Purdys Chocolatier is expanding into the Maritimes with four new locations in New Brunswick and Nova Scotia set to open Sept. 4, including two pop-up shops and a permanent Halifax location planned for early 2027.
The family-owned Canadian chocolate company will open stores at Regent Mall in Fredericton and Champlain Place in Dieppe, N.B., along with pop-up locations at Mic Mac Mall in Dartmouth, N.S., and Halifax Shopping Centre. The Halifax Shopping Centre location is expected to become a permanent storefront in early 2027.
“Bringing Purdys Chocolatier to the Maritimes has been a long time in the making, and we’re thrilled to finally share our official opening date,” says Kriston Dean, Chief Operating Officer at Purdys Chocolatier. “The support we’ve received from chocolate lovers across the Maritimes has been incredibly meaningful, and we can’t wait to welcome the community into our shops. We have so many exciting things planned for opening weekend – from exclusive giveaways to our highly anticipated Share Joy, Share Chocolate pop-up – and we can’t wait to celebrate this milestone together with the Maritimes community.”
In a previous interview with Retail Insider, Dean said the brand has experienced incredible warmth and enthusiasm from its online shoppers and fundraising communities in the Maritimes.
“This expansion has been a long time in the making, and we are so deeply grateful for the support that got us here. After years of requests for local shops, we knew it was time to give Maritimers a physical shop to enjoy our beloved chocolates,” she said.
“It’s the first time going east of Ontario. So we’re very excited. It’s been a long time coming, quite frankly. Our customers out there have been very loud. And obviously, being Canada’s chocolatier, we want to be coast to coast. This is the first time we’re opening physical stores in the Maritimes.
“We’re going into market with four locations right out of the gate and we’ve already scouted and anticipate more openings there after this initial four.
“We already have a very established loyal following. We can see that from our other channel sales. But we also see a lot of similarities in habits of chocolate consumption and gifting, really. And we see the feeling from the Maritimes, from all of our customers there, is that they are looking for premium chocolate gifts. So we want to be able to provide that for them.
“We think the market is really a good fit to who our core customers are in other provinces, and so we’re very hopeful. And from all the excitement we’ve heard so far, we think these are going to be really successful openings. And that’s the reason to go in with four. We’re so confident we’re not starting with one; we’re going in with four.”
The new locations will sell Purdys products including Hedgehogs and Sweet Georgia Browns, as well as gift boxes developed specifically for the Maritime market.
The company plans to mark the openings with complimentary chocolate samples and giveaways during the Labour Day weekend. The first 50 customers at each location who spend at least $50 will receive a Purdys tote bag, while the first 100 visitors at each shop during opening weekend will receive a collectible Hedgehogs keychain.
Purdys will also operate a “Share Joy, Share Chocolate” brand activation at the Halifax Waterfront from Sept. 4 to 6 and at Champlain Place from Sept. 11 to 13.
The installation will be designed as a large replica of a Purdys Classics Gift Box and will offer complimentary Hedgehogs samples. Visitors will also be able to leave messages on a “Share a Moment of Joy” interactive wall.
The first 10 people each day of each activation who leave a message on the wall will receive a collectible Hedgehogs keychain.
Visitors who leave a message and provide their email address will receive a coupon code offering a complimentary chocolate for both themselves and a loved one when they visit a Purdys shop. The email registration will also enter them into a contest to win complimentary chocolate for a year.
Purdys said one email registration provides access to both the coupon and contest entry, with a note on the interactive wall and an email sign-up required to participate.
The expansion adds a new regional market for the Vancouver-based company, which has operated as a family-owned business since 1907. The company said its chocolates are made using premium ingredients and 100 per cent sustainable cocoa. Today it has 84 permanent stores open.
Purdys also operates a Purple Partnerships initiative and Seasonal Fundraising Program, which it says are intended to support community organizations and other causes.
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