A UK chocolate business known for its novelty Belgian chocolate pizzas has collapsed after nearly two decades. The Gourmet Chocolate Pizza Co confirmed that it had ceased operating this week, less than a month before the busy Easter trading season. The Nottinghamshire-based chocolatier thanked customers for their support in a short statement on its website, offering no further details of the circumstances behind the closure.

The firm, which was founded in 2007 and employed more than 30 staff at its peak, described itself as an artisan chocolate maker, using high-quality ingredients to produce premium handmade gifts. Alongside its signature pizzas, circular chocolate bases topped with sweets, biscuits and other confectionary, the chocolatier sold cupcakes, hot chocolate sticks and gift hampers.

It enjoyed a good reputation with its customers, with recent buyers praising the confectionary’s “excellent presentation”, “delicious” taste and “interesting designs that make great gifts”.

One person, who ordered gifts from the firm last Christmas, wrote: “I love these as gifts – they are fantastic and different from the usual ‘Christmas chocolate’.

“My teenage grandkids love getting them. The flavours are great with something for every taste. Love, love, love them and will definitely buy again.”

It comes as businesses in the UK are struggling to cope with higher costs, including rent, business rates, energy bills and prices of ingredients.

Financial records on Companies House showed growing pressure on the Gourmet Chocolate Pizza Co in recent years, with its tangible assets falling from £159,994 to £124,691 between 2024 and 2025.

The company’s workforce was also reduced from 34 employees in 2022 to just 20 in 2024 and 18 last year.

Creditors are due to meet on Thursday, March 12, when a liquidator could be appointed to formally wind up the business.