Marasu’s Petit Fours: Major UK chocolate maker which supplied likes of Selfridges and Harrods collapses into administration after 40 years
A prestigious UK chocolate brand has announced it is officially going into administration.
The move comes after the luxury chocolatier’s parent company closed its iconic Picadilly store last week. Marasu’s Petit Fours was founded in 1987 by patissiers Rolf Kern and Gabi Kohler, and went on to be acquired by the Prestat Group in 2006.
It has since established itself as London’s largest producer of premium chocolates, supplying Prestat, Selfridges, Harrods, Fortnum & Mason, and Pret a Manger. However, Marasu’s officially appointed administrators on February 6, confirming the news on February 17.
Prestat held two Royal Warrants and was even named as one of the top three chocolate shops in the world.
Alessandro Sidoli and Jessica Barker of Xeinadin Corporate Recovery Limited have been named as joint administrators. A pre-pack administration deal will see parent company Prestat sold to L’Artisan du Chocolat, which is owned by Polus Capital Management.
This agreement was reached before administrators were formally appointed and is expected to see Prestat continue as an online-only brand. These developments come after the chocolate industry struggled with global cocoa prices surging to record highs in 2024 as cocoa crops were hit by disease and extreme weather.