// Hotel Chocolat group revenue rises 11% over the 26 weeks to December 27
// Trading since December remains in line with management expectations
// Over 13 weeks to December 27, sales climbed 19%
Hotel Chocolat has recorded a strong trading period during Christmas after bolstering its online channels to prevent Covid-19 disruption.
The confectionary retailer posted a group revenue rise of 11 per cent over the 26 weeks to December 27.
Over 13 weeks to December 27, sales climbed 19 per cent.
READ MORE: Hotel Chocolat swings to a £6.5m loss & strikes US deal with The Hut Group
Across the UK, Hotel Chocolat switched its focus to digital and the retailer said that ”online growth more than offset the impact of the temporary closures of physical retail due to Covid restrictions”.
Trading since December remains in line with management expectations, ”despite materially higher investments in the acceleration of our digital and international growth plan, and ongoing pandemic-related response costs”.
”The strength of the brand and our ability to flex our multichannel model meant that despite the challenging environment every business and every family has faced, we were able to keep on delivering chocolat happiness, launch new products and deliver strong sales growth,” Hotel Chocolat co-founder and chief executive Angus Thirlwell said.
“The growth momentum stepped up in Japan and the USA, and we have seen that it’s underpinned by what the Hotel Chocolat brand brings that is differentiated and exciting to these mega markets.
“Encouragingly, we have also made significant progress in the period in building an operational platform for future growth.
“We accelerated several of our digital growth initiatives over the last year and can clearly see the huge potential ahead.
“Whilst there is still further near-term pandemic-related uncertainty, and ongoing increased costs in reacting to it, I am increasingly confident that in the medium-term we can deliver significant further growth in the UK, USA and Japan.
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