Fortnum & Mason has announced a major relaunch of the confectionery department within its Piccadilly flagship.
Throughout its history, Fortnum & Mason has been synonymous with extraordinary food, exceptional service, unforgettable experiences, and joy-giving gifts. Cocoa has been part of the Fortnum’s product offer for over 160 years, with the shop recognised as one of the original purveyors of drinking chocolate in the 1860s, and chocolate later made by hand at 181 Piccadilly.
Fast forward to today, Fortnum’s is still an innovator and authority in both delicious and unexpected confectionery, last year bringing ‘the fourth type of chocolate’ Ruby Chocolate to the UK for the first time.
With more than 500 different varieties of chocolate in one place, the new Fortnum’s confectionery wonderland is the ultimate destination for chocolate lovers. Visitors will encounter innovative and artisanal delights from around the world – a celebration of Fortnum’s rich history of exploration and discovery – along with classic Fortnum’s flavours such as Rose & Violet, Kent Honey, and Royal Blend. With a higher percentage of cocoa used throughout, many of Fortnum’s chocolates are still made to time-honoured, traditional techniques and recipes.
“This is the most extraordinary, joy-giving chocolate destination in all of London,” says Sophie Young, Confectionery Buyer at Fortnum & Mason. “We’re very excited that customers can finally see the new department for themselves and try some of our ground-breaking and exceptional chocolate and confectionery – a constant source of pride for everyone at Fortnum’s.”
Designed with the pursuit of pleasure in mind – the department is playful, sensory and immersive, from aroma jars and daily tastings to a live chocolatier station and even hot chocolate on tap.
Here are more mouth-watering highlights of what’s fresh and exciting at Fortnum’s new confectionery department…
Loose Chocolate
Designed as a sweeping, sweet-filled amphitheatre, Fortnum’s loose chocolate counter is the one-stop-shop in London to discover hundreds of different varieties under one roof. The 300-strong assortment includes 150 brand new chocolates, and a deliciously long list of truffles, caramels, chocolate bark, dragees, marzipan, pralines and ganache. Fortnum’s signature truffles come in over 40 innovative flavours including Dusted Royal Blend Tea, Knickerbocker Glory (a homage to the iconic Fortnum’s dessert) and a Ruby Chocolate Kent Orchard Honey truffle. There’re specialities from further afield too, such as the finest Italian Giandotti & Cremino, hand-dipped candied citrus peel from Corsica, and hand-piped chocolate cornets from Belgium.
All new varieties of chocolate are palm oil-free, and no added sugar, vegan-suitable and alcohol-free varieties are available. Even better, customers can hand-select from the counter to create a bespoke gift in the form of the Ultimate Chocolate Box.
Hot Chocolate
Available in callet form and suitable for both drinking and cooking, five new single origin hot chocolates – each one roasted, winnowed and conched in England – are set to be the latest foodie trend. Meanwhile customers purchasing the Ultimate Hot Chocolate selection are encouraged to bring their empty caddies of dark and milk hot chocolate back to Piccadilly where they can pay to have them refilled from the hot chocolate station.
Caramels, Pralines and Ganache
A new selection of hand-decorated chocolate ganache, pralines and caramels make their debut. All made in England, caramels include curious flavours from around the world including Oud, Rose, and and Pomegranate and Hibiscus along with signatures such as Ling Heather Honey and Burlington Orange Marmalade; while pralines and ganaches are filled with the likes of Morello Cherry and Yuzo & Ancho Chilli. Packed like jewels into beautiful boxes, a selection of these caramels, pralines and ganaches are also available on fortnumandmason.com.
Not one to shy away from adventure and innovation, the retailer is also introducing an exclusive Heinz Baked Beanz flavoured chocolate, a nod to the Fortnum’s buyer who famously purchased all of Mr Heinz’s tinned goods back in 1886.
The Chocolate Library Short Story Competition
To mark the opening of the confectionery department, Fortnum’s is inviting customers to pen their very own original short stories based on one of the titles in its Chocolate Library, which have delighted, beguiled and indeed, bewildered many since their publication. The winner will receive a hamper and the entire Chocolate Library Collection containing 21 different ‘books’. Interested parties can visit The Journal on fortnumandmason.com to find out more.
“At Fortnum’s, we’re in the business of delivering a sense of pleasure. With all the boldness and creativity which has defined our brand, products and services for centuries, our vision for the new confectionery department encompasses a commitment to providing extraordinary experiences for our customers,” concludes Zia Zareem-Slade, Customer Experience Director at Fortnum & Mason.
Fortnum & Mason are celebrating the relaunch of the confectionary department with a series of Chocolate themed window displays.
