Choco-Laté is a chocolate festival like no other. The trade fair for chocolate professionals and the place to go for everyone who is mad about chocolate. For three days you can see the best chocolatiers, bakers, pastry chefs and top chefs live at work, sample boundary shifting chocolate creations, admire sculptors and body painters who work with chocolate and get acquainted with the latest chocolate trends. And then there is naturally also chocolate wellness, fair trade and the international Chocolate Competition. The little ones can let their hair down in the Choco Kids village. A chocolate paradise full of goodies and finger-licking workshops. In short, heaven on Earth for chocoholics.
From 11 to 13 November, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Belfort
More info: www.choco-late.be
06/11/2011 - 08/12/2011 At the end of the Middle Ages, a few Bruges families were looking to new horizons to drive trade. They imported cane sugar from Madeira and when Spanish explorers brought back cocoa in the 16th century, it was quickly mixed with cane sugar. It was already written in stone that Bruges would grow into the chocolate capital. Today, so many centuries later, Bruges is still the chocolate Mecca. A reputation that it fully honours with Choc’in Brugge!
Choc'in Brugge
22/01/2011 So it's a whole new Choco-Story museum that is waiting to greet you
The modernisation of Choco-Story
We closed the Choco-Story museum for the first two weeks of 2011 in order to do alterations to make it bigger and more modern.
28/06/2010 We had more than 40 participants. It was nice to see that most chocolates are figures packed in colored silver paper. They are exhibited in a show case in the museum. The 3 oldest chocolates were :
Prague
The Choco-Story museum in Prague Czech Rep. organized also a competition, to find the oldest chocolates still in their original packaging.
04/02/2010 In our museum we show the 4000 year long history of cocoa and that of chocolate. We have almost 1000 antique objects, explained by more than 80 text panels spread over 3 floors. We also simplified about 25 panels for the kids. At the end of the visit the demonstration and tasting surprise the visitors.
Choco-Story in Paris !
We have opened our 3rd chocolate museum : Choco-Story in Paris.
04/04/2009 Free entrance. Some photographies show the
Exhibit in Scherpenheuvel
Choco-Story participates with 3 showcases of old chocolate moulds to the egg exhibition taking place from 5 till 19 April in the Barokgang behind the basilica of Scherpenheuvel.
22/03/2009 During those 5 years we welcomed over 500.000 visitors and we built a Choco-Center and extended the demo-center. We opened a second museum in Prague and organized 2 chocolate festivals, Choco-Laté in Bruges. The third edition will take place this year from 1 – 4th of May in the medieval halls of the Belfort. The whole Choco-Story team is ready for the next 5 years. We already plan following novelties : Choco-Story is improving all the time. Come and find out by yourselves.
Choco-Story celebrates its 5 years of existence
On Sunday the 22nd of March Choco-Story celebrated its 5 years of existence.
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we will soon install a special visit for the kids based on cartoons
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in the Choco-Center we will organize special courses, workshops and teambuildings
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we will have from June on a Choco-lunch from Monday until Thursday with chocolate drinks, chocolate spreads,
brioche type breads and a film on the origin of cacao from Mexico and explanations about the existing varieties of cocoa and chocolate.
17/02/2009 A certain number of Belgian chocolate producers have elaborated and signed a Code on the protection of the indication of the origin of Belgian products and against the misleading of the consumers concerning the country of origin and the quality of such products. The contracting parties agree for their products manufactured in Belgium that a reference to Belgian chocolate or Belgian pralines can only be made if all the chocolate used is Belgian. The contracting parties undertake not to use for their products manufactured outside of Belgium any indications contrary to good faith which could create among the consumers either by texts or illustrations the misleading impression that the finished chocolate product was manufactured in Belgium. “Belgian chocolate” is chocolate of which the complete process of mixing, refining and conching are done in Belgium. “Belgian products” are foods made in Belgium with Belgian chocolate. Company names and brands which contain or represent Belgian geographical names, Belgian locations, typical Belgian symbols (flags, Manneken Pis,…) typical Belgian sceneries (Atomium,…) or typical Belgian public figures (Royal Family, …) are not permitted for products The contracting parties undertake to intervene jointly against third parties who use in Belgium or in foreign countries on their packaging or in their advertising texts or illustrations which constitute a misleading reference to Belgium as the country of origin
Belgian Chocolate Code
21/09/2008
Prague
The largest collection of chocolate wrappers in the world is in Prague, where Choco-Story recently opened its second museum.
