Wow - we are so thrilled it's another Gold Award from the fabulous Taste of the West judges, this time for Specialist Retailer!
This award included a visit from the judge to The Beanery Café & Chocolate Shop and as luck would have it, Sam & I were taking our first holiday whilst keeping the business open!! Nothing for us to worry about though as our amazing team did a fantastic job, and shared their knowledge and passion for all things Hollychocs with the judge.
Here are just a few of the amazing comments:
Holly is committed to sourcing locally, using local suppliers for locally made and non-locally made products e.g. dairy, fresh strawberries, coffee (Dusty Ape) and tea (Tea inc)
The staff were extremely knowledgeable. Although it is obvious that the cocoa is not local, they told me passionately about the support that they give to their cocoa suppliers. They know the farmers by name and Holly’s investment in Lucy’s in the Solomon Islands has meant that she is able to send her two children to university.
The chocolates are beautifully packaged, a feast for the eyes, glossy and beautifully decorated, with a wide variety of tempting and imaginative flavours. There is a variety of textures: soft, chewy, and crunchy and allergens are clearly labelled on the insert. There really is something for everyone and the chocolates are an absolute delight to eat.
On entering the café, I was greeted with a warm and friendly smile. The member of staff was extremely knowledgeable and passionate about all areas of sourcing. She also told me about the products in the café, the chocolate making classes, and a little more about the move from the shop to the café. The service was very friendly, and they were happy to help place the chocolates that contained nuts so that they were easy to locate in the box.
The café was immaculate, inside and out. The staff were well presented – faultless. The café is clean, modern, and attractive. Outside they are dog friendly and provide blankets for their customers. There is seating outside and lovely flowers.
It’s a fun and naughty treat atmosphere with an English tea party ambiance. The chocolates are a luxury product and I believe that the price is fair and reflective of the high-quality product.
In summary, Hollychocs are a luxury high quality product made with locally sourced ingredients where available. The café is a delight, and it is a joy to see this based in the West Country and it is great to see that she has expanded the retail business into a café. I would recommend she enters The Beanery Café in the café' awards category!
Thank you Taste of the West - we are thrilled!!
Holly