http://www.coocooforcocoa.com/chocolates/belgian.html Belgian chocolates are famous for their quality and exquisite taste- find out who are the leading producers of Belgian chocolates. en-us Tue, 19 Jun 2007 12:54:49 EDT Tue, 19 Jun 2007 12:54:49 EDT Weblog Editor 2.0 Belgian chocolates- a classic favorite When we hear chocolate, many of us immediately think of Belgian chocolates. They are known throughout the world for their quality and distinctive tastes. It was in Belgium that the now famous praline and the distinctive box that they come in were invented. And the country continues to this day to produce Belgian chocolates with the same high standards that they have always stuck by. Many of the original makers of the first Belgian chocolates still manufacture their confections to this day. A sampling of Belgium's famous chocolate producers The Guylian company was started more than 30 years ago by Guy and Liliane Foubert and they are now the leading manufacturer of Belgian chocolates. They are sold in more than 132 countries worldwide and the market for them in constantly growing. They produce more than 75 tons of Belgian chocolates each day just to satisfy the demand for their products. Another of the world's top producers is Leonidas. It might not share all of the fame that other companies enjoy, but they are known for their high quality as well. They were actually started by a confectioner in the U.S. by the name of Leonidas Kestekides who was of Greek descent. In 1910 he travelled to the World's Fair in Brussels as part of a Greek delegation and was awarded both a bronze and a gold medal for his chocolate confections and his patisserie. He meets and falls in love with a Belgian women and after marrying her, decided to settle in Belgium where he opens tea-rooms in Brussels, Ghent, and Blankenberge. Th rest is history, including a quaint little shop in the heart of midtown Manhattan. There are a few companies that still are located in and produced in Belgium. The high quality of their ingredients and the processes by which they are produced have not changed, making them some of the most sought after and celebrated makers of fine chocolates. Tue, 19 Jun 2007 12:54:49 EDT