British cocoa grower and chocolatier, Hotel Chocolat, has announced it is to come on to the Irish market.

It will open its first café store at Dublin's Dundrum Town Centre.

The new outlet will offer a full range of chocolates as well as the brand's own café.

Due to open in October this year, it will trade next to Zara and Hugo Boss at the centre.

Image: hotelchocolat.com

Hotel Chocolat, which was founded in 2003, has 95 locations across Britain - including one in Northern Ireland.

The company has been listed on the London Stock Exchange since 2016.

Peter Harris, co-founder of Hotel Chocolat, said: "We are hugely excited to be expanding into Ireland.

"It took us a while to find the perfect location for our first café here but we feel confident that we have found it in Dundrum.

"We want our new café and store to offer a real sense of escapism the moment you step inside."