Mars acquires Hotel Chocolat for £534m

Hotel Chocolat’s founders are poised for a £280m payday after the upmarket chocolate maker agreed to a £534m takeover by the US food giant Mars at a big premium to the UK firm’s market value on Thursday. Boss Angus Thirlwell and fellow founder Peter Harris and their family trusts hold shares that will be valued at £140m apiece after the deal. The firm had been valued at £191m.