Hotel Chocolat Group PLC - Royston, Hertfordshire-based chocolatier - Says revenue for 8 weeks to April 25 is up 60% year-on-year, and up 19% compared to the period in 2019. Revenue growth is driven by digital and subscription products, it says. Hotel Chocolat expects trading for the full year ending June 27 to be "significantly ahead of expectations".
The AIM-listed chain announces it will repay the GBP3.1 million of Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme funding in 2021.
Co-founder and Chief Executive Angus Thirlwell says: "In the past year, we have added over one million customers to our database, an increase of 47%. Our strong Easter is entirely thanks to them.
"It feels great to have our physical locations back open again and we have a strong pipeline of exciting new products to launch over the summer. I'm pleased we are able to look forward to further growth and significant investment this year with strong job creation, particularly in our UK chocolate making and supply teams."
Hotel Chocolat current stock price: 380.00 pence, up 8.6% on Monday
Year-to-date change: down 10%
By Will Paige; willpaige@alliancenews.com
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