In this issue of Food & Drink Matters, we are pleased to feature Pendragon Drinks as our Taste Makers Company of the Month.
What began with a disappointing supermarket hot chocolate has grown into an established name in luxury drinking chocolate. Founded by Timothy Winstanley in 2016, Pendragon Drinks has evolved from a soft drinks business into a thriving North Wales manufacturer whose products now appear in cafés, hotels, farm shops and gift retailers across the UK and beyond – often through white-label partnerships that keep the Pendragon name behind the scenes.
Based in the heart of Llandudno, the company operates a chocolate factory that doubles as a visitor attraction, while its newest venture, Maisie’s Tea Company, has opened across the road in a dedicated shop and production space. Together, these businesses reflect an ambition that extends well beyond a single signature product.
At the centre of the story is The Cocoa Counter, Pendragon’s flagship brand, built around an extensive collection of luxury hot chocolates made with real chocolate rather than cocoa powder. Designed for both hospitality and retail, the range has expanded to include premium chocolate bars and handcrafted truffles, offering cafés and consumers a richer, more indulgent alternative to conventional drinking chocolate.
Innovation continues to shape the company’s offering. Alongside its chocolate collections, Pendragon has introduced reduced-allergen traybakes suitable for customers with nut, egg and gluten allergies, broadening the options available to cafés looking to cater for diverse dietary needs. Meanwhile, the launch of Maisie’s Tea Company adds around 60 carefully selected loose-leaf teas to the portfolio, from familiar classics to more adventurous blends, available in both retail and catering formats.
Today, Pendragon Drinks supplies an impressively varied customer base, from independent cafés to white-label partners, demonstrating how a focus on quality ingredients and considered product development can turn a simple comfort drink into a successful and diverse business.
We spoke to Tim, who explains some of the brand’s unique benefits, “Quality is at the heart of everything we do. Our hot chocolates are made with real chocolate, rather than cocoa powder, yet our unique production methods allow us to offer them at a noticeably more affordable price than many of our competitors. Our truffles have also proved hugely popular, not least because they have an impressive eight-month shelf life and are beautifully hand-decorated. We’re particularly excited about the next chapter of the business with the opening of our new tea division. The beautifully decorated shop offers more than 60 varieties of loose-leaf tea, with many soon available to our online and trade customers.”
The move into tea represents a significant new chapter for Pendragon Drinks, bringing a new category to its established chocolate offering. Through Maisie’s Tea Company, the business is developing a collection spanning traditional favourites, fragrant green teas, aromatic black teas and distinctive herbal and botanical infusions. With the tea division still being rolled out, there is more to come, including the introduction of a dedicated matcha range as the company continues to broaden its offering to both consumers and hospitality businesses.
From its origins in soft drinks to its position today as a diverse chocolate and tea business, Pendragon Drinks has come a long way in a decade. With new products, new brands and the continued development of its tea and matcha ranges, the company is looking firmly to the future – while remaining focused on the quality and indulgence that started its journey.
T 01492 233159
info@pendragondrinks.co.uk
https://pendragondrinks.co.uk/
www.thecocoacounter.co.uk – for wholesale chocolate
www.maisies.co.uk – for teas & retail chocolate