| Founded: | 2003 |
| Headquarters: | London, UK |
| Style: | somewhat sliding… |
| Characteristics: | … depending on its own in-house manufacturing of ‘rare & vintage’ bars versus 3rd party providers of the more confectionary portion to the brand’s overall product line |
| Ferment: | goes for the fruit |
| Roast: | generally robust |
| Conche: | extended |
| Impact: | Creative marketing aligned with what the label terms ‘ethical engagement’.
Floated an innovative bond initiative — both as a financial instrument & a social tie — in which customers hold a stake in the venture that supports, in Hotel Chocolat’s (HC) case, a largely if just shy of total vertically-integrated chocolate… in league with a small yet growing cadre of omsbudsmen around the globe who practice Bud-to-Bud™ (cacáo tree bud to human taste buds) by planting, producing, processing & packaging the entire enterprise on-site, similar to the vintner model. To complete the virtuous circle HC established a chocolate destination on St. Lucia island in the West Indies. There it lives up to its name & operates a hotel based on eco / agrotourism amidst heritage cacáo trees whose pods furnish the key ingredient for HC’s chocolate from this origin. Visitors lodge, dine &, if they so choose, work the Rabot Cacao Estate perched high up between the Piton mountains. |
