Thorntons UK Grows Following Franchisee Collapse
UK chocolatier Thorntons traded strongly throughout its first quarter, growing sales by 2.3 per cent to £46.8 million. 
Thorntons’ own store sales increased by 1.9 per cent to £27.1 million with like for like sales growth of 1.3 per cent.
Despite the growth in own store sales, franchise sales declined by 15.2 per cent as a result of Birthday, which operated 94 franchises, going into administration in May 2009.
Thorntons Direct sales increased by 2.4 per cent to £1.1 million. Sales growth is expected to increase when the company’s the new website goes live this week.
