Hotel Chocolat revolutionised the hot chocolate world with the release of their iconic Velvetiser. The best-selling machine was the first of its kind to bring the decadence of real chocolate into each cup, redefining the hot chocolate experience.
To bring this vision to life, Hotel Chocolat required bespoke machinery and tailored approach to produce the chocolate flakes needed for the Velvetiser.
A collaboration with Premier Forrester produced this game-changing solution.
The unique project culminated in a sophisticated mixing system that not only streamlined production for the major chocolate maker but also elevated the Velvetiser to one of Hotel Chocolat’s best-selling products.
What were the Challenges?
Hotel Chocolat’s initial attempts at flaking chocolate for the Velvetiser faced several bottlenecks.
The first approach involved flaking large chocolate blocks using an industrial cheese grater – a manual and slow process that limited flavour options and consumed significant production capacity.
For the second iteration, they trialled an automated system that grated chocolates in bulk using an industrial vegetable grater. Although automated, this approach continued to strain production capacity, introducing volume and speed constraints.
In search of a solution, Hotel Chocolat identified a machine from Itco capable of producing the required chocolate flakes. Although they made good progress, they still faced a crucial gap: a continuous mixing system that could supply the machine consistently and in the required volume without impacting existing production.
What was the Solution?
This is where Premier Forrester stepped in. Drawing from a background in ice-cream production, Premier Forrester’s Director, Mike Gee supplied Hotel Chocolat with a state-of-the-art, high-shear vacuum mixer to serve as the system’s core.
Typically used in ice cream and mayonnaise production, the mixer enabled the seamless mixing of Hotel Chocolat’s proprietary powders into the melted chocolate – a challenging feat to achieve.
This mixing system was accompanied by a fully automated recipe control management system capable of managing multiple chocolate streams.
What were the Results?
The £1.3 million project has become instrumental to Hotel Chocolat’s success, cementing the Velvetiser as a customer favourite.
Here are some of the key results:
- Production Volume: The output scaled from 10 kilograms per hour to a remarkable 600 kilograms per hour – a substantial leap in productivity.
- Efficient Installation: From initial inquiry to implementation, Premier Forrester and Hotel Chocolat successfully launched the new system within a year.
- Labour Efficiency: The new system reduced the number of required operators from 5 to 10 to just one.
This successful collaboration highlights Premier Forrester’s expertise in bespoke process engineering, offering solutions designed to meet complex production demands while boosting efficiency, scalability, and quality.
To learn more about how we worked with Hotel Chocolat or to discuss your own chocolate making needs, contact us today.
