The Blog

Hello, and welcome to the Keylink blog!

In this section of our website, you’ll find a wealth of inspiring recipes, industry insights, consumer trends and analysis, ‘food-for-thought’ articles, business strategy ideas and so much more.

We’ll be posting articles to our blog regularly, and, if you don’t want to miss out on the latest scoop, make sure to follow us on our socials where we’ll notify you of the latest uploads.

Enjoy!

The Valrhona Cocoa Library: Part Eight

The Valrhona Cocoa Library: Part Eight

We're back with another edition of the Valrhona Cocoa Library. This month, we’re looking ahead to sun-soaked summer days with Valrhona Strawberry Inspiration.

Apr 22nd, 2024 |

5 Bestselling Bakery Flavours to Add to Your Product Range

5 Bestselling Bakery Flavours to Add to Your Product Range

These five customer-favourite flavours are absolute essentials for every bakery and dessert shop, so if you’re looking for inspiration for your core product range, we’re here to help.

Apr 5th, 2024 |

4 Top Trends for Spring & Summer 2024

4 Top Trends for Spring & Summer 2024

We rounded up the biggest trends in colour, flavour and texture for spring and summer 2024, so all you have to do is keep reading to get a delicious burst of inspiration for your next chocolate range.

Mar 22nd, 2024 |

Chocolate vs Compound Coating - Why Bakeries Use Both!

Chocolate vs Compound Coating - Why Bakeries Use Both!

While they may look similar on the surface, chocolate couverture and compound coating are actually quite different! Find out why bakers use both.

Mar 15th, 2024 |

The Future is Cacao

The Future is Cacao

We took a look at the growing trends in innovation coming out of the chocolate industry. Here’s what we found...

Mar 4th, 2024 |

An Evening with Harwood's Patisserie

An Evening with Harwood's Patisserie

We spent an evening with Andrew Harwood and Raf Perussi learning how to make chocolates and hearing all about their experience on Bake Off: The Professionals.

Feb 23rd, 2024 |

The Valrhona Cocoa Library: Part Seven

The Valrhona Cocoa Library: Part Seven

We’re back with another product from our growing collection of Valrhona couvertures. This month, we’re delving into another of Valrhona’s unique fruit couvertures, the tangy and sweet Raspberry Inspiration!

Feb 20th, 2024 |

Fresh Flavours for Spring & Easter

Fresh Flavours for Spring & Easter

A new season brings with it new flavours. Here are our favourite fresh and fruity flavours for spring and Easter.

Feb 5th, 2024 | 3min read

The Valrhona Cocoa Library: Part Six

The Valrhona Cocoa Library: Part Six

Each month we delve into the different chocolate couvertures Keylink stock from Valrhona, with an overview of their flavour profiles, best uses, and more. This month, we’re taking a look at the rich, 64% dark chocolate, Manjari.

Jan 29th, 2024 | 1.5min read

Easter and Chocolate: A Tale as Old as Time

Easter and Chocolate: A Tale as Old as Time

How the chocolate egg became synonymous with spring and Easter, from its humble beginnings as a festival of nature, to today's celebrations with Easter bunnies and egg hunts.

Jan 26th, 2024 | 2.5min read

Shelf Life of Ganache: A Guide

Shelf Life of Ganache: A Guide

Looking for tips on how to extend your chocolate's shelf life? Read more to find out how!

Jan 12th, 2024 | 2.5min read

The Valrhona Cocoa Library: Part Five

The Valrhona Cocoa Library: Part Five

Prepare to feel the passion with Valrhona's Inspiration fruit couverture in Passion Fruit. Perfect for creating exquisite summer puddings and ganache!

Jan 2nd, 2024 | 2min read

Prepare for a Very Hoppy Easter 2024 with Keylink

Prepare for a Very Hoppy Easter 2024 with Keylink

Plan your spring product range and get everything you need in plenty of time for you to create your eggcellent Easter chocolate range!

