Hotel Chocolat Group is set to open 25 new stores in the UK with the support of its new owner, Mars, evidencing the benefit of a London-listed company going private.
The British luxury chocolatier, which was acquired by the US confectionery giant last year for £534 million, will launch the new outlets next year in cities including Belfast and Glasgow, as well as in towns like Ilkley and Morpeth.
Additionally, Hotel Chocolat will upgrade existing stores in areas such as Nottingham and Chichester.
It also plans to expand its manufacturing plant in Royston through a £10 million investment, aimed at creating 250 new jobs.
“It’s definitely a signal of our belief in the British consumer,” said Angus Thirlwell, Hotel Chocolat’s co-founder and chief executive.
“Demand for our products is greater than ever and we’re opening stores across the UK, allowing us to bring our ‘more cocoa, less sugar’ products to those that love them.
“Pitching up, opening our doors, telling our stories, doing tastings — we find that’s the most effective.”
Hotel Chocolat was bought by Mars at the tail-end of 2023, with the US giant paying around a 150% premium to its market value at the time.
The share price spike driven by the acquisition made it one of the best-performing stocks on the AIM market last year.