Key Points
- Isabelle Chappelle, owner of Chocolat Chocolat near Gamlingay, Cambridgeshire, has halted some production because of persistent humidity.
- Recent heatwaves have disrupted chocolate-making during the hottest part of the day and affected summer sales.
- The company, which also has a shop in Cambridge, is using freezer packs in deliveries to stop products melting.
- Most stock is being kept in one air-conditioned room.
- Chappelle said the business is considering extra air conditioning, earlier seasonal production and more stockpiling.
- Imports of Belgian chocolate have decreased this summer, and deliveries arriving in Cambridgeshire have to be checked for melting.
- The disruption has affected sales for birthdays, graduations and other summer occasions, and has delayed sampling of Halloween and Christmas products.
Cambridge (Cambridge Tribune) July 30, 2026 – A chocolatier near Gamlingay has said she has been forced to stop some afternoon production because ongoing humidity and heatwaves are making it difficult to work with chocolate. Isabelle Chappelle, owner of Chocolat Chocolat, told the BBC that the weather has disrupted chocolate-making during the hottest part of the day and has affected summer sales.
As reported by Tom Jackson of the BBC, the company has had to rely on freezer packs for deliveries to prevent products from melting, while most of its stock is stored in a single air-conditioned room. The business, which also has a shop in Cambridge, is now examining how to cope with the heat more effectively.
Chappelle said the humidity has become a bigger problem than the heat itself.
“The humidity is more of an enemy to us than the heat… it’s a little bit of a challenge,”
she said, according to the BBC report.
What problems has the weather caused for deliveries and stock?
The weather has not only slowed production but also complicated deliveries and storage. Chappelle said imports of Belgian chocolate have fallen this summer, and any deliveries that do arrive in Cambridgeshire must be checked to make sure they have not melted in transit.
The business is also storing most of its stock in one air-conditioned room to reduce the risk of damage. According to the BBC, freezer packs are being used in deliveries as an added safeguard, showing how the company has had to adapt its logistics as well as its kitchen work.
How have sales and seasonal plans been affected?
Chappelle said the disruption has hit summer sales for events such as birthdays and graduations because the company cannot always send products out in time. The BBC reported that the slowdown has also stopped the firm from sampling Halloween and Christmas products at this stage of the year, which is normally part of its seasonal planning.
The delay is also affecting the development of new autumn products, Chappelle said. That means the weather has had an impact not just on current sales, but on the business’s forward schedule for product launches and seasonal stock.
What changes is the company considering?
Chappelle said the business is looking at several possible responses to the weather, including extra air conditioning, making products earlier in the season and stockpiling more. Those steps would give the chocolatier more flexibility if hot conditions continue into future summers.
The report indicates that the company is trying to reduce the amount of production exposed to the afternoon heat, when conditions are at their worst. For a small handmade chocolate business, that can mean changing working hours, storage routines and supply planning at the same time.
Background of the development
Chocolate is highly sensitive to temperature and humidity, which can affect texture, appearance and transport. The BBC report on Chocolat Chocolat sits within a wider pattern in which UK heatwaves are causing practical problems for food businesses, especially those selling products that can melt or spoil quickly.
In this case, the issue has affected both handmade production and imported ingredients, because the business buys Belgian chocolate from France before turning it into sheet chocolate and sweet treats. That makes the company vulnerable at several stages: sourcing, storage, production and delivery.
What could this mean for customers and the business?
For customers, the most likely outcome is slower fulfilment, less availability during hot spells and possible changes to the range sold in summer. For the business, the need to protect stock and maintain quality may mean higher operating costs, more planning and a greater dependence on controlled storage during warm months.
