Hotel Chocolat takes Cocoa Bar Café concept to Liverpool
The firm has secured a 1,447 sq.ft unit, with the chocolate shop opening tomorrow (7 December), followed by the Cocoa Bar Café - a new concept launched in London and being rolled out to key regional locations - in March 2014.
Angus Thirlwell, Hotel Chocolat's co-founder and chief executive, said: "The North West is a key focus for Hotel Chocolat and Liverpool ONE is the perfect location in which to showcase our products to consumers from throughout the region.
"The Cocoa Bar Café concept has already proved highly successful in London, and Liverpool is a natural progression for the brand. As cocoa growers ourselves, we are able to really draw on this exciting ingredient, and our unique new menu will offer a delicious concoction of both sweet and savoury items.”
Having bought the Rabot Estate cocoa plantation eight years ago, Thirlwell and fellow co-founder Peter Harris launched Hotel Chocolat as a website and chocolate mail order company before embarking on retail shops worldwide. In 2011, a 14-bed hotel and restaurant opened on the Rabot cocoa estate in the West Indies.
Last month, the group opened Rabot 1745 - a new, cocoa-based fine-dining restaurant opening in Borough Market.
Home at Liverpool ONE
The new site at Liverpool One will be adjacent to food and drink specialist, Home, which secured a 5,233 sq.ft unit for coffee house and delicatessen, opening on 16 December.
Home, will be set across three floors, offering locally sourced and homemade food, cakes and their signature blend of coffee. The store and coffee house has specifically defined areas for all aspects of their offer, including an in-house baker and a concession store, Home Brew, selling specialty craft beer and real ale.
Polly Harrison, co-owner of Home, said: " As a family run business, we are delighted to be opening our largest Home branch on School Lane in one of the most historic buildings in the heart of Liverpool ONE.
"We pride ourselves in offering the finest and locally sourced homemade food and drink and feel that our produce and setting combined will offer guests a satisfying and unique experience and one they will want to repeat again and again.”
Engaging brands
These latest F&B additions cap off a positive year for Liverpool ONE, with a total of 21 new brands opening new stores in the last 12 months including Browns and Byron.
Miles Dunnett, head of asset management at the Grosvenor Liverpool Fund, which owns Liverpool One, said: “Located alongside great brands, such as the recently up-sized Ted Baker and Beauty Bazaar Harvey Nichols, in the heart of Peter’s Lane, the two new venues complement one another perfectly.
"Hotel Chocolat and Home both offer high quality, engaging brands that will provide visitors to Liverpool ONE with something different. In addition, we are pleased to have the opportunity to nurture and support a local business such as Home from the North West and help grow their truly individual offer.”
