[Scaling China] The British Queen's Chocolates Come to Shanghai

Scaling China is an irregular column series that explores brands and businesses expanding across China. We examine the factors driving their growth, the rationale behind their expansion strategies, and share insights that might be helpful for others looking to enter into or expand in the Chinese market.

For those paying attention, things are happening in China – quietly, steadily – despite the unpredictable storms beyond its borders. New foreign brands are entering the market, others are expanding their footprints, and Shanghai, as ever, is its barometer.

The latest pleasant surprise comes from across the world: Charbonnel et Walker, one of Great Britain's most prestigious luxury chocolatiers, has just opened its doors in Shanghai – the first step in an ambitious plan to expand across China. This comes off the recent expansion into China by Holland & Barrett which we covered recently as well.

For those who don't know, the brand was founded in 1875 and is among a select group of companies to hold a Royal Warrant – which means, quite literally, that they supplied chocolates to the Queen.

It's a calculated move in a complex time. China's luxury sector – valued at hundreds of billions of yuan – remains one of the most watched segments globally, even as growth decelerates and sentiment remains mixed. According to Bain & Company, the mainland market saw an 18-20 percent drop in 2024 and is expected to be flat in 2025, signalling a period of consolidation for luxury brands. Within this landscape, China's premium chocolate market – estimated at about USD 3.9 billion (roughly 28-30 billion yuan) in 2024 – is emerging as a micro-luxury category, driven by gifting culture, cafés and rising interest in craftsmanship over mass-market confectionery.

For Galvin Weston, this expansion is less about chasing scale than preserving craft in a new context. "You buy the dip," he says with a grin, hinting at the brand's long-term view. "Because the future is long in China."

I sat down with Weston to discuss the timing of Charbonnel's China debut, the balance between British heritage and local adaptation, and what a 150-year-old chocolatier is learning from Shanghai.

Why China? Why Now?

CNS: Why make the move into China now?

Weston: It's really a long-term decision. We've been looking East for quite some time, but it had to be done the right way. The temptation for a small heritage brand like ours is to rush in when the market looks hot – but that's never been our style. We wanted the right local partner, the right city, and the right concept.

And honestly, there's no perfect moment. Everyone keeps saying China's slowing down, but what does that mean? Five percent growth? That's still phenomenal. We're a 150-year-old business – we think in decades, not quarters. You buy the dip, because the future is long in China.

CNS: What gave you the confidence to commit at a time when others are holding back?

Weston: Because you can feel the energy again when you walk around Shanghai. It's subtle, but it's there – cafés full, art shows packed, people curious again. We don't make mass-market chocolate; we make gifts, indulgences, little luxuries that mark moments. Those things don't go away when times are uncertain. If anything, they matter more.

And I think there's an appetite here for meaningful luxury – things made by hand, brands with stories. That's what we represent. We've supplied chocolates to the British royal household for generations; that's our heritage. But it's also a discipline – a commitment to quality that people, whether in London or Shanghai, can still recognize.

CNS: Was there a single moment when you decided, "Yes, now's the time"?

Weston: Probably when we found the right partner to work with locally for China. They understand not just retail but culture – the rhythm of how people live here. They pushed us to think beyond boxes of truffles and imagine a café experience, something people could engage with daily. That was the turning point. It became less about entering a market and more about joining a conversation.

Heritage, The Royal Warrant, and Adapting to China

CNS: Charbonnel et Walker is known for its long British heritage. How do you translate something so traditional for a market as modern and fast-moving as China?

Weston: That's the interesting challenge, isn't it? You can't just drop a piece of Britain into Shanghai and expect it to work. Heritage isn't a museum exhibit; it's a living thing. What matters is finding the pieces of our story that resonate here – craftsmanship, quality, consistency – and letting those speak for themselves.

A lot of people assume British luxury is all ceremony and stiffness, but really, it's about care. The idea that something is made slowly, properly, by people who've been doing it their whole lives. That still means something here. In fact, I think Chinese consumers are some of the most discerning in the world when it comes to quality. They can tell immediately if something's the real thing or not.

CNS: You mentioned the Royal Warrant earlier. For readers who might not know, what exactly does that mean – and what does it represent for the brand today?

Weston: The Royal Warrant is an old institution – it's essentially a mark of recognition from the British royal family, granted to brands that have supplied them for at least five years. It's not something you apply for; it's something you earn, and you can lose it if you slip on quality or discretion.

