Chocolaterie Duval Specializes in
Demonstrations and Origin Chocolate

Chocolaterie Duval is located off the beaten path in the Schaerbeek area but well worth finding for their personalized chocolate, chocolate demonstrations and wine and chocolate tastings. The company runs all of its operations - production, demonstrations and sales - from its office located at 19 rue des Chardons near Place Meiser.

We went out and met with assistant director Mike Blavier. He was kind enough to give us an interview, let us take some photos of their chocolate production and even gave us a complimentary box of their new 'Just Chocolate' brand, this one featuring Ugandan cocoa beans turned into luscious 80 percent dark chocolate. My wife said, 'Mmmmmm!' That's why we like writing about Belgian chocolate. Thanks Mike!

Chocolaterie Duval is a 15-year-old company owned by Marc Lauwers. Their chocolate niche is in several areas:

Personalized Chocolate
You name it, they can personalize it. Send them a company logo and they'll turn it into a chocolate masterpiece. Then they'll package it in your corporate colors. This is perfect for corporate customers who want to send their clients a special Christmas present or for those who want to celebrate a grand opening or anniversary with a memorable gift. Also great for companies to give their employees for holidays, birthdays or incentives. Mike and his team will work with you on the form, chocolate recipe, packaging and price to design a product for you that will fit your needs and budget.

Demonstrations
Chocolaterie Duval hosted 600 groups and some 22,000 visitors for chocolate demonstrations last year. Visitors learn about chocolate, watch the handmade production including tempering, preparation and filling the casts, demoulding and packing...ad even tasting!

The company offers three different options:

* Classical: one hour visit includes:
1. Welcome and workshop presentation
2. From cocoa to couverture chocolate
3. Personalised chocolate and mould design
4. Demonstration of praline production
5. Tasting and opportunity to purchase chocolate (credit cards welcome)

* Two-Hour Workshop
Features all of the above plus: "Visitors are invited to become apprentice chocolate makers, rubbing shoulders with our employees for another hour or so to make any chocolates they fancy. Participants pour the chocolate into the moulds of their choosing, add decoration and pack them."


* Wine & Chocolate Tasting
Chocolaterie Duval takes chocolate tasting to a new level by offering wine and chocolate tasting opportunities. With this offering, visitors receive a guided tour of the workshop, with a demonstration of production and tasting, as described above under standard visits. Then vistors enjoy a guided tasting of various wine/chocolate combinations. "We teach guests how to enjoy these wine and chocolate," says Blavier. "For example, we tell them not to drink wine and eat chocolate together and we advise them on which wines go with milk chocolate and which go with dark chocolate." The company offers unique gift packages featuring both chocolate and wine.

Just Chocolate
As alluded to above, Chocolaterie Duval just launched a new business called 'Just Chocolate' which features origin chocolate in nine geographical variations (Costa Rica, Ecuador, Papua New Guinea, Peru and Uganda in dark chocolate - Costa Rica, Vanuatu and Venezuela in milk chocolate - Dominican Republic in white chocolate) plus an alternative on organic chocolate basis. The chocolate is presented in colored tubes of 150 grams or in gift packages grouping four tubes of your choice.