Godiva just announced that they will be closing, or could be selling, all of its 128 stores across the United States. This will take place by the end of March.
However, the luxury chocolates are still going to be available for purchase online, as well as, through retail outlets, such as, grocery stores.
“Demand for the in-person shopping experience offered through GODIVA’s brick and mortar locations has waned as a result of the pandemic and its acceleration of changes in consumer’s shopping behavior,” the company released in an email statement to Today Food.
“Our brick-and-mortar locations in the U.S has had a clear purpose since we first opened our doors in the market – to provide an in-person experience for consumers to enjoy the world’s most exquisite chocolates,” Godiva CEO Nurtac Afridi said in a released statement. “We have always been focused on what our consumers need and how they want to experience our brand, which is whey we have made this decision.”
However, the luxury chocolate company did not add in its statement how many employees would be affected by the store closures.
Godiva adds to the long list of business to close their locations due to being hit hard by the pandemic. It has caused a drastic drop in number of people shopping and eating out in person. This past August Pizza Hit also announced that it would be closing upwards of 300 underperforming locations, IHOP also announced that it would be closing almost 100 different locations. A number of other business have also started filing for bankruptcy over the past year, adding in California Pizza Kitchen, and the parent company Chuck E. Cheese.