Dec 22nd, 2023 | 3min read

Valentine's Day Inspiration: A Collection of Our Romantic Recipes

Valentine's Day Inspiration: A Collection of Our Romantic Recipes

Take a look at our collection of romantic chocolate recipes ready for Valentine's Day!

Dec 19th, 2023 | 2.5min read

The Valrhona Cocoa Library: Part Four

The Valrhona Cocoa Library: Part Four

Come along as each month we explore the different chocolate couvertures Keylink stock from Valrhona. This month, we’re taking a look at the smooth Blond chocolate, Dulcey 35%.

Dec 8th, 2023 | 2min read

Five Iconic Chocolate Moments From The Movies

Five Iconic Chocolate Moments From The Movies

We took a stroll down movie memory lane to celebrate the new Wonka film with our five favourite chocolate moments from the silver screen.

Dec 4th, 2023 | 3min read

Meet The Chocolate Soldier

Meet The Chocolate Soldier

Phill Jones traded in his military uniform for a chocolatier’s apron earlier this year, and it's been a roller coaster few months for his new chocolate business. We sat down with Phill to get the full scoop.

Nov 24th, 2023 | 4.5min read

Could a New Chocolate Machine Boost Your Business?

Could a New Chocolate Machine Boost Your Business?

Investing in a new piece of machinery could help to boost your chocolate business by saving time and money, improving productivity and quality, and producing perfectly tempered chocolate every time!

Nov 17th, 2023 | 3.5min read

Stylish Last Minute Chocolate Gifts Your Customers Won't be Able to Resist

Stylish Last Minute Chocolate Gifts Your Customers Won't be Able to Resist

Christmas is the perfect time for those little added indulgences, so give your customers the gift of premium chocolate this year with Keylink and Valrhona.

Nov 13th, 2023 | 2min read

The Valrhona Cocoa Library: Part Three

The Valrhona Cocoa Library: Part Three

Each month, we’re deep diving into a different chocolate from our brand new collection of Valrhona couvertures. This month, Guanaja 70% dark chocolate takes centre stage.

Nov 10th, 2023 | 2min read

New Additions to Keylink's Valrhona Range!

New Additions to Keylink's Valrhona Range!

We at Keylink are pleased to announce we are expanding our range, with six new Valrhona products added to our roster of delectable ingredients for bakers and chocolatiers alike.

Nov 9th, 2023 | 2.5min read

Personalisation in Chocolate

Personalisation in Chocolate

Make it personal this Christmas time with unique, customised chocolate products and packaging from Keylink.

Oct 25th, 2023 | 3min read

The Valrhona Cocoa Library: Part Two

The Valrhona Cocoa Library: Part Two

Come along as we explore Valrhona’s iconic milk chocolate couverture, Jivara Lactée; a high cocoa solids milk chocolate with a characteristic blend of beans.

Oct 18th, 2023 | 2min read

Confectionery Copyright - Can You Protect Your Chocolate Creations?

Confectionery Copyright - Can You Protect Your Chocolate Creations?

Chocolate, Creativity and Copyright Law: Navigating the Legalities of the Food Industry.

Oct 13th, 2023 | 3.5min read

Festive Hot Chocolates and Indulgent Inspirations

Festive Hot Chocolates and Indulgent Inspirations

Bring your customers in from the cold with a range of hot chocolate drinks that will tempt and tantalise their taste buds.

Oct 6th, 2023 | 3.5min read

A Festive Guide to Christmas Hampers

A Festive Guide to Christmas Hampers

Dancer, Prancer, and Hamper: Assembling Chocolate Gift Baskets & Boxes for Christmas.

Sep 29th, 2023 | 3.5min read

Twelve Classic Pastries Every Bakery Needs

Twelve Classic Pastries Every Bakery Needs

Whether you call it a patisserie, a pastry or a pudding, you’re sure to find a few new recipes to tempt your customers with among this list of the most popular pastries.

Sep 26th, 2023 | 3.5min read

Unwrap the Magic with Christmas Confectionery Packaging

Unwrap the Magic with Christmas Confectionery Packaging

Make the Festive Season Bright with Christmas Confectionery Packaging That Ticks All the Right Boxes!