A sample of this very large collection brought together by Mr. Stanislav Kramsky and his wife Yvona is shown in our museum.
Mr. Kramsky has been collecting wrappers from chocolate bars since 1964.
Today his impressive collection is composed of :
Hereunder some photos taken with Mr. Stanislav Kramsky at the occasion of Eddy Van Belle from Choco-Story’s visit to the cave or better said room of treasures.
01/06/2008 Several very experienced chefs also participated in this event which was centred around the end-user; lovers of good food. The organisers of the event also linked it to the three local specialities which all start with the letter A in Dutch, and that is why it is called AAA, that is strawberries (aardbei), asparagus and anchovies. Thanks to the collaboration of Dominique Persoone, a chocolate maker of high reputation who lives in Bruges, The Chocolate Line, who made the chocolates filled with these three ingredients and the company Belcolade-Puratos who made the Sensobus available, it was possible to present to the public three different sorts of praline each containing a special filling made from strawberries, asparagus and anchovies. After having tasted the pralines in the bus, the public then voted for the chocolate they liked best. By 4 pm on Sunday, the sensory analysis computer program developed by Belcolade-Puratos was able to give out the results. First choice went to the praline with the asparagus filling with 46.3% of votes, the anchovy filling took second place with 27.4% and the strawberry filling got 26.3% of votes. It is remarkable to note that many of the inhabitants of Bergen op Zoom particularly liked the anchovy filling and indeed preferred it to the two others, whilst the visitors generally preferred one or other of the fillings. Choco-Story had a stand at the event where the Swans of Bruges chocolates, filled with the famous “gruut” (a blend of spices) were on show, as well as two chocolate fountains where you could dip strawberries and a mini Choco-Story museum with information boards and a certain number of ancient objects. Numerous visitors came to the event and the general impression was very positive. This will certainly be repeated in the future.
Proefmei at Bergen op Zoom on 30th and 31st May and 1st June 2008
Choco-Story took part in the Proefmei culinary event which took place at Bergen op Zoom.
10/02/2008
The Oldest Piece of
Chocolate
Choco-Story presented the
prizes to the winners of "the oldest piece of chocolate"
competition at the opening ceremony of the Bruges chocolate
market.
prize (€500) was
awarded to Gilberte Dom from Wevelgem with a chocolate bar from
26 June 1902
Second prize (€250) was
awarded to Schepen Roose with a splendid bar from 1 January
1915, a present from Queen Elisabeth to her grandfather, a
Belgian soldier, with the inscription "to the brave Belgian
soldiers."
Third prize (€125) went to Guy Moureau from
Thimister for a small Aiglon bar dating from 1924.
We received 78 entries in all.
These will be on display in the covered (interior) courtyard of Choco-Story until 31 May 2008.
The first chocolate market ever was held in Bruges in the Garemijnzaal next to the Belfry on 9 and 10 February.
There were 38 stallholders, and most chocolate makers in Bruges were present with their products and specialities.
The market attracted more than 700 visitors.
There was a pleasant
atmosphere and incredible fellowship among the stallholders,
with a real immersion in wondrous chocolate products for
visitors, right before Saint Valentine's.
For more foto's, click here.
31/01/2008
Dormouse
The Federation of the
Dormouse, in the district of St Jozef, Bruges, asked Choco-Story
to make a giant statue of a dormouse out of chocolate.
Freddy De Waele was put in charge of the project.
To start with, the block
weighed160 kg and once it was finished the dormouse still
weighed 140 g.
The children were able to enjoy eating the chocolate and the
sale of small chocolate dormice was a great success.
The funds collected were destined for children in need and they
were therefore able to share in the treat too.
24/01/2008
A chocolate market in Bruges on 9th and 10th February
Come to this unique event, a chocolate market in Bruges, the chocolate city, in the Garemijnhall next to the Belfort (on the Market square), on 9th and 10th February from 10 A.M. till 6 P.M.
More than 30 chocolatiers from Bruges, will show their specialities.
The Groene Poorte School
demonstrates.
Live cooking by renowned chefs.
Choco-Story, the Chocolate Museum, displays the results of the oldest chocolate competition.
