Butlers Chocolates

Infobox Company
company_name = Butlers Chocolates
company_
company_type = Private
company_slogan = "Purveyors of Happiness."
foundation = 1932 [ [http://www.butlerschocolates.com/pages/About-Us/Time-Line.htm] . URL last accessed 2008-10-07.]
location = flagicon|Ireland, Dublin, Ireland
key_people = Ms Bailey Butler, founder; Seamus Sorensen. [ [http://www.butlerschocolates.com/pages/About-Us/Time-Line.htm] . URL last accessed 2008-10-07.]
industry = Chocolate, Ice Cream and candy manufacturer
homepage = [http://www.butlerschocolates.com/ butlerschocolates.com]

Butlers Chocolates is an Irish owned manufacturer of luxury chocolate and chocolate products. Founded by Ms. Bailey-Butler in 1932, it has been owned by the Sorensen family since 1959. Butlers Chocolates is an Irish chocolate producer and operates from a custom built production facility in North Dublin. It produces a wide range of confectionery products including chocolate assortments, truffles, fudge, toffee, chocolate bars and seasonal novelties. The company has also created a chain of Butlers Chocolate Cafes.

History

Butler's Chocolate was founded in 1932 by Mrs Bailey Butler. Based in Dublin's Lad Lane, Mrs. Bailey-Butler developed a range of handmade chocolates.

In 1959 the company was purchased by Mr. Seamus Sorensen and in 1984 the Butlers Irish Chocolates brand was born. It was named in memory of Ms Marion Bailey Butler.

Five years later, in 1989 Butlers Chocolates first retail outlet opened in Grafton Street in the heart of Dublin City Centre. Since then retail outlets have opened up all over Ireland. Butler's have also expanded into the U.K market and their chocolates are now widely available in most major airports throughout the UK and at Waitrose stores.

In 1998 www.butlerschocolates.com went live, enabling them to reach customers around the globe. And in that same year, Butlers Chocolate Café opened on Dublin's Wicklow Street. To date fourteen Butlers Chocolate Cafés have opened, including 2 franchises in New Zealand.

In 2003 Butlers Chocolates relocated to Clonshaugh, Dublin 17 and in the same year were awarded the Brand Marketing Award from Bord Bia in the Irish Food and Drink Industry Awards.

From 2006 to the present day Butler's have developed new products, launching their first organic chocolate range, dark chocolate selection, 200g Chocolate cube range, Butlers Chocolate Café ice cream as well as Take Home Ice Cream amongst others. Also in collaboration, Butlers Chocolates launched a range of chocolates with Irish Fashion designer, Orla Kiely.

Butler Chocolates, now 75 years old, is still based in Dublin and Mrs Bailey-Butler's original recipes and chocolate making techniques have been handed down to the present generation.

Butlers Chocolate Cafes

Butlers opened their first café in Dublin in 1998 and since then, they have opened a further 14 Butlers Chocolate Cafés - in Dublin, Cork, Galway and New Zealand.

Butler's do not plan to franchise in Ireland, however their expansion plans internationally will be by means of the franchise model.

Awards

"Shopfitting & Display Industry Awards 2008"
*Best Specialist Outlet/Shop Project - 1st Place Bronze Award
*Innovation in Skills - 3rd Place Bronze Award"Great Taste Awards"
*Since 2000 19 awards"FBD Crest Awards"
*Butlers Chocolate Café, Cork - FBD Crest Best Small Store Southern Region 2007
*Butlers Chocolate Café, Dublin Airport& Wicklow Street- The Crest mark of excellence in retailing in 2002 and 2001 respectively
*Butlers Chocolate Café, Dublin Airport - Runner up The Crest Leinster Retailer of the Year 2002.
*Butlers Chocolate Café, Henry Street - Retail East Small Store Category in 2004 and 2005."Bord Bia Brand Food & Drink Awards"
*Brand Marketing Award 2003"Checkout Ireland Packaging Excellence Awards"
*Gold Medal"Frontier Awards"
* Best Partnership initiative 2002 – Highly Commended
* Star Product Short list 2001 - Butlers Famous Irish Truffles, were short listed "Golden Rose Award"
*Best Dublin City Shop Front - Butlers Chocolate Café, Wicklow Street

References

[http://www.butlerschocolates.com/pages/About-Us/Time-Line.htm History Information on official website] [http://www.butlerschocolates.com/pages/About-Us/Awards.htm List of Awards received on official website]

External links

* [http://www.butlerschocolates.com Official Butlers Chocolates site]