Sep 22nd, 2023 | 3min read

Get Ready For The Festive Season With Stocking Filler Inspiration!

Get Ready For The Festive Season With Stocking Filler Inspiration!

Six great ways to trailblaze with stocking fillers this festive season.

Sep 15th, 2023 | 2.5min read

Chocolate Mousse: A Potted History

Chocolate Mousse: A Potted History

The history of chocolate mousse and how you can add a range of chocolate mousses to your menu with very little effort!

Sep 12th, 2023 | 3min read

Catching Up With Hunters Chocolates

Catching Up With Hunters Chocolates

We caught up with Gary Hunter recently to discuss his newly opened Hunters Academy of Food and all things chocolate.

Sep 8th, 2023 | 2.5min read

Using Colours In Your Christmas Confections

Using Colours In Your Christmas Confections

Yuletide Kaleidoscope: The role of colour in Christmas visuals.

Sep 6th, 2023 | 2.5min read

How to Christmas-ify Your Chocolate Recipes

How to Christmas-ify Your Chocolate Recipes

Add a festive flair to your staple creations and design a Christmas collection of chocolate recipes your customers will crave.

Aug 29th, 2023 | 3.5min read

The Valrhona Cocoa Library: Part One

The Valrhona Cocoa Library: Part One

Join us as we deep dive into the Satilia range from Valrhona, a collection of versatile couverture chocolates with a multitude of uses and flavour pairings.

Aug 22nd, 2023 | 2min read

How a Limited-Edition Autumn/Winter Range Could Boost Your Bakery Sales

How a Limited-Edition Autumn/Winter Range Could Boost Your Bakery Sales

The biggest colour and flavour trends hitting bakeries and coffee shops this Autumn/Winter, and how you can make the most of them!

Aug 11th, 2023 | 3min read

Get the most out of Afternoon Tea Week as a business owner

Get the most out of Afternoon Tea Week as a business owner

Afternoon Tea Week in the UK is 7th - 13th August 2023 and is a delectable opportunity for business owners. We’ll explain how!

Aug 8th, 2023 | 1.5min read

The Baker's Dozen: 13 Ways to Boost Your Bakery Business

The Baker's Dozen: 13 Ways to Boost Your Bakery Business

Thirteen ideas to help you attract customers and boost profits in your bakery business, from baking ingredients to packaging.

Aug 4th, 2023 | 3.5min read

Hobbyist to Professional: Making the Jump

Hobbyist to Professional: Making the Jump

How to Successfully Transition from Hobbyist to Professional Chocolatier, a Beginner's Guide.

Jul 28th, 2023 | 3min read

Valrhona Chocolate Joins the Keylink Range!

Valrhona Chocolate Joins the Keylink Range!

We're proud to announce we're now official stockists of Valrhona chocolate!

Jul 3rd, 2023 | 3min read

The Best Inclusions and Decorations for Your Chocolate Creations

The Best Inclusions and Decorations for Your Chocolate Creations

Turn the volume up to eleven with eye-catching and delicious decorations and inclusions.

Jun 23rd, 2023 | 3min read

The Creamy, The Smooth, and The Crunchy - A Rough Guide on Pairing Textures and Flavours

The Creamy, The Smooth, and The Crunchy - A Rough Guide on Pairing Textures and Flavours

Learn how you can pair chocolate with caramel, nuts, and marshmallow in our newest blog about textures and flavours

Jun 16th, 2023 | 3.5min read

Flavour Profiles - Part Two: Pairing flavours with chocolate

Flavour Profiles - Part Two: Pairing flavours with chocolate

Part two in our series on flavour profiles, highlighting flavour pairings that work well in chocolate.

Jun 9th, 2023 | 2.5min read

The complete range of Cacao Barry cacao powders!

The complete range of Cacao Barry cacao powders!

Discover the full range of Cacao Barry cacao powders and find your new favourite for flavouring, colouring and texturising your creations!

