Earlier this week Regent's welcomed Andrew Newlands, Founder and Managing Director at Monty Bojangles – the award-winning chocolatiers taking the confectionery market by storm.
Named after his beloved cat and inimitable mascot, Andrew’s brand of fantastical fun and uncompromising taste is fast becoming a household name. The company’s impressive international growth earned Monty Bojangles the prestigious King’s Award for Enterprise; International Trade, which Andrew collected at Buckingham Palace in April last year.
Andrew set out to create products that ignite desire. His passion for chocolate led him to create Monty Bojangles.
"Imperfection is far more interesting than perfection," he told students at his in-class talk on Monday. Students were inspired by Andrew's remarkable journey from graphic designer to leader of a multi-million-pound operation, with products now gracing the shelves of major supermarkets nationwide.
At the event, his joy and obsession with chocolate was infectious. "I eat an awful lot of chocolate for two reasons," he told students, "firstly so I can know what's going on out there, and secondly because I just love the stuff. Chocolate is made to be scoffed!"
Students in the class were treated to a sample of some of Monty Bojangles' bestselling products, which are presented in delightfully fun packaging. The cocoa dusted truffles and chocolates have won 48 Great Taste Awards.
At the end of the session, Andrew's talk turned to encouraging students to think about starting their own ventures. Andrew said: "If anyone at Regent's is thinking about starting a new business, please ask me – it's not a quid pro quo thing, I just love talking about business and entrepreneurship."
With this event, Monty Bojangles joins a growing number of partnerships between Regent's and iconic luxury food and drink brands, including Fortnum & Mason, Laurent-Perrier and Biscuiteers. These partnerships – across events, live projects and internships – give students at Regent’s a unique opportunity to see inside the luxury industry and make connections between their learning and real-world experiences.