Hotel Chocolat launches new collection

The firm said the range is made with some of the most sought-after cocoa in the world and each ​bar is ​priced at £3.85 or £3.15 if you buy three or more​.

The “more cocoa, less sugar” collection ​ranges​ from milk and dark chocolate to ​a ​vegan and sugar-free option.

The range includes a creamy 45 per cent cocoa solids milk bar to a 100 per cent dark chocolate, with “alluring notes of leather and smoke”.

​Hotel Chocolat CEO and co-founder Angus Thirlwell said: “Our blueprint for sustainable cocoa growing teamed with cutting-edge British design and chocolate know-how has enabled us to submerge guests into our world of cocoa.

“Our new collection bridges the vast disconnect between raw agriculture and fine chocolate, marrying our expertise in both to make some of the world’s best cocoa beans into chocolate that can be enjoyed every day.

“Not only is the cocoa butter, milk and sugar in our new range all organic, we have used sugar as sparingly as possible. Cocoa will always be our number-one ingredient, even in milk and white chocolate. Most of the world’s solid ‘chocolate’ is laden with sugar. Flip it over and check the ingredients.”

​He said that in order to grow some of the planet’s best cocoa, farmers need to be paid a fair price for their crops.

​“​So it made sense, as cocoa growers ourselves, to cut out the middle men and forge direct relationships​ ​with farmers. We’ll strive to do this forever, and pass the benefits on to our customers. We call it our​ ​Chocolate Democracy,” he said.

​He added that m​uch like wine, good chocolate reflects the flavours of the region where the cocoa beans are grown, and how​ ​they are dried and fermented.

T​he Rare & Vintage collection uses cocoa beans from six distinct cocoa-growing regions – Colombia, Ecuador, Ghana, Honduras, Vietnam​ ​and Saint Lucia​.

T​he range includes the 65​ per cent​ Buffalo Milk, made using beans from ​Hotel Chocolat’s​ Saint Lucian cocoa​ ​estate​ paired with buffalo milk ​from Hampshire​.

Instead of using the traditional square, each slab is snappable into slim shards.