Hotel Chocolat to create 250 jobs this year following strong trading

Hotel Chocolat Group, has published a post-close trading update for the 52 weeks ended 27 June 2021.

The group said full year revenue for the last financial year was £165 million, which is an increase of 21 per cent compared to the previous year.

The statement added: "Since the previous trading update in May, group trading has remained strong. With all channels open, group sales for the 10 weeks from 19 April 2021 to 27 June 2021 grew 34 per cent compared to the same period in 2019, and 63 per cent compared to the same period in 2020 when all physical locations were closed.

"Having grown the UK customer database by 66 per cent to three million in the 18 months since December 2019, digital and subscription sales are now a substantially larger proportion of the group's total revenue and have remained so after full store channel reopening. Increases in visits, conversion, and average order value have combined to substantially increase customer lifetime value (LTV)."

In the US product sales increased by 62 per cent on the prior year with over 75 per cent of sales achieved directly through the group's US website.

The statement added: "The group remains well capitalised with cash on hand and access to a £25m 'CLBILS' Revolving Credit Facility with Lloyds Bank, that expires December 2021. To date, the Group has made no drawings against the facility."