Chocolate administration sees Marasu's Petit Fours shift to online-only after flagship closure
Marasu's Petit Fours, a long-established name in British artisan chocolate, has entered administration and will reposition as an online-only business following the closure of its flagship Piccadilly shop. Administrators were appointed on February 6 ET, with the company confirming the situation on February 17 ET.
What led to the chocolate administration
The move into administration follows the recent shutdown of the parent company’s high-profile Piccadilly store, a loss that appears to have accelerated an already difficult trading period for the chocolatier. Management has enacted a pre-arranged sale plan that will keep the brand alive but remove its physical retail presence on the capital’s retail streets.
Founded in 1987 by patissiers Rolf Kern and Gabi Kohler, the business built a reputation for handcrafted chocolates and petit fours over nearly four decades. The chocolatier’s profile rose further after being acquired by a historic confectionery group in 2006, an owner known for its royal connections and earlier global rankings among premium chocolate retailers.
Scale, clients and consequences for the supply chain
Marasu's operates a production facility in Park Royal that turns out more than 300 tonnes of chocolate annually. That level of output positioned the firm as a substantial supplier to a varied roster of retailers and food service businesses, from high-end department stores and specialist food halls to national cafe chains.
The administration will raise immediate questions about contractual supply lines and stock fulfillment. Retail partners that sourced finished goods from the Park Royal plant will need to clarify their positions as the business transfers under the terms of the sale arrangement. For many customers the transition to an online-only model will mean changes in product availability, delivery schedules and direct sourcing relationships.
What happens next for the brand and employees
The pre-arranged sale gives the business a pathway to continue operating without a storefront, but it also signals a major restructuring. An online-first strategy typically reduces overheads linked to retail estate while requiring new investment in e-commerce, logistics and direct-to-consumer marketing.
Administrators have control of the formal process and will work through creditor and employee considerations as they implement the sale. Staff at retail locations were affected immediately by the shop closure; production and warehouse roles face uncertainty until administrators outline how the business will operate under the new ownership structure.
The decision to abandon a flagship street presence marks a turning point for a company long embedded in London’s confectionery scene. While the online transition could preserve the brand name and keep production running, the shift also alters how customers interact with a heritage chocolatier that has supplied some of the country’s most prestigious outlets for years.
For now, the picture is one of consolidation: the brand survives but in a much leaner, digitally focused form. The coming weeks will reveal whether the new model can sustain production volumes and client relationships that once relied on a blend of artisan credibility and high-street visibility.
