Sweet deal for Hull’s Fruit Market as chocolatier moves in

AN ARTISAN chocolatier is set to bring his handcrafted range of fine chocolates and luxury Italian gelato to the heart of Hull’s Fruit Market next month.

Following a successful pop-up shop at Hull’s Freedom Festival where locals first sampled his chocolate creations, trained chef Jon Collins has decided to launch his independent business in Hull’s cultural and creative quarter.

Chef-turned-chocolatier Mr Collins first developed a loyal following after running Thomas Francis Chocolatier in Hull’s Princes Avenue.

Having since rebranded as Cocoa Chocolatier and Patisserie, the Hull-born chocolatier set up a stall in Trinity Indoor Market and soon made his mark with his artisan chocolates, classic favourites and traditional desserts with unusual twists.

Mr Collins said: “All our chocolates are handmade and we try and produce things you just can’t find anywhere else. Our more unusual chocolates are our best sellers, things like raspberry & beetroot and basil, cherry & sage.

“We try to make flavours work within the chocolates, for example I know that basil works very well with dark chocolate, but if you have the two together it can be quite bitter so we make it with a white chocolate centre.”

Cocoa Chocolatier and Patisserie will also have salted caramel, simple white chocolate & apple and strawberry & black pepper handcrafted chocolates on offer at their shop.

It was these unique and exotic flavour combinations which saw Mr Collins hailed as one of “five young chocolatiers challenging perceptions” by the Independent. 

These unique flavours aren’t the only thing on the menu at the new shop as from January the business will be offering chocolate-making courses, tasting sessions and seasonal events.

The 1,100 sq ft premises will have the main production kitchen and work benches for classes and workshops on the first floor, while the ground floor shop will accommodate a pavement seating area for customers and for hosting special summer events.

Mr Collins added: “It feels like a natural progression to establish ourselves on Humber Street. We are really excited about the regeneration of the Fruit Market and feel as though it reflects our own values of being unique, creative and artisan, making us the perfect fit.

“I think people are looking more towards specialists, who just do one thing, so if they want chocolate they’ll hopefully come to me,” he added.