Guylian Belgian Chocolate

Values

Our Story

Guylian was born from a love story, after chocolatier Guy Foubert married his true love Liliane in 1958 and decided to open their own Chocolaterie. 

After returning from a lovely beach holiday, they came up with the idea of creating chocolate souvenirs in the form of chocolate seashells. Today, Guylian is sold in over 100 countries including Europe, Asia, Australia and America. 

Fair Labour Commitments

Like many big chocolate brands, Guylian (owned by Mondelēz) came under fire for not doing enough about the rampant child labour practices on cocoa farms in West Africa and Ivory Coast.

In 2022, Guylian took a big step and converted 100 percent of their cocoa to Fairtrade. This will see almost USD $495,624 in Fairtrade Premiums go back to West African cocoa farmers in Guylian’s supply chain, which they will democratically decide how to spend.

By offering a Fairtrade premium, Guylian also invests in the production process of the farmers and in their local community. Thanks to this premium – which comes on top of the market price – producers can invest in a more efficient production with improved agricultural techniques, and can also build schools or hospitals which can lead to better education and better healthcare.

Guylian still has a way to go when it comes to supply chain transparency, sugar sourcing and actively working to eradicate child labour and forced labour on cocoa farms. However, their commitment to sourcing Fairtrade cocoa is a positive shift that we commend them on. 

Environmental Commitments

In 2018, Guylian replaced palm oil in their products with palm oil with shea butter and sunflower oil. 

They have also optimised their production process and claim to only 0.1% of food waste. They have made their packaging 100% recyclable using FSCE board that comes from sustainably managed forests. 

Finally, they are also working towards reducing their energy and water consumption. Since 2019, Guylian has used 67,3% less water than previous years. 

Community Commitments

Guylian has also been a partner of the Beyond Chocolate Charter since 2018, aiming for sustainable Belgian chocolate by preventing deforestation, supporting education, and ensuring a livable income for cacao farmers. 

They also work closely with Project Seahorse, an international ocean conservation group dedicated to securing a world of healthy and well-managed marine ecosystems. Guylian has been the major sustaining sponsor of Project Seahorse since 1999 and has donated over 1.75 million Euros to support the work of Project Seahorse.