For us, it was an incredible honor to hold the Warrant from Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. It tells people that we've been trusted to maintain the highest standards for generations. There's a strict code of silence, by the way – you can't talk about who orders what or when. One brand famously lost its Warrant for revealing the Queen's shoe size. (He laughs.)

But more than royalty, the Warrant stands for mastery. It's not about hierarchy – it's about continuity. The same recipes, the same attention to detail, the same service. When you walk into our shop in Shanghai, you're tasting that history – but it's also something new, made here, shared here.

CNS: How have you had to adapt those traditions to local tastes?

Weston: We're learning fast. Palates vary – in China, people often prefer darker chocolate with a more complex profile, whereas in the Middle East it's milkier and sweeter. So we've been experimenting with blends that are a little less sugary, more balanced.

Packaging matters too. In London, our boxes are understated, maybe even old-fashioned. Here, people like color, texture, a sense of occasion – gifting is an art form. So we've leaned into that, making designs that still feel "Charbonnel," but with a bit more vibrancy. And then, of course, there's the café. In China, coffee is an everyday ritual, so combining chocolate with coffee and patisserie just made sense.

CNS: So it's not just about selling chocolates, it's about creating a lifestyle experience?

Weston: Exactly. In London, you might buy a box of truffles for a friend and that's it. Here, people want to experience the brand – sit down, have a coffee, try something new. It's a beautiful opportunity, really. It means our story can unfold in a much more social, everyday way.

Partnerships, Growth, and Lessons for Other Brands

CNS: You've mentioned your local partnership a few times. What's been key to making that collaboration work?

Weston: Trust, first of all. When you're a heritage brand, you're protective by nature. You've spent generations building something – your name, your recipes, your values – and suddenly you're handing part of that to someone else on the other side of the world. It can feel terrifying.

But with Jack and his team at ArcOn, there's a shared language. They understand not just business mechanics, but the emotional side of brand-building – how a boutique label needs to feel in order to succeed. They also know how to localize without losing the essence. That's a delicate balance.

Jack Harrison (ArcOn Brands): Our job is to translate, not transform. China doesn't need another "Western import." It needs authentic stories, told in ways that connect. With Charbonnel, that means preserving the soul of British craftsmanship while creating something that belongs to Shanghai. Charbonnel fits perfectly in a city like Shanghai which is both historical (an appreciation for heritage), and pointedly modern (an appreciation for imported premium brands).

CNS: How different has the experience been doing business here compared to the UK?

Weston: Completely different tempo. In London, we'll spend six months debating font sizes. (laughs) Here, things happen in days. From signing agreements to design decisions – everything moves at the speed of WeChat. It's astonishing.

But that speed is also energizing. It forces you to be decisive. And it's a reminder that the world is evolving faster than we sometimes realize back home. For us, it's been invigorating – like learning a new language.

CNS: What's the biggest lesson so far from entering the China market?

Weston: One lesson that we learned, particularly in Shanghai... is that you shouldn't let the speed of how things are done in your own countries, create assumptions about what can be done in China. Our entire brand launch in Shanghai happened so fast, it's astonishing. Compared to how a launch might be done in other markets, the speed at which things can move in Shanghai, can be lightning fast, and so you should come here with an understanding, that things can be done, quicker, efficiently, and at much larger scales that you might be accustomed too. That goes to say, no one should underestimate how quickly or how well things can be done in China.

Additionally, brands should know that you can't do it halfway. In decades past, you could come to China and succeed automatically. But this is now a sophisticated, market, with a discerning consumer base, in a market filled with competition. You have to commit – in presence, in understanding, in humility. China rewards authenticity. Consumers here are incredibly smart, globally informed, and quick to pick up on whether a brand really cares or is just testing the waters.

So you listen. You learn. And you adapt without losing yourself. That's the balance every heritage brand has to find – how to evolve without diluting your DNA.

CNS: What do you hope Charbonnel et Walker represents to Chinese consumers a year from now?

Weston: Ideally, that we've brought something genuinely special – something made with care and intention. I'd love for people to see us not as a foreign brand, but as a house with shared values: quality, generosity, attention to detail. Chocolate is universal, after all. It's joy, celebration, affection – all the things that connect us.

If we can capture even a little of that spirit in Shanghai, we'll have succeeded.