EX-CHELSEA forward Salomon Kalou, 39, has stunned fans by revealing his new venture – running a chocolate business.
The former Ivory Coast international, best known for helping the Blues lift the Champions League in 2012, has traded boots for sweet treats.
His brand is called Oume, named after his birthplace in the Ivory Coast with Kalou keen to emphasise the importance of his homeland in the chocolate world.
He told The Telegraph in an interview: “My uncle had a cocoa farm, and I grew up around the farm.
“We went to school and at the weekend we would be helping him.
“Growing up, I don’t remember eating chocolate and didn’t know what it was.
“It was expensive more of a privilege for people who can afford to buy it.
“People don’t know that what they produce on their farms is used for chocolate.
“But we (Ivory Coast) contribute a big percentage of the world’s production. We also have great footballers.“
The surprise career move has raised a few eyebrows among fans who remember the pacy winger’s dazzling runs down the Stamford Bridge flanks – not cocoa beans and hand-tempered truffles.
Kalou, who also enjoyed spells at Lille, Hertha Berlin and Botafogo, says he hopes to one day see his chocolate in some of the UK’s most prestigious shops.
He added: “One day I’d like to see Oume in Waitrose, Selfridges, or Harrods. That would be a proud moment.
“It is a tough market with the price of cocoa increasing due to extreme weather and under-investment.”
The Ivorian started and won the Champions League final with Chelsea in 2012, making a total of 254 appearances for the Blues.
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