Prestat chocolates confirms parent group president Riccardo Illy receives Royal Warrant
pic: Shutterstock
UK premium chocolate brand Prestat has confirmed that Riccardo Illy, chairman of the Polo del Gusto sub-holding of the Illy Group, has been appointed with the confectionery company’s long-cherished Royal Warrant to serve Queen Elizabeth II, writes Neill Barston.
As Confectionery Production previously reported in an exclusive feature with the business, the Italian-headquartered firm acquired the British brand in March 2019, leading to the transfer of the warrant allowing it to serve Buckingham Palace.
Few companies are awarded the distinction, with Prestat first gaining the special status back in 1975 from the Queen, with a further such honour being bestowed by The Queen Mother in 1999, marking her centenary year (see our video with the business here).
Though the favourite chocolates of the Queen have never been revealed, it is public knowledge that she keenly awaits the delivery of an annual Easter chocolate gift from Prestat, in celebration of the firm’s association with the royal household.
As the company added, the Royal Warrant is a formal mark of recognition for those supplying goods or services to the Households of HM The Queen, HRH The Duke of Edinburgh or HRH The Prince of Wales. It is granted to a named individual, lasting for a period of five years, which can then be renewed.
This has successfully been the case, with Riccardo Illy (photo by Niccolo Caranti) in his capacity as a President of the Illy Group, as the parent business of Prestat, which has now formed a strong sourcing connection with the Italian Domori business, which is also part of the Illy Group.
As revealed previously, the company has continued to build upon its traditional truffle ranges, expanding its confectionery to include a seasonal range of mince pies, alongside its luxury chocolate series.
Under its new ownership, the business has also just revamped its company website for its UK range of confectionery, which includes its existing series of chocolate bars, mint thins and selection boxes.
Speaking to Confectionery Production, Andrea Macchione, CEO of Domori, said: “We are making a tremendous effort for innovation, not only in terms of constantly improving our quality standards but also in terms of new recipes. We are very pleased to announce that we are working on a new product, which will combine the prestige of a Prestat traditional recipe, the quality of Domori chocolate and the unique flavour of Illy coffee.”
