Paarl’s Spice Route Destination has officially welcomed a sweet new addition, The Chocolate Room by Beyers who opened its doors last week, replacing the much-loved De Villiers Chocolate, which sadly shut down in October last year after 13 years of delighting visitors.
The arrival of Beyers Chocolate, a proudly South African brand, brings a fresh wave of excitement to the renowned culinary and lifestyle destination.
Known for its artisanal chocolates crafted with care and precision, Beyers Chocolate is set to continue the legacy of excellence that De Villiers established in the space.
Beyers Chocolate, founded in 1987 by master chocolatier Kees Beyers, has grown into one of the country’s leading chocolate manufacturers.
The brand prides itself on producing high-quality confections that marry innovation with tradition.
At the store’s opening on Tuesday 3 December Beyers said the idea was to create a similar look and experience compared to his shop in Bedfordview, Johannesburg.
“When people walk through our two stores we want them to see that resemblance.
“All the pre-packed products are made at factory level and all the chocolates you would see on the counter are made here in our chocolate studio.
“We also make our own ice cream here and often try and to mix and create some funky flavours.
“As time goes on we also plan on offering light meals such as a toasted sandwich. We are already serving coffee and tea.
“There are some lovely seating areas and umbrellas on the outside.
“So the idea is to really give visitors a warm, welcoming and pleasant experience.”
He said the mastermind behind the brand new and colourful interior designs was Joanne Roelofsz, who also assisted with the interior designing of the Bedfordview store.
“I had never been to Paarl and spent the last six weeks here doing this project,” she said. “It’s probably been one of the most amazing experiences.
“The whole feeling of this place is just magical, and I think people who visit us here will surely feel as if they are in a different world when they walk in.
“We painted, tiled and fitted new lights. All the furniture is custom-made and literally all the finishing touches are the exact textures I wanted to create.”
The chocolate destination boasts a brand-new basement area with comfortable seating and colours all around that complement the rest of the store’s colour scheme.
“I wanted the inside to look like a chocolate box,” Roelofsz said.
“So if you think of a chocolate box you think of all these colours and textures.
“We wanted to create a space where people can come and sit and read a book, enjoy a hot chocolate on a cold rainy day, or even just use the space to have chats with friends or host events.”
The Chocolate Room offers a unique chocolate-tasting experience for the whole family which includes signature pralines, truffles and bars.
Visitors can also expect to learn more about the history of this ancient delicacy.
De Villiers Chocolate closed its doors in October last year, after it had faced several challenges over a few years, leading to the difficult decision.
“Severe production constraints resulting from load shedding, and the recent significant increases in raw material costs due to cocoa price hikes and currency fluctuations, have all placed immense strain on our brand and business,” said a statement on the closure released then.
