Northern Ireland Chocolatier launches new luxury chocolate range
18th Jul 2023
A local family of chocolatiers who produce handmade, couture chocolate using Callebaut Belgium chocolate have expanded their exclusive product range to include liquor chocolate boxes suitable for the gifting market.
The range of luxury liquor, beer and cocktail flavoured chocolate bon bons are on show in Newtownabbey shopping centre where shoppers can purchase them from young entrepreneur Luke Hanna at his popular Deli Bean food kiosk.
Following specialist mentoring provided by the business advice team at Mallusk Enterprise Park entrepreneur Tania Ventura Menendez recently launched a business to business marketing strategy. The new product range of bon bon chocolate boxes, as well as flavoured mallows, is available for stockists across Northern Ireland to add to their shelf and coffee shop offerings.
Deli Bean, Abbey Centre were one of the first stockists of the luxury Lekkers NI chocolate bon bon range. On expanding their range to include luxury chocolate treats and gifts from Lekkers NI Luke Hanna, the young entrepreneur behind the Deli Bean food kiosk at Abbey Centre said:
‘We’re big fans of the Cocktail Bonbons! We are excited that customers can pick up Lekkers NI artisan chocolates in store at Deli Bean. Feedback to date has been that they are perfect for occasional gifting and we have some shoppers snapping them up as special pick-me-up treats for themselves to delve into too!.’
Celebrating achieving her first business to business partnership and stockist in such a high footfall area in Newtownabbey Tania added:
‘Lekkers NI are as pleased as punch to bring our high quality chocolate boxes to our retail partner Deli Bean in the Abbey Centre. We look forward to tantalising even more taste buds and offering a brand new range of gifting options to the shoppers of this local delicatessen.’
Mark Stewart, Manager of the busy Abbey shopping centre said: ‘We are delighted Deli Bean is now a retail partner with Lekkers NI. Abbey Centre boasts a strong mix of international, national and independent retailers, so the partnership is a perfect fit for our diverse retail line up and audience.’
Lekkers NI began in July 2022 – Tania, previously a social worker, lived in The Netherlands before returning to Northern Ireland to raise her son and be closer to family. The new female founded business is known for its large chocolate letters, numbers and symbols that became a popular choice for Christmas gifts with meaning as shoppers bought up each of the letters that made up names, nicknames and more.
The local entrepreneur has benefited from the support of social enterprise, Mallusk Enterprise Park who work to advance entrepreneurship locally and help local businesses and social enterprises to start up and grow.
Emma Garrett, CEO of Mallusk Enterprise Park, the local enterprise agency who provided fully funded mentoring expertise to Tania through the Women in Business NI ‘Yes You Can’ and the ‘OPTIMAL business growth’ programmes said: ‘We couldn’t be prouder of Tania’s achievements and the growth of Lekkers NI. This milestone marks an exciting chapter for Tania, as she successfully brings her luxurious chocolate letters to the business to business market’.
Find out more about Lekkers NI on Facebook, Instagram and on their website > LekkersNI.co.uk
Pictured: Tania Ventura Menendez, founder of Lekkers NI joins Luke Hanna the young entrepreneur behind the Deli Bean and Mark Stewart, Abbey Centre Manager to launch the new luxury range of liquor, beer and cocktail flavoured bon bons that shoppers can now find stocked in the popular county Antrim shopping centre.
