Innovative food retailer Eat 17 has launched its own chocolate range handmade in one of its stores.

The chocolate is made in front of customers in the Bishops Stortford store by resident chocolatier Jade Alterman.

The bars are thicker than average chocolate bars and are packed with flavour including Plain White, Plain Milk, Plain Dark, Neapolitan White, Lotus White, Dark Hazelnut Caramel, Salted Caramel Milk, Milk Honeycomb and Milk Banoffee.

Eat 17 have also partnered with Jackpot Peanut Butter to create a mouth-watering Milk Peanut Butter Chocolate Bar.

The Milk Honeycomb and Lotus White chocolate are already available for customers to buy in Eat 17 stores in Bishops Stortford, Hammersmith, Hackney and Walthamstow.

They come in two sizes. The small bar, weighing 45g retails at £2 with the larger, approximately 132g bars retailing from £4.

There are plans to wholesale the product and offer to independent retailers across the UK.

Co-founder of Eat 17, James Brundle said: “We’re delighted to launch our first range of chocolate. We wanted to create a bar full of flavour and by creating a larger bar, we’re able to pack it with all the flavour it deserves.

“We’ve started with traditional flavours and have invested time and Jade’s skill to make those flavours as punchy as we can.

“Jade is a talented chocolatier with lots of experience and is also very creative. We are looking to really rock the boat with our range.”
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James continued: “As retailers we are always striving to plug gaps in the market and we wanted to create something nobody else was doing.

“Being able to make it in front of customers is an added bonus and one they’re loving.

“Long-term the goal is to wholesale the chocolate range and offer to independent retailers across the UK.

” Our goal is to sell amazing chocolate at a reasonable price and offer customers something different – the same principles we carry in the rest of our business.”

The retailer is also donating a percentage of all profits to anti-slavery and Fairtrade charities.

James concluded: “The chocolate trade is well-known for exploitation, especially at a farming level.

“We wanted to make sure none of the chocolate we sell contributes to this and wanted to go further and help spread awareness and help combat the slavery happening within the chocolate industry.”

Eat 17 was founded in 2006 by James Brundle and Chris O’Connor. They have four stores across London and the South East offering an innovative mix of convenience retail and dining, along with Restaurant Eat 17 situated in Walthamstow.

It’s forged a partnership with AF Blakemore, owner of 300 Spar stores across the UK, which sees the grocery giant combine Spar branding with Eat17 to create a high-end convenience store.