After enjoying marked success with its distinctive drinking chocolate brand in the UK, Knoops has eyes US expansion with a debut store in Salt Lake City, Utah, reports Neill Barston.

The company has aimed to stand out from a crowded field with genuine flavour innovation, savvy marketing and in delivering an engaging premium proposition for consumers, has spotted a clear gap in American markets.

Moreover, the business, which has grown significantly since its foundation in 2013, stated thats US plans come as it also proposes to extend its hand-flaked ‘Knoops At Home’ retail channel with wholesale distribution via delicatessens, farm shops and premium grocery retailers within the region.

As the firm acknowledged, this will enable it access to thousands of outlets, and represents the next phase of its expansion plans, which also include online retailing such Ocado, Harrods, Selfridges and Whole Foods, alongside its 30 physical stores within the UK.

As for its Stateside ambitions, the company’s latest store is in Salt Lake City’s vibrant 9th & 9th district, with a second planned in the area for the latter part of this year. 

Founder of the business, chocolatier Jens Knoop, who established its first store in Rye, East Sussex, has been a strong supporter of our World Confectionery Conference, which moves to London on 10 September this year (registration for the event remains open via our dedicated website at the following link). 

As the company explains, one of its core points of distinction comes in having  amassed its very own chocolate library that  allows customers to personalise sustainably sourced chocolates across hot, iced, milkshake and frozen drinks – with the latter category enjoying a notable boom.

William Gordon-Harris, CEO of Knoops, asserted that the US expansion would hold significant potential for the business.

He remarked: “The opening of our first U.S. store is a hugely exciting milestone for Knoops and the next step in our international growth story. We’ve seen the strength of the brand’s appeal in the UK and through our UAE stores, and we believe there is a significant opportunity to introduce the Knoops experience to consumers across America.

“Salt Lake City was a very deliberate choice. It is a dynamic, fast-growing market with a strong appetite for innovative brands, and its consumer profile is particularly well aligned with the Knoops experience. We’re excited to build our presence and prove the store model in Utah and then take the brand into other store locations across the U.S. while building the retail channels.

“Wholesale distribution is a major step forward for our hand-flaked ‘Knoops At Home’ retail offering. With access to delicatessens, farm shops and premium grocery retailers across the UK, we can accelerate growth and meet the strong consumer demand we’re already seeing for ‘Knoops At Home’ across our sales channels,” adding that its expansion in terms of physical stores, products, and move into the US would mark a significant chapter in the overall development of the business.