Belgian Chocolate - Chocolate from Belgium

Belgian Chocolate conquers hearts worldwide

Around the globe, everyone thinks they know that Belgian Chocolate is the best Chocolate. But what makes Belgian Chocolate special?

The good reputation of Belgian Chocolate is based on two inventions from Belgium from over 100 years ago: filled Pralines and the ballotin, the classic chocolate wrapper. The Swiss pharmacist Jean Casanova settled in Belgium and changed his name there from Casanova to Neuhaus. He sweetened his bitter medicine there with a layer Chocolate. His grandson developed the idea further and instead of medicine coated delicious fillings with his Chocolate. Thus was born in 1912 the Belgian Pralines, which to this day establishes the reputation of Belgian Chocolate as good quality.

Louise Agostini, the wife of Jean Neuhaus Jr invented in 1915 the "Ballotin", the classic elegant transport packaging for Pralines.

Certainly, even today there are very good manufacturers in Belgium who produce top quality. There are, for example, the praline manufacturers Marcolini, Witamer and Gerbaud, which you should definitely visit when you are in Brussels!

However, there is also the world's largest manufacturer of supermarket chocolate, which is located in Belgium: Cacao Barry or Barry Callebaut. Probably only insiders know the name, because it does not produce its own brands, but it produces Chocolate from the cocoa beans and then delivers it to the manufacturers, who then pour the Chocolate into bars, add ingredients and then colorfully advertise it. About 40% of the world's Chocolate comes from Barry and then finds its way onto supermarket shelves. Even praline makers you might know as downtown chain stores use the inexpensive mass-produced couverture for their creations.

You can find good Belgian Chocolate in selected specialist shops.