Marasu’s Petit Fours enters administration amid luxury confectionery pressures

Marasu’s Petit Fours, one of London’s largest producers of premium chocolates, has entered administration after four decades in operation. Alessandro Sidoli and Jessica Barker of Xeinadin Corporate Recovery were appointed joint administrators on 6 February 2026.

Founded in 1986 by patissiers Rolf Kern and Gabi Kohler, Marasu’s Petit Fours built a reputation as a supplier of high-end chocolates and patisserie products to leading retailers and hospitality clients. Operating from a 25,000 square foot production facility in Park Royal, the company reportedly produced more than 300 tonnes of premium chocolate annually at its peak.

The business formed part of a wider luxury confectionery group that included historic British chocolatier Prestat, whose Piccadilly flagship store closed shortly before the administration. Group restructuring activity has included transactions involving other branded subsidiaries in recent weeks.

The administration reflects persistent volatility in cocoa markets, where disease outbreaks and adverse weather in key producing countries have driven sharp input cost increases over the past two years. Cocoa prices reached record levels in 2024 before moderating as demand softened, leaving many artisan and premium producers navigating margin compression and inventory risk.

Industry participants have also faced intensifying competition from lower cost producers and evolving consumer spending patterns in the UK’s discretionary retail market. Premium positioning, once a margin buffer, has proved less protective amid cost of living pressures and retailer rationalisation. The joint administrators are now conducting a review of the company’s financial position and engaging with potential buyers or investors.