About Holdsworth Chocolates
It's March 1988. In the picturesque Derbyshire town of Bakewell, Barbara Holdsworth is taking a deep breath, rolling up her sleeves and starting work...
Our Story
“It’s been over 35 years since my Mum, Barbara started making chocolates from a small unit in our home town of Bakewell, driven by a passion for chocolate with a firm belief that a market existed for British handcrafted chocolates.
Barbara began to blend the best possible ingredients from around the world in order to realise her dream. Barbara developed unique recipes and improved them to exacting standards to create an exquisite range of world-class chocolates.
In time, the chocolates gained a growing reputation and Holdsworth Chocolates became one of ‘the’ chocolate experiences.”
Holdsworth Chocolates was born.
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June 2006
By now people could find Holdsworth Chocolates in many of Britain’s most prestigious department stores and food halls including John Lewis, Harrods, Selfridges, Lewis & Cooper and Chatsworth House.
Having created Holdsworth Chocolates and worked hard for almost 20 years to build a quality premium brand, it was time for Mum to relax and take a back seat, the first chapter of our story was written, and the next chapter was about to begin…
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March 2014
Demand for Holdsworth’s authentic handmade British chocolates in their beautiful boxes increased strongly and Holdsworth Chocolates was gaining a greater appreciation locally and throughout the UK.
At this time, we started exporting around the world and to manage this growth, Holdsworth moved to a new purpose built facility in Bakewell in the heart of the Peak District National Park.
The extra space means that our team of fantastic chocolatiers can grow too, and it’s extremely rewarding for us to be able to employ and train more local people.
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Today
Our making process has changed very little and although Barbara retired years ago, her spirit and passion for creating beautiful hand crafted chocolates, using the best of everything, still runs through the heart of everything we do.
What we have changed is our commitment to the environment and are proud to use renewable energy throughout our factory, ensured all our packaging is recyclable, sourcing local ingredients where suitable, introduced a plant-based range which supports ‘The Bumblebee Conservation Trust’ and now use Casa Luker Sustainable chocolate in all our delicious chocolate centres.
The Making of Our Chocolate
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The Taste
We use only the finest ingredients, which are carefully selected for their quality and taste. Sourced both locally and from around the world, to create a collection of chocolates, that deliver sensational flavours and textures. We are always working hard to find the best quality ingredients. This has led to great reviews across multiple platforms. We take reviews seriously as they provide excellent feedback and insights into what is in demand. Reviews also provide vital details on trendy flavours or what is important to our customers. -
Hand Finished & Hand Packed
Our production team are always working hard to create stunning finishes on all of our chocolates. Each chocolate has its own intricate hand finished design, creating a collection of beautiful gift confectionery. Our dedicated packing team then carefully hand-pick and pack our collections into recyclable designer boxes. Delivering the authentic handmade British chocolate experience to customers around the country and increasingly, the world. -
The Experience
Ultimately, the passion to make and deliver a wonderful experience in the form of Chocolate is what continues to drive the Holdsworth team. Spreading happiness with gifts and treats is the heartbeat of everything we do, hopefully you will enjoy these beautiful chocolates. Thank you for reading our story of how Holdsworth Chocolates was born.
