Leonidas (chocolate maker)

Leonidas Confisserie SA is a chocolate producer based in Belgium, with an international presence. The company's focus is pralines (chocolate shells with soft fillings); it also sells marzipan, solid chocolates, and other confections. The company is named after its Greek founder, Leonidas Kestekides, a confectioner who moved from Anatolia to the United States in the late 1800s. The logo used on Leonidas chocolates shows an effigy of the Greek warrior Leonidas, King of Sparta

In 1900 he travelled for the first time to France to attend the international food fair as an exhibitor. In 1910 World Fair in Brussels as a member of the Greek delegation from the United States he was awarded the bronze medal for his chocolate confectionery, and the gold medal for his patisserie/ Tea room located at the Veldstraat in Ghent. In the 1913 World Fair in Ghent he had the idea of enrobing with dark chocolate the " fruits confits from Anatolia.

Leonidas Kestekides met a young woman from Brussels during his visit, and settled permanently in Belgium. He opened tea-rooms in Brussels, Ghent and Blankenberge. In 1922 he was joined by his nephew Basile, niece Efthalia and her husband Prodromos Daskalides that moved from Istambul Turkey to Ghent who was importing in collaboration with his eldest brother Dimitrios Kestekides located in Contantinople (today Istambul) delicate ingredients including Almonds from the family plantation in Nigde (Cappadocia) and other sweets like Loukoum and "Fruits confits".

In 1934 at the Blankenberghe Tea Room, his nephew Basile Kestekides had the idea to deep some excess coffee butter cream made for pastries into white chocolate instead of the traditional fondant sugar. Basile send his young nephew Jean Daskalides to try to sell them on the street. It was an immediate success.

In 1935, the founder’s nephew Basile Kestekides move from Ghent to Brussels to market his innovative idea at first fresh Mannon with additional walnuts and hazelnuts on a street cart at the corner of the Boulevard Anspach and la Bourse in downtown Brussels near the famous Grand place and the office of the mayor.

In 1938 the popular mayor Adolphe Max who was a devoted client every morning while walking his dog he was buying a manon. He help Basile to find a store front on Boulevard Anspach. Basile incorporated the logo of an effigy of the king of Sparta, Leonidas, in honour of his uncle. He also created the famous concept "Guillotine windows" (open windows to the street). Freshness and affordable pricing were the key of his incredible success.

In 1970, Doctor Jean Daskalides until 1993 and Yanni Kesdekoglu until 1985 headed the company. In 1985, Yanis Kestekoglou daughter, Maria Kesdekoglou replace her father, and was joined in 1993 by her cousin, Vassiliki Kestekidou, and Dimitrios Kestekoglou who became President of the Board of Directors in 2007.

Leonidas continues to be headed by family members and has over 1400 retail outlets all over the world.

External links

* [http://www.leonidas.be Leonidas company website]
* [http://www.leonidas.com/pralines?id=508]
* [http://www.clubleonidas.com Leonidas USA website]