British founded drinking chocolate specialist Knoops this week announces the next phase of its multi-channel, multi-market entry model, opening its first store in Utah as the foundation for U.S. expansion. In the UK, Knoops will accelerate further growth of its hand-flaked ‘Knoops At Home’ retail channel with wholesale distribution via delicatessens, farm shops and premium grocery retailers.
The new store, located in Salt Lake City’s vibrant 9th & 9th district, marks Knoops’ first permanent U.S. location and the first step in its American expansion strategy. A second Utah location in Farmington is set to open the last quarter of 2026, with a further set of Utah sites already identified, establishing the foundations for a growing regional presence.
The national store rollout provides the foundation for Knoops to build the brand, category and occasion from which it develops a multi-channel market strategy. This includes the launch of its hand-flaked ‘Knoops At Home’ CPG range across multiple sales channels, extending the brand beyond its stores. The expansion builds on Knoops’ growing multi-market presence, with stores already operating in the UAE alongside a developing wholesale CPG business.
This year, Knoops will also broaden the distribution of its ‘Knoops At Home’ hand-flaked range by expanding into delicatessens, farm shops and premium grocery retailers across the UK. With access to thousands of outlets, this represents the next phase of Knoops’ multi-channel UK expansion, building on its own stores, direct-to-consumer and Amazon channels, alongside leading retailers including Ocado, Harrods, Selfridges and Whole Foods.
UK founded in Rye, East Sussex, in 2013 by master chocolate sommelier Jens Knoop, Knoops has grown from a single store into a global chocolate drinks brand with more than 30 physical locations. Its world-leading Chocolate Library allows customers to personalise sustainably sourced chocolates across hot, iced, milkshake and frozen drinks. Knoops is creating the chocolate drinks category through a model that leads with nationwide stores while expanding ‘Knoops At Home’ through online and national retail channels.
William Gordon-Harris, CEO of Knoops, said: “The opening of our first U.S. store is a hugely exciting milestone for Knoops and the next step in our international growth story. We’ve seen the strength of the brand’s appeal in the UK and through our UAE stores, and we believe there is a significant opportunity to introduce the Knoops experience to consumers across America.
“Salt Lake City was a very deliberate choice. It is a dynamic, fast-growing market with a strong appetite for innovative brands, and its consumer profile is particularly well aligned with the Knoops experience. We’re excited to build our presence and prove the store model in Utah and then take the brand into other store locations across the U.S. while building the retail channels.
“Wholesale distribution is a major step forward for our hand-flaked ‘Knoops At Home’ retail offering. With access to delicatessens, farm shops and premium grocery retailers across the UK, we can accelerate growth and meet the strong consumer demand we’re already seeing for ‘Knoops At Home’ across our sales channels.
“These two significant developments demonstrate the multi-channel, multi-market nature of Knoops. They reinforce my belief that the Knoops opportunity is clearly bigger than even I foresaw when I joined Jens on this journey in 2019.”
