the East Anglian area, with stores in Milton Keynes
Milton Keynes
Milton Keynes , sometimes abbreviated MK, is a large town in Buckinghamshire, in the south east of England, about north-west of London. It is the administrative centre of the Borough of Milton Keynes...
, Cambridge
Cambridge
The city of Cambridge is a university town and the administrative centre of the county of Cambridgeshire, England. It lies in East Anglia about north of London. Cambridge is at the heart of the high-technology centre known as Silicon Fen – a play on Silicon Valley and the fens surrounding the...
and St. Albans opening between 2005 and 2006. A full list of stores can be found on their website, adjacent. (see link). List of Hotel Chocolat stores
In 2006, the company officially acquired the Rabot Estate in St. Lucia, West Indies, and are to-date, the only company in the UK to own their own cocoa plantation. Today, the company has fifty-six stores around the UK, including twelve locations in Central London.
Currently, the company has a transactional website, a mail order catalogue and a retail expansion program underway for the United States, anchored by a flagship store on Boston's Newbury Street. The store in Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
, in the United States, is the owner of Hotel Chocolat's first-ever "Tasting Room".
In the first quarter of 2010, Hotel Chocolat also went into the Middle East and as a result have one store each in Bahrain
Bahrain
' , officially the Kingdom of Bahrain , is a small island state near the western shores of the Persian Gulf. It is ruled by the Al Khalifa royal family. The population in 2010 stood at 1,214,705, including 235,108 non-nationals. Formerly an emirate, Bahrain was declared a kingdom in 2002.Bahrain is...
, Dubai
Dubai
Dubai is a city and emirate in the United Arab Emirates . The emirate is located south of the Persian Gulf on the Arabian Peninsula and has the largest population with the second-largest land territory by area of all the emirates, after Abu Dhabi...
and Kuwait
Kuwait
The State of Kuwait is a sovereign Arab state situated in the north-east of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the south at Khafji, and Iraq to the north at Basra. It lies on the north-western shore of the Persian Gulf. The name Kuwait is derived from the...
.
In 2011, Hotel Chocolat opened its Hotel in Saint Lucia, West Indies. The hotel sits on the Rabot Estate which is perched high up between the Piton mountains. The hotel currently has 6 Cocoa Cottages and a cocoa inspired Boucan Restaurant. In December 2011, Hotel Chocolat plans to open large cottages on the site called Cocoa Pods Luxe.
Hotel Chocolat has been awarded Emerging Retailer of the Year by Retail Week
Retail Week
Retail Week is a UK-based news magazine covering the retail industry.Founded in 1988 by financial journalist Patience Wheatcroft and her husband Tony Salter, it is now owned by the business magazine publisher EMAP.The magazine is published every Friday...
and nominated as one of the UK’s CoolBrands. The company were also been awarded Silver prize in the 2009 Academy of Chocolate awards.
Giant Slabs
Hotel Chocolat’s iconic Giant Slabs, each weighing in at half a kilogram are the company's own, unique creation. When molten chocolate couverture is poured onto a marble table, it naturally sets in its very own "unique" shape and Hotel Chocolat have since protected this shape from being used by anyone else. The Giant Slabs are found in 10 different flavours (plus seasonal varieties) such as the "Rocky Road", "Fruit & Nut" and "Cookie Choc Chip" and they currently retail at £15.00 (approx. $22).Selectors
Hotel Chocolat stock a variety of different filled and solid chocolates in their Selector range, featuring well over 150 different varieties, in addition to a selection of guest recipes that come from the Chocolate Tasting Club. A selection of this range can be found in all of the stores in the UK, and retail at £3.50, or £2.95 each for three or more.Selectors are assigned to different categories such as solid chocolates, fruity and boozy chocolates, as well as chilli, ginger and cinnamon. There are always new selectors that are added to the range, on average every 3 weeks.
Liquid Chocolat
Hotel Chocolat’s hot chocolateHot chocolate
Hot chocolate is a heated beverage typically consisting of shaved chocolate, melted chocolate or cocoa powder, heated milk or water, and sugar...
contains less sugar and more cocoa, compared to normal hot chocolate. Liquid Chocolat ranges in flavours: from a 'Caramel' chocolate combination to an 'Aztec Chilli' made with 72% dark chocolate with a spicy twist. The company stock these varieties in all of their stores, as well as on their website. The standard sized jars retail at £8.00 (approx. $12)
The Purist
Within Hotel Chocolat, the Purist range lends itself to the discovery and exploration of some of the world's rarest, most sought-after cocoa. These different strains of cocoa are obtained from various plantations around the world, including VenezuelaVenezuela
Venezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
, Ecuador
Ecuador
Ecuador , officially the Republic of Ecuador is a representative democratic republic in South America, bordered by Colombia on the north, Peru on the east and south, and by the Pacific Ocean to the west. It is one of only two countries in South America, along with Chile, that do not have a border...
and the company's very own St. Lucian cocoa from their estate in the West Indies. Within this particular range, Hotel Chocolat sell a multitude of bars ranging from a 50% St Lucian Milk to two 100% cocoa bars from Ecuador
Ecuador
Ecuador , officially the Republic of Ecuador is a representative democratic republic in South America, bordered by Colombia on the north, Peru on the east and south, and by the Pacific Ocean to the west. It is one of only two countries in South America, along with Chile, that do not have a border...
and the Dominican Republic
Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic is a nation on the island of La Hispaniola, part of the Greater Antilles archipelago in the Caribbean region. The western third of the island is occupied by the nation of Haiti, making Hispaniola one of two Caribbean islands that are shared by two countries...
. The range also includes Trinitario
Trinitario
The Trinitarios/3ni are a violent New York-based multinational organization composed of Hispanics. Trinitario was established in 1989 within the New York state prison system and since spilled into the streets, with chapters in all five boroughs of New York City...
cocoa nibs wrapped in either house milk or house dark chocolate, containing naturally occurring vitamins and minerals from the cocoa bean. Hotel Chocolat's range of dark chocolates are also high in antioxidants (flavinoids).
Rabot Estate, St. Lucia
The 140 acre (0.5665604 km²) Rabot Estate is in the south west of St Lucia, near SoufrièreSoufrière, Saint Lucia
Soufrière is a quarter on the Southwest coast of Saint Lucia in the West Indies. Soufrière was the former capital of Saint Lucia during times of French rule. It is now a small sleepy fishing port with an emerging tourism industry...
–the original French capital. St Lucia lies in the cocoa belt which girdles the earth, plus or minus 20 degrees latitude from the Equator.
The estate is divided up into 16 different cortès or areas of terroir, with names steeped in history, such as L’ Hermitage, Ti Jardin, Marcial, Mathilde and Rameau.
The cocoa trees of Rabot Estate are primarily Trinitario
Trinitario
The Trinitarios/3ni are a violent New York-based multinational organization composed of Hispanics. Trinitario was established in 1989 within the New York state prison system and since spilled into the streets, with chapters in all five boroughs of New York City...
species rich in Criollo genes, and with new trees continually being planted, record quantities of cocoa are being harvested.
The Rabot Estate is part of Hotel Chocolat’s 'Engaged Ethics' Cocoa Programme (HCCAPEE). Over a hundred new jobs have been created since the estate’s opening, and with prices guaranteed to be 30-40% above the world market price of cocoa, as well as being paid within a week of selling their crops, local farmers are provided with a secure income.