The Season's Hot Ticket: Valrhona Expands Celaya with Two New Flavours
Two new flavours join the fan-favourite chocolate beverage range, launching right on time for the festive season.
There is a particular point each year when hot chocolate quietly returns to the centre of the menu. The days grow shorter, the temperature begins to drop, coats remain buttoned tightly against the cold and the drinks people reach for begin to change. At this time of year, few things feel more comforting than a warm chocolate beverage. Rich, indulgent and deeply comforting, it is a ritual that returns every winter. This season, Valrhona celebrates that moment with the introduction of two additions to its Celaya range.
Building on the original recipe, Valrhona is introducing Celaya Dulcey and Celaya Hazelnut, two new flavour profiles inspired by some of the Maison’s most recognisable creations. Each brings its own personality to the collection while remaining true to what makes Celaya distinctive, combining authentic chocolate intensity with simplicity and reliable results from one service to the next. Celaya Dulcey reveals notes of biscuit and milk caramel, while Celaya Chocolate Hazelnut brings together roasted hazelnut and cocoa in a richer, more indulgent expression of chocolate. Different in character yet united by the same commitment to flavour and quality, the three recipes show how a much-loved winter ritual can continue to evolve.
A Range Built on Intensity
The original Celaya remains the anchor of the range. Its story begins with chocolate in its most direct form. The original recipe places intensity at the heart of every serve, combining a Valrhona chocolate blend with a smooth, velvety texture. Served simply, it delivers exactly what many guests are looking for in a hot chocolate, a generous and clear expression of cocoa with the reliability required in a professional setting giving chefs and baristas greater choice while preserving the identity on which Celaya was built.
Celaya Dulcey explores the softer, more caramelised side of chocolate. Named after Valrhona’s iconic Dulcey couverture, this innovation was born from a fortunate accident, when white chocolate was left in a bain-marie for too long and gradually developed its distinctive notes of toasted biscuit and caramelised milk. Celaya Dulcey carries that distinctive profile into a smooth and enveloping beverage, giving this iconic flavour an entirely new way to be enjoyed.
Celaya Chocolate Hazelnut follows a different path, one rooted in nostalgia. Chocolate and hazelnut form a combination many people first discovered by the spoonful from a jar during childhood. Here, that early pleasure is given a more refined expression through pure hazelnut paste and the depth of cocoa. The result is warm, roasted and richly expressive, preserving the generosity of the pairing while presenting it with the precision expected from Valrhona.
A growing trend in today’s landscape
There is a broader story taking shape on winter drinks menus across the UK, and it is not simply about offering more coffee. Over the past decade, speciality coffee has introduced new rituals, a new vocabulary and an ever-growing variety of serves. Guests have learned to navigate menus of
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flat whites, cortados and filter coffees, while hot chocolate has often remained the single, reassuringly recognisable option beside them. Now, chocolate beverages are beginning to receive the same care and attention, not by following coffee’s path, but by creating a ritual of their own. Hot chocolate needs no explanation. Its appeal is immediate from the first sip, yet there is still room to reinterpret it through flavour, texture and presentation.
This gradual shift is encouraging cafés, hotels and restaurants to look beyond the traditional serve. With greater thought given to how the drink is prepared and presented, it can develop a distinctive identity without losing the simplicity that makes it so appealing. For venues shaping their winter and festive menus, hot chocolate can earn a more prominent place within the drinks offering rather than simply an expected seasonal addition.
The Craft Behind the Cup
Turning that renewed attention into something meaningful requires more than an appealing flavour. The drink must also be simple to prepare, consistent from one service to the next and adaptable to the rhythm of a professional setting. This practical dimension shaped the work of Thomas Trefcon, Expert Barista at Le Verre à Mélange who crafted seasonal new recipes adapted to the hustle and bustle of everyday life. The resulting collection reveals Celaya’s full aromatic potential while remaining grounded in the realities of service.
“Celaya allows you to prepare beverages with exceptional precision and maximum time savings, without compromising on quality.”
Thomas Trefcon, Expert Barista, Le Verre à Mélange
Christmas has a way of making every drink feel a little more special. Celaya feels perfectly at home on a Christmas menu, served hot and velvety after a cold winter’s walk or reimagined as a chilled creation for a more unexpected festive moment, always with the same precision and ease of preparation.
This versatility allows professionals to adapt Celaya to their own way of working. Preparation remains straightforward, while the choice of temperature, texture, pairings and presentation leaves space for each venue to develop a serve that reflects its own identity.
From the Cup to the Glass: A world of possibilities
Celaya reveals just how far a chocolate beverage can travel beyond the traditional cup. A change in temperature, texture or presentation can give it an entirely new character, moving from a warm and velvety winter serve to something lighter and more refreshing as the season changes.
Each recipe offers a versatile starting point. Celaya can be enjoyed simply, frothed into a soft and airy texture, served over ice or paired with complementary flavours to create something more distinctive. A carefully chosen garnish, an aromatic pairing or an unexpected contrast can transform the familiar pleasure of chocolate into a creation shaped around the moment and the setting.
This flexibility gives cafés, hotels and restaurants the freedom to make Celaya their own. During the festive season, it can bring warmth and indulgence to a winter menu. As the days become lighter, the same range can inspire chilled drinks with a fresher expression. Preparation remains straightforward, while the possibilities continue to evolve throughout the year.
Presentation adds the final layer of personality. A cocoa-dusted stencil, a bespoke chocolate garnish or a finishing touch connected to a particular occasion can give each drink a recognisable signature. In this way, Celaya adapts not only to different seasons, but also to the identity and imagination of each establishment.
Exclusively Available This Season
The expanded Celaya range arrives just as cafés, hotels and restaurants begin putting the finishing touches to their winter and festive menus. Available exclusively through Classic Fine Foods and Caterite, it brings together three distinctive chocolate beverages.
Practicality remains equally important. Each Celaya reference is supplied in a resealable one-litre Tetra Pak carton. This flexible format allows venues to move from a classic serve to a more expressive creation while maintaining the consistency required throughout service.
The timing feels particularly fitting. Celaya arrives just as hot chocolate finds its way back to the heart of the winter season, bringing new flavours and fresh inspiration to a ritual guests revisit year after year.
