Last updated at 14:38, Tuesday, 05 July 2011

A NEW addition to Ulverston town centre is offering customers all manner of chocolate and coffee that cannot be bought in supermarkets.

NEW VENTURE: Kristina Henshall outside her new confectionery and coffee shop in Market Street, Ulverston JON GRANGER REF: 50020413B000

Self-confessed coffee addict Kristina Henshall has opened a confectioners, called Samovar, in Market Street.

The 32-year-old Russian wanted to create a business that provided specialty products she found were unavailable in South Cumbria.

Mrs Henshall, who is finishing a course at Furness College to become an accountant technician, said: “I decided to go and find something different, something you will not find in another shop or choclatier in Cumbria.

“I’m a coffee addict. I love my coffee, so I decided to sell coffee as well. I decided I either have to do it 100 per cent, or I don’t do it at all. So I purchased coffee dispensers which cost a fortune.”

Samovar offers 36 different flavoured coffee beans from places such as Costa Rica, Colombia and Italy.

Mrs Henshall, who wants to train to be a chartered accountant, said: “We are more into Italian because it’s the best around the world, in my opinion – by strength, by flavour, by everything.”

Mrs Henshall, who met husband Alan working in the oil industry, sells instant coffee and variants such as antioxidant, plus diabetic coffee and chocolate. English teas are also in stock.

All the chocolates on sale are hand-made and not factory-made.

The array of chocolate adorning the shelves includes nougat, Turkish delight, fondants, fudge, marzipan, drinking chocolate, and varieties such as chilli, mint and nut chocolate.

Some of the most exclusive chocolates on sale can only be found in Harrod’s or duty free outlets.

Mrs Henshall, who came up with the shop’s fascia design, which was painted by traditional sign writer Ian Whiteoak, said: “I know it’s a very tiny shop, but we have got a lot of items covered.

“I’m an accountant. I just decided to open the shop because it’s something you can’t buy in the supermarket or around here.

“The coffees I like are all hand-made and high quality. When you to the supermarket, you can buy coffee for 99p, which, to me, is physically impossible. So I’ve decided to have a go myself.”

First published at 13:03, Tuesday, 05 July 2011
Published by http://www.nwemail.co.uk