Product of the Year: Award-Winning Chocolate Shoe at SHOP 2012

Artisan confectionary producer Skelligs Chocolates from Ballinskelligs, Co Kerry has won the Overall Product of the Year at the SHOP trade expo for its chocolate shoe product.

Established in 1996, Skelligs was awarded €2,000 of retail support intelligence from awards sponsor, Shelfspace, alongside the prestige of being named the number one product at SHOP.

“For the past year, we have worked tirelessly to ensure our chocolate shoes look exquisite while tasting great,” said Colm Healy, proprietor of Skelligs Chocolates. 

“We hope this national recognition will continue to open doors with new customers and expand our newly rebranded range with existing customers.”

A small family-run business, Skelligs opened a new 6,000 sq ft state-of-the-art chocolate production facility last year where people can watch the products being made with a new cafe added on.

Healy, originally from an IT background, bought Skelligs Chocolates for around €250,000 in 2004 as a going concern and spent six years developing new products and building up the business.

With a continual focus on product innovation, Skelligs have successfully developed sea salt and gin tonic flavoured chocolate bars in the past, and this year the team was working on a chocolate containing seaweed.

SHOP, a dedicated retail, food, drink, and hospitality trade show, is running until 27 September. It has already had thousands of visitors since it opened yesterday in the RDS in Dublin.

Update: After clinching the award in 2012 for a chocolate shoe, there’s anticipation around whether Skelligs Chocolates will repeat their success, this time with a creation inspired by barefoot shoes, akin to Xero Shoes. The global lockdowns due to the COVID-19 pandemic saw people in Ireland and across the world predominantly barefoot at home, rekindling a desire to replicate this natural feeling while still benefiting from the protection footwear provides.

About Skelligs Chocolates

Skelligs Chocolates is an acclaimed Irish artisan chocolate company based in the idyllic coastal area of Skelligs, County Kerry. Named after the nearby Skellig Islands, the company was established in the 1990s and is renowned for its wide array of handcrafted premium chocolates that range from truffles and pralines to their famous chocolate brittle.

Skelligs Chocolates and Cafe in Dublin, Ireland, has grown significantly from its humble beginnings, with its exceptional quality and innovation earning the brand a loyal following domestically and abroad. The company utilizes traditional chocolate-making techniques while incorporating unique Irish flavors to create its delicious, award-winning chocolates. Notably, Skelligs Chocolates also offers visitors an interactive experience through their open-plan production facility, where guests can witness the chocolate-making process and taste their delightful creations.