Luxury chocolatier Hotel Chocolat plan for Halifax store

​Co-founder and chief executive Angus Thirlwell said​ the group will open a second site in York at the McArthurGlen York Designer Outlet over the coming months.

It is also hoping to sign deals to open new stores in Huddersfield and Halifax and hopes to announce these when it reports half year results on February 22.

There are plans for a fourth Yorkshire opening, but the location is being kept under wraps for now.

“We are keen to expand in Yorkshire based on the very strong performance we’ve seen in our Yorkshire stores,” said Mr Thirlwell.

“We are honing in on two sites in Huddersfield, which has a real buzz about it, and Halifax, which is a great town.

“We are looking at other sites in Yorkshire. Our Leeds store performed really well over Christmas.”

Mr Thirlwell said that Yorkshire people appreciate authenticity and are prepared to pay for it.

“Consumers are stepping away from things that have no substance – vacuous products with more style than substance,” he said.

“We are really authentic with our ingredients – more cocoa and less sugar.

“One thing we have always really admired about Yorkshire is that people know what value is and are prepared to pay for it.”

Hotel Chocolat said revenue rose 15 per cent in the 13 weeks to December 31. The group opened 10 new stores during the six months to the end of December and now has 100 stores in the UK.

Like-for-like sales, including digital, wholesale and ongoing stores, rose an impressive 9 per cent at a time when other food producers are struggling to maintain sales.

Mr Thirlwell said that festive best sellers included advent calendars, particularly the £68 Grand Advent, which contained 50ml bottles of salted caramel vodka and cocoa gin, truffles, pralines, chocolate wreaths, chocolate Santas and a luxury hot chocolate mix.

The group has also started selling beauty products made from cocoa butter​, including moisturisers and shower gels.