The Chocolate Corner

A unique project !

Never before, these top 4 chocolate brands joined forces
Godiva, Guylian, Neuhaus and Barry Callebaut team up to showcase our amazing and unique craftsmanship:no-one makes pralines and artisanal chocolate like Belgians do.

"Barry Callebaut, Godiva, Guylian and Neuhaus are leading home-grown Belgian chocolate brands. They're known for their high quality chocolate products and they share a passion for taste, quality and craftsmanship. Their partnership is a fantastic way of showing off the entire Belgian chocolate sector: not only will they be generous with their own chocolate creations, but will also make room for local artisan chocolatiers. It's admirable that these big names are investing in the entire Belgian chocolate sector."
Leo Delcroix, Belgian commissioner general for Shanghai 2010.

GODIVA

The Draps family opens a craftsman workshop in Brussels, supplying the best establishments of the capital. Joseph Draps would develop his talents as a master chocolatier there as well as his vision for a top luxury brand for connaisseurs the world over.
Joseph opened the doors to his shop on a cobblestone street on Grande Place . He named his family's chocolate company "Godiva". Draps perfected a unique formula of rich chocolate with unparalleled smoothness. With a remarkable eye for detail, he set forth the standard for Godiva's innovative selection of elegant designs and beautiful packaging.
Through the years, these standards have been maintained as assiduously as Draps' recipes have been guarded. As a result of this adherence to Draps heritage, Godiva Chocolates evoke the greatest in confectionery excellence. The same careful attention to quality is apparent in the exquisite belgian-style gold ballotins and seasonal packaging that have earned Godiva a reputation for design excellence.
It is the true passion for chocolate innovation and luxury combined with a truly memorable experience contained in each mouthful which has made Godiva legendary and which has been rewarded with an appointment as official supplier to the Royal Court of Belgium.

For more information: www.godiva.be

GUYLIAN

Company’s History
The story of Chocolaterie Guylian began in 1960 with the marriage of Guy Foubert to Liliane. Hence the company name 'Guylian', created by combining the first names of the bride and groom (Guy and Liliane). At that time Guy and Liliane had a small production unit at home, producing pralines and truffles which they sold to the local chocolate shops at the Belgian Coast.

Born in 1938, the son of a Sint-Niklaas baker, Guy Foubert developed his skills at the Antwerp School of Confectionery and Patisserie. His great talent for making truffles and pralines was soon noticed.

How the chocolate seashell was born
Business went well, and Guylian felt something new was needed, a new creation. Guylian came up with the idea of making chocolates in the shape of seashells. This heralded the start of a worldwide success story.

Guylian goes worldwide
Guylian succeeded in producing the chocolate Sea Shells in large quantities without changing the original recipe. In 1998 Guylian received the Belgian Export Award thanks to Guylian's contribution and achievement in the export of chocolates made in Belgium. Therefore the company is proud to be considered as Ambassador for Belgian Chocolates.

For more information: www.guylian.be

NEUHAUS

In 1912, Jean Neuhaus junior, grandson of the founder, took over the business. He gave free rein to his creativity and invented the first filled chocolate bouchée, which he named "praline".

In 1915, with the help of his wife, Louise Agostini, he created a box, specially designed to hold pralines in an elegant and delicately protective way. This box was the ballotin, and it replaced the paper cones that were used up till that time but in which the pralines were easily damaged.

In 1937, the Bonbon 13 and Astrid were invented. They are among our oldest recipes and are still among the flagship products in our range. The praline Astrid was created as a tribute to Queen Astrid, so much loved by the Belgian people.

1958 saw the creation of many new pralines, among them, Caprice and Tentation, which were introduced at the World Expo in Brussels.

In 1958 and 1960, Belgium celebrated the marriages of King Baudouin and Fabiola and of Prince Albert with Paola. To commemorate these occasions Neuhaus created 4 royal pralines named Baudouin, Fabiola, Albert and Paola.

For more information: www.neuhaus.be

BARRY CALLEBAUT

In 1996 the Belgian chocolate producer Callebaut and the French chocolate company Cacao Barry joined forces, creating a new company called Barry Callebaut. Both Cacao Barry and Callebaut were widely recognized in the food industry as reliable suppliers of high-quality products and as dependable business partners for thousands of wholesale and retail specialists in the chocolate industry. The merger combined Cacao Barry’s know-how in procurement and initial processing of cocoa beans with Callebaut’s extensive experience in producing and marketing chocolate products.