Hotel Chocolat and Mars Incorporated

The co-founders of Hotel Chocolat will each get £144m after agreeing to sell the British business to Mars.
Hotel Chocolat said the deal would allow the brand to "grow further and faster", including overseas.

And very soon, Hotel Chocolat will taste of soy beans, lecithin, natural flavouring, 80% sugar and reconstituted cocoa . :hyper:
 
karadekoolaid said:
The co-founders of Hotel Chocolat will each get £144m after agreeing to sell the British business to Mars.
Hotel Chocolat said the deal would allow the brand to "grow further and faster", including overseas.

And very soon, Hotel Chocolat will taste of soy beans, lecithin, natural flavouring, 80% sugar and reconstituted cocoa . :hyper:
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Possibly. But, it is also possible Mars will keep it a "premium" brand, with premium pricing. 🤷‍♂️🤷‍♀️

CD
 
karadekoolaid said:
And very soon, Hotel Chocolat will taste of soy beans, lecithin, natural flavouring, 80% sugar and reconstituted cocoa . :hyper:
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Commenting on whether Mars intended to change Hotel Chocolat's recipes following the takeover, Andrew Clarke, global president of Mars snacking, said there were "absolutely no plans" to do that.

"We've got a real track record here of nurturing, protecting and accelerating brands and actually keeping that entrepreneurial nature at what that brand stands for," he said.

There are also no plans to start selling Mars confectionery in Hotel Chocolat shops.
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Joining forces with a corporation well versed in cost cutting that focuses on the margins never tends to end well.
Hopefully they’ll leave them alone to produce good chocolate and just help with distribution but historically where there’s more money to be made by swapping out ingredients it ends up happening.

Keep the existing CEO for approximately one year to ensure a smooth transition then the arguments start over cost cutting measures, the founders leave and it’s downhill from then on.

Might not happen. Hope it doesn’t. There are just so many examples of that I wouldn’t bet against it.
 
So first the R+D budget will be slashed, then the range will be "rationalised", the ingredients will be diluted, sales will start in supermarkets, finally the stand alone shops will be shut. Mars are after a premium offering in the supermarket to compete against Lindt, Lily O'Brien and the others. Once the accountants get involved maximising the return for shareholders the brand will be gutted. Such a shame because the USP of Hotel Chocolat is that is was a quality independent brand offering wide and unusual choices.
I am sad.
 
The Velvet Curtain said:
So first the R+D budget will be slashed, then the range will be "rationalised", the ingredients will be diluted, sales will start in supermarkets, finally the stand alone shops will be shut. Mars are after a premium offering in the supermarket to compete against Lindt, Lily O'Brien and the others. Once the accountants get involved maximising the return for shareholders the brand will be gutted. Such a shame because the USP of Hotel Chocolat is that is was a quality independent brand offering wide and unusual choices.
I am sad.
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Me too.

Although this guy is knocking it out of the park. I've tried ten different varieties of his chocolate now and it hit's the nail on the head every single time, no skimping on the necessary ingredients, just delicious, and dangerous, can't stop eating it!

Christopher's House of Chocolates in Weston- House of Chocolates
 
The Velvet Curtain said:
our christmas chocolates are coming from here

Maisie's Chocolate Shop - Llandudno
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Yum yum! Nice selection. So many different hot chocolate flakes!

As these just arrived in the post and I've emailed about my son and I doing a chocolate workshop at the place I posted above I may save your link for post Christmas blues 😆

IMG_1453.jpeg
 
SandwichShortOfAPicnic said:
Yum yum! Nice selection. So many different hot chocolate flakes!

As these just arrived in the post and I've emailed about my son and I doing a chocolate workshop at the place I posted above I may save your link for post Christmas blues 😆

View attachment 107151
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We went into the shop when we were on holiday there earlier this year and brought a big mixed box back. We were very impressed, so I am about to order some for the festivities.
 
SandwichShortOfAPicnic said:
Joining forces with a corporation well versed in cost cutting that focuses on the margins never tends to end well.
Hopefully they’ll leave them alone to produce good chocolate and just help with distribution but historically where there’s more money to be made by swapping out ingredients it ends up happening.

Keep the existing CEO for approximately one year to ensure a smooth transition then the arguments start over cost cutting measures, the founders leave and it’s downhill from then on.

Might not happen. Hope it doesn’t. There are just so many examples of that I wouldn’t bet against it.
Click to expand...

They will lose some of their current customers when they find out Mars owns the brand, but they should gain a lot of new customers with the marketing and advertising budget that Mars has.

Anyway you slice it, this will be bad for cocoa farmers. They barely earn enough to feed their families, thanks to the big chocolate companies like Mars. Another small competitor swallowed by a big corporation will not help them.

CD
 
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