Overview
Not all rocky road is created equal. Noosa Chocolate Factory's version — one of the reasons that the chain has a considerable following — uses soft handcrafted marshmallows atop strawberry jelly that's made from the brand's secret recipe, then covered in its small-batch chocolate. It's whipped up daily, then cut up in-store. It's also reason enough to head to Noosa Chocolate Factory's newest outpost, which is now open in Brisbane Arcade.
2024 marks 15 years since southeast Queensland's tastebuds first scored the Noosa Chocolate Factory experience — with stores now operating in Noosaville, where its factory is located, as well as Maroochydore, Adelaide Street in the Brisbane CBD and Brisbane Arcade. At the latest shop, both bestsellers and seasonal hits are the focus. And yes, launching in the lead up to festive season isn't by accident.
"We're thrilled to add a new store to our Noosa Chocolate Factory family in Brisbane Arcade just in time for Christmas. The arcade is a year-round destination for locals and visitors, but especially at this time of year, when people flock to get photos of its famous Christmas decorations," said Noosa Chocolate Factory General Manager Nick Southon.
On the store's shelves, you'll find freeze-dried strawberries covered with white chocolate, plus mango macadamias, marbled hazelnuts, roasted pecans, semi-dried blueberries and plenty more — including hampers for gift-giving. Indeed, the brand expects the latter to be popular, forecasting to sell 22,000 of them.
While you'll still need to hit up Adelaide Street just a stone's throw away for Noosa Chocolate Factory's coffees and hot chocolates from its Brisbane cafe, adding a new River location comes after a fruitful year for the chain, even considering current economic conditions.
"Despite cost-of-living prices, we have seen a significant increase in footfall to all retail spaces across Noosa, the Sunshine Coast and Brisbane," explains Southon.
"We know anecdotally that consumers are seeking out quality and locally made food products. Gifts are increasing in popularity as people are potentially spending less per gift but still giving quality products that they're proud to share."
Find Noosa Chocolate Factory's Brisbane Arcade store at 160 Queen Street, Brisbane — open 9am–5pm Monday–Thursday and Saturday, 9am–9pm Friday and 10am–4pm Sunday. Head to the chain's website for more details.