Home demand pushes up sales for UK chocolate maker

Family-run Lincolnshire firm has announced it is experiencing significant double-digit sales growth, as businesses increasingly look to source products from home-grown producers rather than import from Europe or China.

The B2B company, which supplies well-known businesses and high street brands with chocolates, said sales are up by +68% versus the same period in 2020 and attributes growth partly to an increased uptake of its private label offering, which includes hot chocolate spoons and bombes.

Carol Oldbury, Director of Hames Chocolates, said: “Brexit has really shone a spotlight on all the fantastic produce made in this country, which means there has never been a better time for British manufacturers, like Hames Chocolates.​

“Our decision to invest across all areas of the business is another factor behind this growth. This included sourcing new equipment to increase efficiencies and the amount we can produce, which has opened up new revenue streams.​

“We have also recently ordered a new enrobing line and cooling tunnel, which allow us to grow our vegan chocolate production capacity. With sales of our vegan chocolate ranges growing by +155% compared to the previous year, we’re confident the new line will tap into the consumer trend for plant-based foods, such as chocolate."​

The company said it has a ‘strong pipeline well beyond spring next year’, and is setting its sights on further increasing chocolate production and packing capacity, with ambitions to be the UK’s first-choice private label partner.