Chocolaterie Guylian, world famous for its chocolate sea shells, is carrying out a thorough modernisation. The chocolate with hazelnut praliné, sold across four continents and in 120 countries, now comes in new packaging and with an upgraded recipe. Guylian is also taking its responsibility regarding sustainability seriously and has the ambition to be the sustainability leader in the chocolate industry.
After almost 60 years of conquering the world, the Guylian brand is in need of a metamorphosis, in more ways than one. “By changing our design and brand, we also want to introduce a broader target group to the unrivalled taste of our premium Belgian chocolate,” says Tom Snick, CEO of Guylian. “The packaging will have a more contemporary and fresh design, while retaining the luxurious look.”
From relaunch, Guylian will offer a selected limited curated range, which will be available all year round. The focus is on the seashells and seahorses, as well as on the ‘Temptations’ (individually wrapped seahorses) and our range of 100g premium bars. In addition, Guylian will be launching themed packaging around the key gifting occasions of Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, Easter and Christmas. Finally, the packaging for the duty-free channel will also get a makeover. The new packaging will be available in store from April.
Pioneering in sustainability
As one of the most influential names in the Belgian chocolate industry, Guylian also has a responsibility to strive for a better planet for future generations. That is why it puts sustainability high on the agenda. “We want to set the tone for all chocolate brands with these developments” says Tom Snick. “Guylian consciously chooses a pioneering role by going completely for sustainability in terms of raw materials, packaging, CO2 emissions and Fairtrade.”
For example, Guylian commits to working 100 per cent with Fairtrade cocoa. It offers its suppliers a guarantee of a fixed cocoa price and, in one fell swoop, becomes the largest global brand of Belgian Fairtrade chocolate in the world. In addition, all new packaging has been designed to be fully recyclable. Guylian is also looking into ways of further reducing its use of paper and plastic. Since the start of this year, the production site in Sint-Niklaas is fully climate neutral. This means that CO2 emissions have been reduced to the lowest possible level and all other emissions are compensated. Finally, palm oil and soya are no longer used in the production process in order to prevent deforestation.
Improved, less sweet taste
The innovation at Guylian, which has led to both a new look and feel and a much more sustainable approach, has also had an impact on the time-honoured recipe. The blending of dark, white and milk chocolate and the praliné filling is what makes Guylian’s Sea Shells such a success. Guylian uses hazelnuts, which will be roasted in their shells to give Guylian products an even more intense and irresistible taste.
“All our hazelnuts are roasted in-house“, explains Ludwig De Kesel, Master Chocolatier of Guylian. “We opt for the best quality hazelnuts of a minimum size. By roasting them in their shell, they give our praliné filling a strong and unique hazelnut flavour, which also tastes less sweet.”
Continuing growth
With these innovations and sustainable plans, Guylian plans to continue its growth. “Our strong brand awareness and iconic product have long been the strength of our brand,” concludes Tom Snick. “By giving it a modern twist, we want to appeal to a wider audience and become brand loved by all. Belgian chocolate is known in all corners of the world and appeals to all markets. At Guylian, we produce 800 million chocolates a year, and they travel all over the world. But with this modernisation of our brand, our unique chocolate and our strong commitment to sustainability, we want capitalise on our position as the world’s favourite Belgian chocolate.”
Media contact
Roshini Bains,
Editor, International Confectionery
Tel: +44 (0) 1622 823 922
Email: editor@in-confectionery.com