The results of the drawing competition between local schools,
The swans will fly under balloons over the court-yard.
Come and taste and try Belgian chocolates in Bruges.
It is an ideal timing for your Valentine gifts.
All benefits go to a
special fund.
24/08/2007
Competition of Miss
Belgium
The candidates for the competition of Miss Belgium for
the province of West Flanders visited Choco-Story.
01/05/2007
Tales for the youngest.
Christine Thielert a member of the Choco-Story team, has written 2 tales for young kids:
Amandine, the
little praline
The brothers Choclala.
These tales are sold at 2 € in the shop of the museum, 1 € going to the "Make a Wish" foundation.
10/04/2007
"Creations" competition
Students/schools
category:
Gold: Sint Godelieve Instituut Brugge
Silver: Stijn Orinx
Bronze: Dries Spruydt
Amateur
category:
Gold: Peter Tyberghien
The amateurs
apparently have less experience of transporting
chocolate. Several items did not survive the journey.
Only one item arrived in one piece. Fortunately it was
magnificent and very original.
The organisers of Choco-Laté want to use this competition to increase interest among young people in chocolate and the profession of chocolate-maker.
It is a magnificent profession which involves not only working chocolate, a noble product, but also an opportunity to give free rein to your creativity.
To sell your creations successfully, you must also confront the promotion campaigns of the major manufacturers. You must therefore attach considerable importance to the layout of the shop, packaging and customer service.
The profession of
chocolate-maker is a wonderful profession with numerous
aspects and possibilities.
13/12/2006
Choco-Laté 2007
The second edition of Choco-Laté, the chocolate festival in Bruges, will take place this year from the 6th until the 10th of April.
To meet the exhibitors' requests the festival will extend this year into all the halls of the site Oud Sint Jan and also take place in the Beurshal (near 't Zand).
This second edition will hence be even more exciting and mouth-watering for the numerous visitors.
As to put the whole of the city of Bruges in the chocolate mood, a competition has been organized amongst the restaurants of Bruges.
The best starter, main course and desert, prepared with cocoa or chocolate, received the "Golden Cocoa Fruit" reward, a bronze artwork made by artist Claude Rahir.
- Restaurant Rock-Fort, desert trophy 
Belcolade and Choco-Story cooperated at this event which took place from 24/11 till 3/12/06.
Stefan Leroux and Stef Aerts from Belcolade and Freddy De Waele and Valentine Smit from Choco-Story, made the demonstrations.
Magnificent flowers in chocolate were presented.
16/11/2006
Choco-Story
is taking part in "Taste Week"
In recent years, chocolate has developed just as wine did quite a few years ago.
From classic red, white or rosé wine we have come to want a red wine from a particular country, a specific region, a certain producer or Chateau in that region and even from a particular grape.
Today, chocolate is also enjoying the same taste refinement. From simply dark, milk or white chocolate we are evolving to producing origin chocolates, prepared using cocoa from specific regions in cocoa producing countries.
So, for example, we have moved from a classic dark chocolate to a dark chocolate made with cocoa from the state of Tabasco in Mexico and, more particularly, the Criollo type from the La Joya Plantation.
In order to show these different tastes to the consumer, Choco-Story will organise tasting sessions during "Taste Week".
At the end of
their visit to the museum, all visitors can taste 3 dark
chocolates, each of which contains 64% cocoa and comes
from one of 3 countries
- Peru: with a typical nutty taste
- Papua New Guinea: with a rather smoky taste
- Costa Rica: with a coffee taste.
The differences in taste are striking and quite interesting, despite the fact that the three chocolates each have the exact same cocoa content.
This proves that the origin (climate, soil) and the type of cocoa (Criollo, Forastero or Trinitario) play a major role in defining the taste.
29/09/2006
Castle of Gaasbeek van Gaasbeek
Choco-Story, the chocolate museum in Bruges, participated to the exhibition "from Pièce Montée to Melba Peach" in the castle of Gaasbeek from 29/9 till 26/11/2006.
Choco-Story lent about 20 pieces.
Here are
some photos
11/09/2006
The bakery
museum in Veurne
The bakery museum
in Veurne in Belgium has dedicated at the occasion of
the special day of Belgian monuments taking place on
10th September a small exhibition on Belgian chocolate
and its export.
Choco-Story participated at this exhibition by lending
out a certain number of text panels and also by giving a
speech at the inauguration of the exhibition.
For more foto's, click here
29/05/2006
Choco-Laté (28th April - 1st May 2006)
The Bruges Chocolate Festival was a real success.
More than 70 participants presented their products and/or chocolate attractions to nearly 14,000 visitors.
Here are a few
photos taken at random in the 8 halls.
Page 1 - Page 2 - Page 3 - Page 4 - Page 5 - Page 6 - Page 7
The comment we heard most often was "I never knew you could do that with chocolate!"
Exhibitor reaction: "I never thought that a festival in Bruges would attract so many people. And it's only the first time. What will Choco-Laté 2007 be like? You'll be doing it again, won't you!?"
27/01/2006
Choco-Laté
From April 28, 2006 to May 1, 2006 inclusive, Choco-Story presents the Bruges chocolate Festival which will take place in the Oud Sin Jan rooms and is open to the public.
Exhibitors will be chocolate makers and makers of products containing chocolate, such as beer, salads, fruits and others.
There will be games for the children (drawing with chocolate) and adults, sculpture in chocolate blocks and body painting.
Collectors will exhibit their chocolate works of art.
Films and presentations on chocolate will be shown in a special room.
There will be chocolate to taste and chocolate sculpture exhibitions.
This will be a major chocolate event
For more information see www.choco-late.be
Choco-Laté: a
major chocolate Festival in Bruges from April 28 to May
1, 2006
12/12/2005
Visit to Belcolade
The entire team from Choco-Story in Bruges recently visited Belcolade's new production units.
Belcolade, the only remaining Belgian producer of couverture chocolate has greatly expanded its packing and packaging department.
Belcolade has also redesigned the look of its packaging and its publicity.
The Choco-Story team was impressed by the size of the installations, the robots and above all the cleanliness everywhere in the factory.
02/12/2005
Choco-Story wins the first
prize for tourism from the city of Bruges
The first time the city of Bruges has awarded a tourism prize.
And Choco-Story is the winner.
The entire Choco-Story team is very happy and above all very proud to have been awarded this prize.
It's fresh motivation to spoil our visitors even more.
22/10/2005
Salon du Chocolat
Choco-Story exhibited at the Salon du Chocolat in Paris, Porte de Versailles, from 22nd till 25th October 2005.
Choco-Story showed the preparation of the cocoa drink from origin up to today.
The Mayas made of the cocoa beans a spiced drink, as they did not know of sugar yet.
The Spanish
conquerors changed it in a pleasant sweet drink by
adding sugar and nicely smelling and tasting flowers and
spices.
For more foto's, click here.
21/05/2005
The chocolate festival in
Bromont near Montreal in Canada
Several activities were on the program. Choco-Story, the chocolate museum in Bruges, wanted to have a taste.
In the large hall chocolatiers introduced their new products to the numerous visitors. Several chocolatiers presented themselves as producers of Belgian chocolates and are Belcolade customers. Belcolade is a Belgian manufacturer of couverture chocolate, selling specifically and only to professionals.
There was also for the kids the possibility to paint with chocolate, body painting for the parents, body care products containing cacao or chocolate.
The organizers, Messrs. Goebels and Bechoux of the chocolate week-end in Florenville in Belgium were also present.
A horse chariot was bringing the visitors along the main street of the small city.
Several chocolate sculptors, restaurants and other eating places were alternating.
On the main street
there is also the chocolate museum, belonging to Mr.
Bilodeau, who is the organizer of the festival.
Choco story had a 60 square metre stand
Below you will
find some photographs of our stand which gave onto a
small room dedicated to Mayan and Aztec Codex and to the
offerings made by these peoples to their gods, which
were often accompanied by cocoa.
The second small room was dedicated to the etymology of
the word cocoa and the preparation of the spicy drink
reserved for kings and nobles.
In the third, larger room we moved on to the arrival of
the Spaniards and the addition of sugar and the time
when this sweet cocoa became the preferred drink of
Europe's Royal Houses and finally to panels dedicated to
the industrial production of chocolate which, little by
little, became a solid product and ultimately evolved
into the candy bars and various chocolate products which
are so popular today.
The visit ended with three panels covering the health aspects of chocolate.
