Chocolate Fair takes center stage in Brussels

The 6th edition of the Chocolate Fair (Le Salon du Chocolat) kicked off in Brussels on Thursday.

This fair, with 130 chocolatiers, pastry chefs, confectioners, designers and cocoa experts of international reputation in attendance to share and exhibit chocolate in all its delectable forms, will be celebrating the theme of "Taste and naturality: Nature offers something to suit all".

Thanks to a combination of education, tradition and new "Bean-to-Bar" businesses, the origins and benefits of chocolate will be revealed at the fair to the general public.

Cameroon, Ecuador, Peru, Madagascar and the Dominican Republic will be giving consumers the opportunity to see and understand the origins of the bean and the land where it grows.

The trend towards healthier products will be also highlighted through the latest chocolate innovations and activities on show.

As part of its charitable obligations, the Chocolate Fair will be opening its doors for an opening evening on Thursday, to raise money for Televie, an organization founded in 1989 to finance cancer and leukaemia research in adults and children.

Another key attribute of this year's edition is the emphasis of the pairing of beer and chocolate, the two most iconic products in Belgium's culinary canon, where various assortments of beer and chocolate pralines concoctions will be on display

Several conferences and round tables on the following themes: strategies and policies for a sustainable cocoa industry, trends and innovations in the sector, bean-to-bar, etc. will be organized for professionals.