Leonidas Belgian Chocolates

This year Leonidas celebrates 110 years since its foundation. From the beginning, the management of the company was a family affair. From 1913 until today, four generations of the Kestekidou-Kestekoglou family have contributed to the success of the company.

Its founder was Leonidas Kestekidis, an ambitious young Greek with big dreams and an innovative spirit. At the age of 18, he began to cultivate his talent for confectionery creations with the aim of conquering the world. He settled in New York, where he was introduced to the art of chocolate, laying the foundation for a bright future.

In 1910 he took part in the World Fair in Brussels, where he won the bronze medal for his sweet creations, and in 1913 he was awarded the gold medal at a similar fair in Ghent. These major successes, as well as his acquaintance with his future wife Jeanne Emelia Teerlinck, led him to decide to settle in Ghent and open his first tea shop in 1913, where, in addition to tea, he served his already famous pralines.

Other stores followed, first in Brussels and Blankerberg and then in various other Belgian cities. A decisive moment in the company's development was the decision of Vassilios Kestekidis, Leonidas' nephew, to move to Brussels in 1922 alongside his uncle. One was born with a talent for sales, while the second was the creative spirit.

In 1937 Basil filed the company's trademark and chose Leonidas in honor of his uncle, placing on the logo an image of the warrior Leonidas, King of Sparta

One hundred and ten years after the first tea shop in Ghent and fifty-five years after the first store outside Belgium in Lille, France, Leonidas today counts over 1,300 stores in 50 countries around the world, from Brussels (where its headquarters remain) to New York and from Paris to Tokyo, where chocolate lovers can choose from more than 100 different types of pralines. In Greece, the first Leonidas store opened in 1986.

The traditional authentic flavours were enriched and evolved, new inspired products were created, always with the same commitment to quality, with the selection of fresh ingredients that nature gives us. Our pralines are still made with the purest ingredients: Belgian chocolate made from 100% pure cocoa butter Belgian chocolate made with Belgian chocolate from our 100% pure butter cocoa, Turkish hazelnuts, Morello cherries, Italian almonds, Grenoble walnuts and Valencia oranges.

Today Leonidas advocates sustainable cocoa production for the production of its pralines. Since our mission is to create moments of happiness for everyone, it is only natural to care for people and nature.

Since 1913, Leonidas has had one mission: to bring happiness to everyone thanks to its affordable pralines. Leonidas has achieved in chocolate what Ford has achieved in cars: to make luxury goods accessible to everyone.

As Leonidas Kestekidis himself pointed out: