Welsh Chocolate Firm Epicurean Chocolatiers Wins Global Award 2026

Key Points

• Epicurean Chocolatiers, a luxury Welsh chocolate company created by bakers Robin and Rosie Evans, has received the Emerging Enterprise of the Year title at the World Confectionery Awards.
• The husband and wife have created the firm in September 2025 in response to increasing needs for artisan chocolates.
• The prize has been awarded during the World Confectionery Conference in London on Thursday, 10 September 2026.
• Robin and Rosie are running the enterprise out of their workshop located in Bala, North Wales.
• The company started as a kitchen table firm and now provides its products to consumers and luxury hospitality businesses across the UK.
• The judges were impressed by the sustainable approach to sourcing of the company and its strict policy of local sourcing.
• Epicurean Chocolatiers sources Welsh ingredients such as Halen Môn sea salt, local honey, Welsh whisky and sparkling wine.
• In addition, the firm produces jams, marmalades, spreads and Welsh honeycomb.
• Moreover, Epicurean Chocolatiers is among the finalists of the Made in Wales Awards and the Great British Food Awards.
• According to the Confectionery Production, Robin and Rosie are now preparing to expand the firm.

Wales (Wales Times) September 2026 — A premium chocolate business founded by two trained pastry chefs in Bala, North Wales, has been named Emerging Enterprise of the Year at the World Confectionery Awards, just one year after its launch. Epicurean Chocolatiers, run by husband-and-wife team Robin and Rosie Evans, received the honour at the World Confectionery Conference in London on 10 September 2026.

As reported by Rhys Gregory of Wales247, Robin and Rosie Evans founded Epicurean Chocolatiers in September 2025 in response to growing demand for premium artisan chocolates. The company was established to create handcrafted chocolates using what the business describes as the finest ingredients, and has since developed from a kitchen-table start-up into a luxury artisan brand.

The award recognises businesses that are under five years old and making progress in the confectionery sector. The World Confectionery Awards have been running for more than five years.

How did Epicurean Chocolatiers begin?

Robin and Rosie Evans launched the business from their workshop in Bala after moving from pastry work into chocolate production. As reported by Confectionery Production journalist Neill Barston, both are trained pastry chefs and have established a thriving confectionery business supplying within its local region, while preparing plans to expand.

Robin Evans grew up in Neston, Cheshire, and has worked at well-known hospitality establishments including The Ritz, Brown’s Hotel, Hélène Darroze at The Connaught and the Chester Grosvenor Hotel. Rosie Evans, from Llanidloes in mid-Wales, has specialist chocolate and pastry skills.

The company describes its approach as combining Welsh provenance with premium chocolate-making. Its collections include Halen Môn sea salt, local honey, Welsh whisky and sparkling wine, alongside chocolate and flavourings sourced from further afield.

What did the judges say about the Welsh chocolatiers?

Judges praised Robin and Rosie Evans for their commitment to sustainable sourcing and their clear policy of local sourcing. The recognition places the Bala-based business among emerging confectionery companies judged to be showing strong potential in the sector.

In an article published on 14 September 2026, Confectionery Production reported that Epicurean Chocolatiers was named Emerging Enterprise of the Year. The publication also noted that the business supplies locally and is working on plans to scale up.

As reported by Neill Barston of Confectionery Production, the magazine’s editor said the World Confectionery Awards were created to celebrate success at all levels of the industry. He described Robin and Rosie Evans as “a prime example of a young couple who are really passionate about their work”.

What did Robin and Rosie Evans say after winning?

Robin Evans said he and his wife were delighted to receive the award. “Rosie and I are absolutely delighted to receive such a prestigious award as this,” he said, as quoted by Wales247.

He added that winning accolades, while unexpected, made the work involved in building a business while raising a young family worthwhile.

The couple have not only developed chocolates and pralines. They have also introduced a range of jams, marmalades, spreads and Welsh honeycomb, broadening the business beyond its original chocolate offering.

Where was the award presented?

The award was presented at the World Confectionery Conference, held in London on Thursday, 10 September 2026. The event brought together businesses from across the confectionery value chain, including finished-product makers, equipment suppliers and ingredients companies.

Confectionery Production reported that this year’s conference focused on sustainability, innovation and business resilience, recognising achievements from the previous 12 months.

Epicurean Chocolatiers was one of several winners celebrated at the event. Other honours included awards for finished products, equipment, ingredients, sustainability initiatives and team performance across the international confectionery sector.

What recognition has the Welsh business received?

Alongside the World Confectionery Award, Epicurean Chocolatiers has been named a finalist in the Made in Wales Awards and the Great British Food Awards.

The award comes at an early stage in the company’s development. The business was launched in September 2025 and received national industry recognition in September 2026, within its first year of trading.

The company’s growth reflects a wider pattern of small Welsh food and drink producers gaining recognition through awards. However, Epicurean Chocolatiers’ win is specifically in an international confectionery industry competition, rather than a regional food award.

What makes the Bala chocolate company different?

The business positions itself around handmade production, premium ingredients and Welsh sourcing. Its products combine local Welsh ingredients with chocolate and flavourings, creating what Wales247 described as a distinctive brand identity for customers seeking authentic premium products.

The company’s range now includes chocolates, pralines, jams, marmalades, spreads and Welsh honeycomb. This expansion suggests that the business has developed beyond a single product category during its first year.

Confectionery Production reported that the company is “busy devising plans to scale-up their business”, indicating that the founders are considering further growth following the award.

Background of the development

The World Confectionery Awards form part of the World Confectionery Conference, an industry event organised by Confectionery Production. The awards recognise achievement across several areas of the sector, including finished products, machinery, ingredients, sustainability and emerging businesses.

The Emerging Enterprise of the Year category is intended for companies under five years old that are establishing themselves in the confectionery industry. Epicurean Chocolatiers won the category, while British company Win-Win, which has developed a cocoa-alternative chocolate series, received a highly commended recognition.

Robin and Rosie Evans founded their business in September 2025. Their move from pastry backgrounds into chocolate production has been central to the company’s development, with the couple combining professional hospitality experience, specialist chocolate skills and Welsh-sourced ingredients.

Prediction: What could the award mean for Welsh food businesses?

For Welsh artisan food producers, the award could increase attention on Bala and the surrounding region as a location for premium food manufacturing. Epicurean Chocolatiers may attract more enquiries from retailers, hospitality businesses and customers looking for Welsh-made luxury products.

For Robin and Rosie Evans, the recognition could support their reported plans to scale up. Industry recognition often helps young businesses demonstrate credibility to potential stockists, suppliers and hospitality partners, particularly when it comes from an established trade publication such as Confectionery Production.

For the wider Welsh food sector, the win may reinforce the value of local sourcing and provenance-led branding. The company’s use of Welsh honey, sea salt, whisky and sparkling wine shows how regional ingredients can be incorporated into premium products aimed at both UK consumers and luxury hospitality venues.