About Us

Born from tradition and shaped by nature, Patagonia Chocolates was inspired by a visit to Queenstown that reminded founders Alex Gimenez and Lorena Giallonardo of Patagonia, Argentina, their homeland.

Missing from the bustling tourist town was a local chocolate shop, so they decided to bring a taste of Patagonia to New Zealand, starting in Arrowtown with a focus on handcrafted chocolates made from high quality ingredients.

Patagonia Chocolates now has four stores around Queenstown, Arrowtown and Wanaka, with chocolate shops and cafes serving handmade chocolates, ice creams, baked goods, coffee, and desserts.

Their recipes blend Argentinian and Italian heritage with locally sourced ingredients and often a Kiwi twist. Every product is crafted with care through processes like chocolate tempering and coffee roasting, showcasing their craft and commitment to quality.

Each product tells a story of family, tradition, flavour, and love for sharing something truly special.

Take a scroll through the history books of Patagonia Chocolates.

2005

Patagonia Chocolates is established

Patagonia Chocolates opens its first store in a small lane off Buckingham Street, Arrowtown in July.

The store quickly gains popularity, leading to the opening of a second location just months later—this time on the Queenstown lakefront. The now-iconic Hot Chocolate is introduced.

2006

Introduce the Dessert Restaurant

The dessert house concept is launched at the Queenstown store, offering extended evening hours for those late-night sweet cravings. The addition of the chocolate fondue is a must for anyone wanting dessert in Queenstown.

2007

Arrowtown Opening

A third store opens on Ramshaw Lane, marking the start of on-site production of handmade ice creams and sorbets in Arrowtown.

2009

Queenstown Airport Opening

A kiosk opens at Queenstown International Airport, serving up coffee, chocolates, and ice cream, giving travellers another chance to enjoy Patagonia Chocolates.

2010

Patagonia ‘On the Go’

Patagonia ‘On the Go’ makes its debut—a fully self-contained food truck serving coffee, juices, smoothies, and ice cream at events across the region.

2011

Arrowtown Menu Update

The Ramshaw Lane store is upgraded to include a sit-down café, offering a full breakfast and dessert menu.

2012

Wanaka Opening

In September, the first Wanaka store opens on Ardmore Street. It is home to the on-site coffee roaster and production of the signature Patagonia Chocolates coffee blend begins.

2014

New Airport Cafe

The Queenstown Airport kiosk evolves into a full-service café, including a new range of savoury items exclusive to the airport location.

2015

Online Store

The first website launches, making it possible to order Patagonia Chocolate’s signature chocolates and coffee online.

2015

Air New Zealand Partnership

A major corporate partnership with Air New Zealand launches, gifting custom Alfajores boxes to 50,000 Air New Zealand Elite members around the world.

2016

New Queenstown Store

The flag-ship store opens the Ice Creamery & Chocolaterie on Rees Street, Queenstown.

It features the full menu plus new experiences like “create your own ice cream sticks” and a chef’s cabinet of decadent desserts.

Upstairs, a lounge with panoramic mountain views is transformed into an open-viewing kitchen where customers can watch chocolates being made by hand.

2018

Introduction of the Pantry Line

With growing demand to enjoy Patagonia Chocolates signature ingredients at home, The Pantry line is introduced—featuring jars of butter cookies and hand-mixed dulce de leche.

2020

Kate Sylvester Collaboration

New Zealand fashion icon, Kate Sylvester, spends a day in our chocolate room to co-create a range of chocolate flavours inspired by her upcoming summer collection. The limited-edition chocolates are packaged in custom-designed boxes and launched in tandem with the release of her new seasonal line.

2020

Lockdown Ice Cream

To ensure our customers are still well equipped with their favourite Patagonia Chocolates Ice Creams during lockdowns, a selection of pre-packaged ice cream tubs to enjoy at home are launched. Using the scenery from the Southern Lakes as inspiration, Wellington based artist, Hannah Schickedanz is commissioned to illustrate the packaging.

2021

Pride Collection

As proud supporters of the LGBTIQ+ community, the Pride Collection is launched—celebrating diversity through flavour and purpose. It introduced two standout additions to our lineup: Ruby Chocolate (the fourth chocolate) and Gold Chocolate. A portion of proceeds from each jar is donated to Rainbow Youth, a charity that supports Aotearoa’s queer, gender-diverse, takatāpui, and intersex youth.

2022

Specialty Bar Collection Launches

The new tablet range features cocoa sourced from small, sustainable plantations around the world, including Madirofolo in northern Madagascar and Alto El Sol in Peru.

2023

Supreme Champion Boutique Award

Hazelnut Cremino is crowned the Supreme Champion Boutique Award at the NZ Ice Cream & Gelato Awards, New Zealand's highest accolade for boutique ice cream. Chief Judge Jackie Matthews praised the in-house roasted, New Zealand-grown hazelnuts as 'superbly crafted' and 'simply stunning'.

2024

The Orchard

Patagonia Chocolates completes the acquisition of a Clyde orchard, securing access to locally grown produce and a base to centralise all production lines.

2025

20 Year Anniversary

Patagonia Chocolates celebrates 20 years—with four stores, an online shop, and a legacy of handcrafted excellence from the heart of the Southern Alps.