Guylian unveils key brand revamp, amid major ISM showcase

Chocolaterie Guylian, known for its praline chocolate sea shells, has undertaken a key revamp of its brand, as the business displayed its latest series at this year’s ISM event.

Visitors to the Cologne last week had the chance to view the company’s latest range, with the business now exporting its series to a total of 120 countries.

Its chocolate shells will now come in new packaging and with an upgraded recipe where responsibility regarding sustainability is at the forefront. Guylian has the ambition to be a leader of sustainability in the chocolate industry.

After almost 60 years, the Guylian brand is in need of a metamorphosis, and “By changing our design and brand, we also want to introduce a broader target group to the unrivalled taste of our premium Belgian chocolate,” said 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 its 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 shops from April.

As one of the most widely known names in the Belgian chocolate industry, Guylian also has a responsibility, says the company, 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,” said 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 only with Fairtrade cocoa and it offers its suppliers a guarantee of a fixed cocoa price. 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.

The modernisation at Guylian, which has led to both a new look 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 popular. According to Guylian, it only uses the best hazelnuts, which will be roasted in their shells to give its products an even more intense and irresistible taste.

“All our hazelnuts are roasted in-house”, explained 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.”

With these innovations and sustainable plans, Guylian strives to continue its growth. “Our strong brand awareness and iconic product have long been the strength of our brand,” concluded Tom Snick. “By giving it a modern twist, we want to appeal to a wider audience and a 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.”