Acquisition International - June 2017 123 Founded in 1926, Godiva is broadly recognised as the worldwide leader in super premium chocolates with over 600 retail stores, 40,000 points of sale and over 800 travel retail points in more than 100 countries. As the exclusive winner in the 2017 Business Elite Awards – Japan, we took the opportunity to profile the firm’s sweet work and exactly what their executive chef chocolatier does. odiva chocolates are known for their unique recipes of rich chocolate and fillings, delivering unparalleled quality. Godiva’s commitment to excellence is apparent in its Gold Ballotin Collection and seasonal packaging, which have earned Godiva a global reputation for design excellence. Godiva products are manufactured at company- owned facilities in Brussels, Belgium and Reading, Pennsylvania. The company has approximately 5,000 employees around the world. Godiva today manufactures and markets a broad portfolio of indulgent products, all bearing the Godiva name. To build around the relevance of the brand, Godiva has taken meaningful and successful steps to broaden its portfolio beyond chocolate gifting into the high growth, self-treat/consumption and home entertainment/sharing segments of the marketplace across the globe. Heritage We’ve come a long way since 1926. But we still hold fast to our Belgian roots. In keeping with Belgian tradition, our founder Joseph Draps was a master chocolatier who developed a unique formula for rich chocolate with unparalleled smoothness and shell- moulded designs. In 1926, Draps opened his first Godiva Chocolatier shop on Boulevard Leopold II in Brussels. His confectionary was met with instant acclaim, as were his standards for Godiva which remain in place today: quality ingredients, elegant styling, innovative selection, and beautiful packaging. Today, Godiva is about the ultimate chocolate experience. From mouth-watering truffles and pralines to an indulgent ice cream or a rich biscuit, romanced by the warmth of our boutique staff, we look to inspire passion for our brand around the world. Company: Godiva Name: Mai Umeda Email:
[email protected] Web: www.godiva.com Address: Roppongi Grand Tower 32F, 3-2-1 Roppongi, Minato-ku, Tokyo 106-6232 Japan Phone: +81 03 5797 8163 Taste and See G 1705AI62 The GODIVA global team of chefs and chocolatiers keep the Belgian tradition alive – and delicious. GODIVA chefs and chocolatiers are passionate about continuing the vision of our company’s founder Joseph Draps. Monsieur Draps believed in creating complex, yet always balanced notes of super-premium chocolates, an ode to the Belgian tradition. Today our global team of chefs and chocolatiers has the pleasure of creating extraordinary Belgian chocolates that are available in over 80 countries. Thierry Muret, executive chef chocolatier A native Belgian, Chef Thierry studied the art of chocolate, pastries, and confectionary through an apprenticeship with Master Rene Gossens in Antwerp, Belgium. Chef Thierry credits Gossens for “bringing him into food”. “He opened up the full scope of taste and flavour to me,” explains Chef Thierry. “He used to say: ‘Taste this strawberry – now explain what those flavours are, so I learned a lot.” After moving to the United States, Chef Thierry opened a chocolate shop with his sister in Chicago called Le Caraque. Five years later, Thierry left the family business and joined GODIVA. Over the last 23 years, Chef Thierry’s chocolate expertise, sophisticated palate and global vision have been integral to innovation at GODIVA. His background in chemistry and science has proven to be a large asset in understanding the inner workings of ingredients and the complexity of chocolate. Signature truffles, classic chocolates, proprietary caramels, and handcrafted bark are just a few of his many successes that have delighted Godiva customers. Despite working with chocolate every day, Chef Thierry says it remains his comfort food. “Sometimes at the weekend, when the day is over, I like to sit down in the garden and have a glass of port or red wine with 67 or 72% cocoa chocolate,” he says. “That to me is comfort. It is nice to view the product you work with every day in a different light.” Taste and See “Godiva chocolates are known for their unique recipes of rich chocolate and fillings, delivering unparalleled quality . Godiva’s commitment to excellence is apparent in its Gold Ballotin Collection and seasonal packaging, which have earned Godiva a global reputation for design excellence .”