Jun 4th, 2023 | 3.5min read

Flavour Profiles - Part One: How they work and their place in the world of chocolate

Flavour Profiles - Part One: How they work and their place in the world of chocolate

Part one of our blog series on flavour profiles, focusing on how flavours work and their place in the world of chocolate.

May 26th, 2023 | 3.5min read

Point of Sale Items: Making the Most of the Chocolate Shop Experience

Point of Sale Items: Making the Most of the Chocolate Shop Experience

Read more on how selling chocolates at the till can boost sales and the customer experience!

May 19th, 2023 | 3min read

Keep on Trufflin’: The story of Trupig Vegan and Building a Chocolate Business from Scratch

Keep on Trufflin’: The story of Trupig Vegan and Building a Chocolate Business from Scratch

Meet Sheffield's best vegan chocolatiers, Trupig!

May 12th, 2023 | 3.5min read

It's Almost Gelato Weather!

It's Almost Gelato Weather!

It's the time of year when customers are looking for ice cream and gelato treats. Here's how your chocolate business can meet that need.

May 5th, 2023 | 3min read

The Curious Case of The Crunchy Cacao Nib

The Curious Case of The Crunchy Cacao Nib

Introducing the versatile, delicious and nutritious cacao nib. Find out how to use this lesser-known superfood.

Apr 25th, 2023 | 3.5min read

Craving a new colour? Say hello to Roxy & Rich!

Craving a new colour? Say hello to Roxy & Rich!

Meet the new kids on the block, Roxy & Rich, the coolest way to colour your chocolates and confections with coloured cocoa butter.

Apr 18th, 2023 | 3min read

Add a Hole Bunch of Colour to Your Easter and Spring Chocolate Range!

Add a Hole Bunch of Colour to Your Easter and Spring Chocolate Range!

With spring just around the corner filled with warmer weather and longer days, we’re already excited as to what the season has to offer... get ready to be inspired by a range of Easter products and ideas from Keylink!

Feb 2nd, 2023 | 2min read

Chocolate Shelf Life: Your Questions Answered

Chocolate Shelf Life: Your Questions Answered

Chocolate shelf life is always a tricky subject to tackle! So we teamed up with the UK Chocolate Academy for a livestream and answered your questions...

Jan 25th, 2023 | 0.5min read

How No. 12 Chocolatier is Making Profits with Personalisation

How No. 12 Chocolatier is Making Profits with Personalisation

We spoke to Paul North, owner of No. 12 Chocolatier, to learn how the Mayku FormBox has enabled him to create exciting, unique chocolate, and opened up new business opportunities.

Aug 31st, 2022 | 2min read

The Barry Callebaut Salmonella Incident and what Keylink is doing to help

The Barry Callebaut Salmonella Incident and what Keylink is doing to help

While there are some short-term supply chain issues due to the Barry Callebaut salmonella issue at the moment, Keylink is here to help!

Aug 24th, 2022 | 1min read

The Power of Personalisation: How to Create Custom Chocolate Moulds

The Power of Personalisation: How to Create Custom Chocolate Moulds

Personalisation can unlock a whole new stream of revenue for your chocolate business. Learn how to make unique, custom chocolate moulds from the comfort of your home, using the Mayku FormBox!

Aug 16th, 2022 | 2min read

Why Colour is so Important for Chocolate Packaging

Why Colour is so Important for Chocolate Packaging

The colour of packaging accounts for 85% of the reason consumers purchase a product. Find out how you can use colour psychology to sell chocolate!

Jul 26th, 2022 | 2min read

Andrew Thwaite’s Chocolatier Courses: Catering to the North

Andrew Thwaite’s Chocolatier Courses: Catering to the North

Chocolate consultant, Andrew Thwaite, invited us to his ever-growing York Cookery School, where we got the latest on his career and his chocolatier courses.

Jun 29th, 2022 | 2.5min read

What is World Chocolate Day and how is it celebrated?

What is World Chocolate Day and how is it celebrated?

