LONDON (Alliance News) - Hotel Chocolat Group PLC on Monday said it has repaid GBP6.4 million of debt it received from customers after issuing "chocolate bonds".
In 2010 and 2014, subsidiary the Chocolate Tasting Club PLC issued bonds which paid a return in the form of either chocolate boxes or Hotel Chocolat gift cards.
The proceeds, the chocolatier said, went towards business investment in the UK as well as developing cocoa sustainability projects in St Lucia and Ghana.
Hotel Chocolat said given the company's growth since the bonds were issued, it believes it can now fund such ventures from its available cash.
Co-Founder & Chief Executive Angus Thirlwell said: "Thanks to the support of our amazing Chocolate Bond-holders, we were able to invest in ethical cocoa, British manufacturing, create hundreds of jobs and then repay them in full, as planned."
Shares were up 1.3 % at 379.00 pence on Monday.