Inspiration from beyond hairdressing – Sweet dreams

Chocolat spread

Peter and Angus instinctively knew that at the heart of great chocolate lay premium ingredients and that for all the differences in design and positioning their products would ultimately be judged on taste. The company pioneered the exclusion of ingredients such as hydrogenated vegetable fats, artificial flavours and colours, with a committed ‘no nasties’ policy. They wanted to bring their products closer to the true core of great chocolate – cocoa. This was a huge undertaking for a small independent with no track record and with stocks of product that could spoil over much shorter time periods than their chemical rich competitors, it was essential to get small manageable batches to market quickly. Peter and Angus selected the mail order model as their first source of clients. In 2003 they hit the net to give clients significantly more access to product information and ordering and by 2004 they were opening high street boutique stores that bore their name.

The co-founders had all but tossed out the traditional model in favour of pioneering a different approach and in September 2007 the mail order business launched in the USA. If America allows them to bite off even a tiny chunk of the US confectionary market Hotel Chocolat will be set to make millions. The company is planning franchise stores outside the UK and runs an unorthodox ‘affiliate programme’ which offers unlimited commission. The programme works by encouraging websites to link to the Hotel Chocolat site. Seven percent commission is paid on the gross order value of referred sales and affiliates make no investment – Hotel Chocolat does all the work.

Grow your own

Authentic, wholesome ingredients are central to the company’s success; a position that was strengthened when in 2005 Angus and Peter purchased their own  West Indian cocoa plantation, Rabot Estate. The vast majority of the world cocoa bean crop is grown in third world countries. Clearly there is a massive disparity in income between the plantation workers and the comparatively well-off western chocolate enthusiasts who enjoy the product. The directors kept that gap front of mind throughout all their plans and they intend to help redress the balance. “We are working along the principle ‘Give a man a fish and he eats well tonight; teach a man to fish and he can feed himself for ever,’” says Angus. Hotel Chocolat’s ethical polices were also shaped by their own consumers. The company motto is ‘loyalty beyond reason’ and as part of a commitment to forging a community of loyal customers, Hotel Chocolat established the Tasting Club in 1999. Membership of the club has many benefits not least inclusion in product development, which of course requires a considerable amount of chocolate eating.

The Tasting Club boasts over 100,000 members many of whom asked direct questions about the provenance of the cocoa in their goods. The directors’ response was to recruit Lynn Cunningham whose role as people and ethics director was to find a way to source quality cocoa while showing respect and integrity in dealings with the Ghanaian suppliers. The result is a wide social support framework that builds a sustainable lifestyle into the communities that grow the Hotel Chocolat cocoa crops – sharing real wealth in meaningful and relative terms. Angus and Peter have achieved the seemingly impossible – a business that peddles indulgence yet upholds ethical business and delivers superior quality. No wonder chocolate makes you feel good.