Chilled choc drinks and cocoa beers help Hotel Chocolat beat the heatwave

SALES of chilled drinks, fridge- friendly chocolate and ice cream have been booming at Hotel Chocolat thanks to last month’s heatwave.

The firm toasted double-digit revenue growth yesterday as it celebrated opening 15 new stores in the UK. In a trading update for the year to July 1, it said sales rose 12pc to £116m.

Profit was about £12.8m, in line with predictions.

New Chilled Chocolat drinks, Chocs To Chill chocolates, Ice Cream Of The Gods and cocoa beers were particularly popular. And so-called chocolate lock-ins at its stores were also pulling customers in.

The 45- minute sessions, which cost £10 to attend, offer guests a glass of prosecco and then five chocolates to taste, sometimes with a pairing of wine or cocoa-flavoured gin. Angus Thirlwell, co-founder and chief executive of the company, said: ‘Hotel Chocolat has had another strong year.

‘While there has been considerable media coverage of retail, we are encouraged by the performance of new and existing locations. Customers are continuing to respond well to our luxury brand and lifestyle propositions.’

Shares yesterday rose 1.2pc, or 4p, to 350p.