Luxury Chocolate Shop Rococo Acquired by Gordon Ramsay-Loved Brand
A prestigious luxury chocolate shop that recently collapsed into administration has now been successfully acquired by Artisan du Chocolat, a renowned premium chocolate brand that famously counts celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay as its very first customer. The acquisition marks a significant new chapter for the beloved chocolate retailer.
Administration and Acquisition Details
According to official records published in The Gazette, Rococo Chocolates appointed administrators Alessandro Sidoli and Jessica Barker of Xeinadin Corporate Recovery Limited to oversee the process. The brand, which had been trading for more than four decades, was originally established in 1983 by founder Chantal Coady OBE on the iconic King's Road in Chelsea, London.
In a statement regarding the acquisition, the brand expressed enthusiasm about joining the Artisan du Chocolat family. "Rococo Chocolates has been acquired by Artisan du Chocolat, and we are thrilled to be joining their family of premium British chocolate makers. The spirit, the craft, and the imagination that define Rococo aren't going anywhere," the statement read.
The announcement also provided an update on retail operations, confirming that while the original King's Road shop has now closed, the Marylebone store remains fully open and operational to serve all customer chocolate needs.
Broader Business Context
This chocolate industry development follows recent news about BrewDog, the well-known Scottish brewery, which has launched a formal sale process after reporting five consecutive years of financial losses. The company has appointed restructuring specialists AlixPartners to manage what they describe as a "structured and competitive" sale process.
Reports indicate that potential bidders are already being assessed, with deadlines set for initial offers. This comes after BrewDog's January announcement that they will cease spirits production at their Aberdeenshire distillery, affecting brands including Lonewolf Gin and Abstrakt Vodka, though they will continue selling their cocktail line.
The brewery described this as a "difficult" decision and has not yet disclosed what impact these changes might have on employment within the organization.
