Godiva closes all US chocolate shops as pandemic sales

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It was sweet while it lasted.

The Belgian chocolate Godiva will sell or close all 128 stores in North America within the next few months, the company said this week.

Godiva said it was seeing a decline in the demand for personal shopping in its brick-and-mortar stores, especially amid the coronavirus pandemic. At the same time, the company said the growth in online sales and sales was seen by grocery, club and other retail partners.

The Belgian chocolate Godiva will sell or close all 128 stores in North America within the next few months. (Reuters)

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CEO Nurtac Afridi, who was appointed by Turkish parent company Yildiz Holding of Govida last month, said in a written statement that the company ‘has always been focused on what our consumers need and how they want to experience our brand, therefore we made this decision. ”

Local reports have indicated that many of the Godiva stores will remain open during Valentine’s Day, an important sales period for the chocolate. The Indianapolis Business Journal reports that an Indianapolis Godiva store would close on Feb. 15, while The Dallas Morning News reported that seven locations in Texas would close by the end of March.

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Godiva did not immediately say how many employees will be affected.

“Of course, this decision was difficult because of the care we have for our dedicated and hard-working chocolates that will be affected,” Afridi said. “We are grateful for everything they have done to create amazing moments for our consumers and spread happiness through incredible customer service.”

The move comes less than two years after Godiva announced a push to open 2,000 cafes around the world over six years. The cafes offer a menu that extends beyond chocolate, including pastries, sandwiches and coffee.