Choco-Story worked
together with Mme du Chouchet who exhibited a collection
of chocolatières made by craftsman designers from
Limoges, which put the finishing touch to this small,
but interesting presentation by the chocolate Museum of
Bruges.
29/03/2005
Passendale
Chocolate demonstration at the Old Cheese Factory on the
29th March 2005.
The Old Cheese Factory of Passendale had asked for a
collaboration with Choco-Story, the Chocolate Museum of
Bruges, about cheese - chocolate and Easter for a public
of youngsters.
Choco-Story decided to try the experiment.
Mr. Jacky Vergote started the demo, by explaining the differences between the different types of chocolate.
He then cut cheese into pieces measuring approx. 1,5 cm x 1,5 cm x 3 cm.
He introduced a little stick into it and soaked them in milk chocolate.
He also prepared small chocolate eggs filled with a ganache in which he had mixed grated cheese.
Is this the start
of a new love story : cheese and
21/02/2005
Flanders Travel Forum
13/12/2004
Drawing
Competition
Next year we'll do it over. Hopefully, many of you will participate.
06/12/2004
Santa Claus
and the Bogy Man
The Bogy Man was
with him, giving him answers to the questions whether
the visiting boys and girls had been nice kids during
the year and studied well at school.
If so, they were given chocolates.
For more foto's, click here.
28/10/2004
The " Salon
du Chocolat " in Paris.
Choco-Story participated with a 65 m2 large booth. A kind of mini reproduction of our museum in Bruges, giving an insight in the 2.600 years of history of cacao and chocolate.
We did
emphasize the important aspect of chocolate and health
and had also in display chocolate + flavors.
A kind of modern version of flavored chocolates, of the
old spiced Maya drink.
For more foto's, click here
20/07/2004
Chocol@brugge
The ultimate recipe for a chocolate-filled stay in
Brugge:
Basic ingredients
· 2 nights (including breakfast) in a hotel 27/03/2004
Het Chocolade weekend in Florenville.
Choco-Story took part in the
Florenville Festival of Chocolate on 27 - 28 March 2004.
The Festival of chocolate took place in a magnificent
marquee on the main square at Florenville
On the initiative of maître
chocolatier Edouard Bechoux and his brother-in-law
businessman Xavier Goebels, the second festival was
bigger than the first.
With its 8,000 visitors it is evolving into an
unmissable event for this lovely region in the south of
the country.
Choco-Story, the Belgian chocolate museum had a 40 m2
stand.
10 panels, selected from the 85 at the museum, were on
display. The visitor could learn all about the cocoa
tree, harvesting pods and the history of cocoa and
chocolate.
Choco-Story took part in the
Florenville Festival of Chocolate on 27 - 28 March 2004.
The Festival of chocolate took place in a magnificent
marquee on the main square at Florenville
On the initiative of maître
chocolatier Edouard Bechoux and his brother-in-law
businessman Xavier Goebels, the second festival was
bigger than the first.
With its 8,000 visitors it is evolving into an
unmissable event for this lovely region in the south of
the country.
Choco-Story, the Belgian chocolate museum had a 40 m2
stand.
10 panels, selected from the 85 at the museum, were on
display. The visitor could learn all about the cocoa
tree, harvesting pods and the history of cocoa and
chocolate.
20/03/2004
Het Cacao Development Fund.
Choco-Story's objective is to support cocoa growers by gifts of equipment and training infrastructure.
The current financial assets of the Cocoa Development Fund have been provided by guests at the museum's inauguration. They will be augmented by an annual contribution of 2.500 € from Choco-Story and by the proceeds from fund raising events organised by the museum.
The first project in which Choco-Story has become involved is located south of Yaoundé in Cameroon.
20/03/2004
Inauguration of the
Choco-Story museum on March 20th, 2004
On March 20th, 2004, festivities took place to inaugurate the Choco-Story museum in the presence of the burgomaster, Patrick Moenaert, local dignitaries, the directors of the IVV school at Groene Poort and numerous friends.
Everyone enjoyed a selection of sweet and savoury snacks accompanied by wine.
Choco-Story would like to thank all those who, by their presence, showed their friendship and support.
Choco-Story also
thanks those who presented flowers to the museum and
those who contributed to the Cocoa Development Fund.
For more foto's, click here.