World Chocolate Day is on the 7th July and is a global celebration of all things chocolate! Read on for ideas on how to enjoy all that chocolate has to offer.

Jun 20th, 2022 | 1.5min read

Summer 2022 Chocolate & Bakery Flavour Pairings and Trends

Summer 2022 Chocolate & Bakery Flavour Pairings and Trends

Discover the flavours trending in chocolate and bakery for summer 2022 and how to come up with your own innovative flavour pairings to stand out from the crowd.

Jun 6th, 2022 | 2min read

Our Top Clean Tasting Couverture Chocolates

Our Top Clean Tasting Couverture Chocolates

Clean tasting couverture chocolates are packed with flavour but don’t linger on the tongue after they’ve melted, leaving no sticky or claggy remnants - here’s our top choices!

May 30th, 2022 | 1min read

What is ‘Clean Tasting’ Chocolate?

What is ‘Clean Tasting’ Chocolate?

What is ‘clean tasting’ chocolate, and how can a confectionery business utilise it? In this article, you’ll find the answers to help you enrich your products.

May 23rd, 2022 | 2.5min read

Why Gelato and FrappShakes Could Boost your Business Revenue

Why Gelato and FrappShakes Could Boost your Business Revenue

With summers getting longer and hotter, gelato and FrappShakes are an enticing option for chocolatiers looking to generate extra revenue and extend their client base.

May 16th, 2022 | 2min read

How to Make the Most of a Summer in Chocolate

How to Make the Most of a Summer in Chocolate

Historically, sales in chocolate experience a bit of a slump over the summer months. Our top 5 tips are here to help you boost your sales over summer!

May 9th, 2022 | 2min read

Striking Gold: A Conversation with Bullion Chocolate

Striking Gold: A Conversation with Bullion Chocolate

Max Scotford, of Bullion Chocolate, found some time to have a chat with us about all things craft, chocolate, community, and business - here’s the conversation.

May 3rd, 2022 |

The Royal History of Chocolate - An Expensive Taste

The Royal History of Chocolate - An Expensive Taste

Let's take a look at chocolate’s royal history; a story of power, politics, and status.

Apr 24th, 2022 |

5 DIY Home Baking Kits… without all the stress!

5 DIY Home Baking Kits… without all the stress!

There’s no simpler way to ignite (or fuel) a passion for baking than with home baking kits. We’ve compiled 5 chocolatey baking kits your customers will love!

Apr 11th, 2022 | 2min read

Welcoming Spring with Seasonal Flavour & Colour Trends

Welcoming Spring with Seasonal Flavour & Colour Trends

2022’s chocolate trends are set to shake your taste buds out of hibernation, with packaging beautiful enough to make an April shower feel like a stroll in May!

Mar 1st, 2022 | 5min read

Mother’s Day 2022: Facts, Figures & Great Ideas

Mother’s Day 2022: Facts, Figures & Great Ideas

Over the past few years, UK consumer expenditure for Mother’s Day gifts fluctuated drastically. What can the confectionery industry expect for Mother’s Day 2022?

Feb 21st, 2022 | 3.5min read

Contact Us

Keylink Limited
Unit 1A
31 East Industrial Estate
Kingfisher Way
Dinnington
Sheffield S25 3AF
UK

Get Directions

+44 (0)114 245 5400

sales@keylink.org

Products

Filling & Flavourings

Inclusions & Decorations

Ice Cream & Gelato

Moulds & Equipment

Resources

Beginners Guides

Legislation & Guidelines

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About Us

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Non-UK Customers

Easter Delivery Times

Keylink Limited

Keylink Limited
Unit 1A
31 East Industrial Estate
Kingfisher Way
Dinnington
Sheffield S25 3AF
UK

Get Directions

+44 (0)114 245 5400

sales@keylink.org

Filling & Flavourings

Inclusions & Decorations

Ice Cream & Gelato

Moulds & Equipment

Beginners Guides

Legislation & Guidelines

Chocolate Courses

Digital Brochures

Discount Structure

Keylink Certification

Non-UK Customers

Easter Delivery Times