The London Chocolate Show: White Chocolate’s Comeback

Imagine London Fashion Week, but instead of the capital filling up with designer clothes and beautiful models, it plays host to the top confectionery brands and thousands of eager choconnoisseurs. This is the London Chocolate Show. With chefs, artists and over 50 brands taking part, it’s always an exciting event. This year it took place from 13-15 October in the Olympia National Hall and encompassed everything from cocoa powder to cakes.

The show is very important in the world of wholesale sweets as it lets us know the top trends in the industry. Here I am going to break down one of the most interesting and influential trends we saw at the 2017 London Chocolate Show – get excited!

The Renaissance of the White Bar

As anyone with an interest in wholesale sweets and chocolates will know, the industry typically looks down its nose at white chocolate. Though it is popular with many consumers, some argue that, as it contains no chocolate liquor or cocoa solids, it should not even be called chocolate. It is true that a white bar does not have the same flavour as true cocoa treats. However, chocolatiers seem to be more and more willing to give this variety another chance. They are happy to experiment with what the bar can offer and discover how its differences could be strengths.

This year we saw lots of chocolatiers choosing to use white chocolate as a base for some very interesting flavour combinations. White chocolate – with a little help from spices, teas, seeds, coffee beans, nuts and fruit – has got its mojo back!

Stand Out Moments

At the London Chocolate Show there are so many amazing brands it makes the mouth of a wholesale sweets fan like myself water just thinking about it! However, I have managed to select two of my favourite companies who are fully on board with white chocolate’s comeback. If you want to keep your store up to date with the latest innovations, then these are two excellent brands to reach for. They combine fashionable flavours with the kind of quality that is never out of style.

A fine example comes from Meybona’s white Collage Bars. For those wanting to experiment with the trend but are worried about losing flavour intensity, try their Pistachio and Coffee Bean bar. The bitterness of the coffee beans more than makes up for the lack of cocoa. This offering has an interesting texture, as does their Poppy Seeds and Cherries bar. This slightly unusual combination is a real treat and the more muted flavour of the white bar leaves room for the fruit and seeds to speak.

Daniel’s Delights offers some sophisticated flavour options and, best of all, they are generous with the toppings! Their Strawberry and Raspberry Pavlova is colourful and fun, but it is the Raspberry & Marc de Champagne number that is my favourite. These flavours blend well with the sweetness of the white bar. Ideal enjoyed with a real glass of bubbly in one hand and a chunk of chocolate in the other!

Angelina Moufftard works for hf Chocolates, established wholesale sweets suppliers with decades of experience supplying sweets and high-end chocolates to retailers across the UK. Working with the most dedicated suppliers from France, Spain, Germany, Holland, Belgium, the USA and the UK, hf Chocolates' great tasting and beautifully packaged products add panache to any sweet display.

Writer and Online Marketing Manager in London.