The Belgian chocolate company Guylian has announced a brand-new relaunch with the goal of becoming the sustainable leader in their industry. The company has unveiled newly designed, fully recyclable green and copper packaging. In addition to this, they have upped the taste ante thanks to a new and improved recipe along with becoming a 100% Fairtrade certified company.
Companies across all manufacturing sectors understand the importance of sustainability; in fact, it would be safe to say that many companies who choose not to fully adopt practices to help protect the planet will fall by the wayside over the next couple of years, disappearing into the yonder, much to the delight of the savvier consumer.
Sustainability is at the forefront of many shoppers’ minds, and the majority are becoming more familiar with the word “Greenwashing“. For those who are yet to come across this word, it describes companies that claim to be ethical and sustainable, mainly for marketing purposes without any substance. Thankfully, the Belgian chocolate company Guylian is not one of them.
Over the recent years, a large number of the smaller chocolate brands have changed the way they operate; however, some of the most prominent names are still holding back for various reasons. Guylian is one of the biggest names in the chocolate industry to step forward to be counted, and they are doing it ‘walking the walk’ and not ‘talking the talk’.
The CEO of Guylian, Tom Snick, said, “This year will see many exciting changes in store for Guylian. From an improved flavour profile to our pioneering sustainability initiatives and a fresh and luxurious new look design, we’re confident that these exciting changes will help us continue as the world’s favourite Belgian chocolate brand.”
With consumers demanding more and more from their favourite brands, Guylian is delighted to be the biggest Belgian chocolate company to be 100% Fairtrade certified.
Fairtrade sets social, economic, and environmental standards for companies, farmers, and workers. For companies, that includes paying a fair price and a Premium for the produce; for farmers, it includes workers’ rights and protection of the environment. This allows cocoa farmers to earn a decent income and operate in a context where their human rights are respected, and the environment is protected.
Mike Gidney, CEO of the Fairtrade Foundation, said, “It’s great to see the distinctive Fairtrade logo now appear on Guylian packaging in stores nationwide, giving chocolate lovers another reason to enjoy an indulgent, ethically sourced treat that’s been produced with the planet in mind and where cocoa farmers have been treated fairly. Cocoa farmers and their families are struggling to make ends meet due to climate change, poor soil quality and long-term low prices. When you choose Fairtrade, you choose education, empowerment, fairer incomes and training to help farmers adapt to climate change.”
Guylian is Renowned for its Sea Shells, which are a harmonious blend of dark, white, and milk chocolate filled with the signature praliné filling; Guylian has improved its time-honoured, traditional recipe using only the best hazelnuts, roasted in-house in their shells to guarantee the best taste. The result is a more intense and less sweet hazelnut flavour to make them even more irresistible.
From relaunch, Guylian will offer a select range, focusing on Sea Shells and Sea Horses, as well as Temptations (individually wrapped seahorses) and its range of premium 100g bars.
Environmental responsibility is important to Guylian, which is why its new packaging is 100% recyclable. Two big steps have been removing the plastic windows from its gift boxes and replacing its brown trays (which hold the chocolates) with clear trays that have had all dyes and carbon removed, making them easier for recycling centres to handle. Not content with just this, Guylian is also exploring ways of further reducing its use of paper and plastic. Consumers worldwide will begin to see the gorgeous new, eco-friendly packaging on shelves from mid-May onwards.
Since this year, the factory in Sint-Niklaas (the production home of Guylian’s delectable chocolates) has been fully climate neutral, meaning that C02 emissions have been reduced to the lowest possible level, and all other emissions are compensated. Guylian is proud that the 800 million chocolates they produce annually are now made entirely with a zero-carbon footprint, making them as planet-friendly as possible.
Guylian chocolates are available in all major retailers.
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