For one vital sector of the nation’s economy it was Belgium’s equivalent of the Oscars.
And, just as the Academy Award winners were celebrating their success this week, so too are some of the best chocolatiers in Belgium.
The awards ceremony may not have had quite the razzmatazz and glitz of the Hollywood version, but was, nonetheless, a fitting tribute to the country’s proud chocolate tradition.
It was, just like actors and actresses at the weekend’s Oscars, also a chance to put the stars of their chosen field firmly in the spotlight.
Belgium’s chocolate industry is a major economic driver, with a total production value for cocoa, chocolate, and confectionery reaching approximately €6.87 billion in 2023, up from €4.98 billion in 2021. As a global leader, the sector accounts for 11% of worldwide chocolate exports, generating over €3.5 billion in export value annually,
