We areCandyCard

A unique printing technology

CandyCard developed unique printed personalized Belgian chocolate promotional gifts. They allow you to present yourself and your company in an impressive and delicious way. Most other printed chocolate products use a transfer medium to apply the printing to the chocolate. This transfer medium usually contains allergens such as azo colors, egg, corn, etc. and is less sustainable due to the use of a plastic carrier film. At CandyCard, only a thin layer of decorated white belgian chocolate is applied directly into the molds of the chocolate tablets and pralines or filled chocolates using the exclusive in-mold printing system developed in-house. Only natural food pigments and food-safe ingredients are used. Afterwards, our delicious Belgian chocolate is poured into the mold. This guarantees that you will always receive the freshest personalized chocolate promotional gifts. Especially since we have an average delivery time of only 10 working days between your order and delivery. The result? A tasty, original, healthy, equitable and sustainable luxury product on which even photos with their many shades or gray scales, shadows and gradations can be reproduced down to the smallest details with truly stunning image quality. For the professionals; We obtain resolutions of 1200 dpi with a lineature of up to 200 lpi on the chocolate. Due to its unique printing technology, you can always recognize all CandyCard chocolate products by their High Definition image quality and by the refined raised rim.

History of Belgian chocolate

History of chocolate

The history of chocolate started in Mesoamerica.

Fermented drinks made from chocolate date back to 450 BC. The Aztecs believed that cocoa seeds were the gift of Quetzalcoatl, the god of wisdom, and the seeds once had so much value that they were used as a form of currency. Originally prepared only as a drink, chocolate was served as a bitter liquid, mixed with spices or mashed corn. It was believed to be an aphrodisiac and empower the drinker.

After its arrival in Europe in the sixteenth century, sugar was added and it became popular in all of society, first among the ruling classes and then among the common people. The word "chocolate" comes from the classic Nahuatl word Xocolātl and has been introduced into English from the Spanish language. In the 20th century, chocolate was considered essential in the rations of American soldiers during the war.

Chocolate and Industrial Revolution

New processes that accelerate the production of chocolate arose early in the industrial revolution. In 1815, the Dutch chemist Coenraad van Houten introduced alkaline salts in chocolate, which reduced bitterness. A few years later, in 1828, he created a press to remove about half of the natural fat (cocoa butter) from chocolate mass, making chocolate both cheaper to produce and more consistent in quality. This innovation along with the addition of melted cocoa butter by Joseph Fry in 1847 introduced the modern era of chocolate. Because this allowed pressed chocolate to be transformed into a new shape, for example to make chocolate bars. A second milestone was reached in 1875 with the creation of milk chocolate. Henri Nestlé had just invented condensed milk, which allowed Daniel Peter, a Swiss like Kohler, to develop the recipe for milk chocolate.

 Belgian chocolate 

The Belgian chocolate goes back to 1635, when the country was under Spanish occupation shortly after chocolate was brought to Europe from Mesoamerica. By the mid-18th century, chocolate had become extremely popular in the upper and middle classes, especially in the form of hot chocolate. Among them was Charles-Alexander of Lorraine, the Austrian governor of the area. From the early 20th century, Belgium was able to import large amounts of cocoa from its African colony, Belgian Congo. Around 1900, chocolate became increasingly affordable for the Belgian working class. For the first time Belgium began to export more belgian chocolate than it imported in the 1960s, with an exponential growth in exports of "Belgian chocolates" since 1980.

 The praline is an invention of the Belgian chocolate industry 

Chocolates made in Belgium are usually soft-centered treats with a chocolate shell. They are distinguished from the nut and sugar candies that are popular in France and the United States, which are also sometimes known by the same name. They were first introduced by Jean Neuhaus II in 1912.

 Belgium does it better. Production and standards. 

The composition of Belgian chocolate has been regulated by law since 1894 to prevent adulteration of the chocolate, with fats other than 100% cocoa butter and therefore of lower quality from other sources. A minimum level of 35 percent pure cocoa was imposed. 

Belgian chocolate shows little resemblance to the "chocolate" which in other parts of the world falls under the name chocolate. The key are the ingredients and the purity of the cocoa, which must adhere to strict rules. Master chocolate makers never use cocoa butter substitute fats. European Union law says that to call a product chocolate, it should not contain more than 5 percent substitute fat, which is cheaper than using 100% cocoa butter. This attempt by the European Economic Community (EEC) to introduce minimum standards for the quantity of cocoa butter substitutes across Europe led to protracted negotiations, but the legislation finally adopted in 2003 was enacted in Belgium. considered too flexible. In 2007, the voluntary quality standard (which approximately 90 percent of the chocolate makers in the country adhere to) was introduced by the European Union, which has established certain criteria to define a product like "Belgian chocolate" to be considered .Under this" Belgian chocolate code" refining, mixing and conching must take place in Belgium. 

Belgian Chocolate at its best

All CandyCard products are made from the very best Belgian dark, white or milk chocolate. Even more ; we only use the best so-called "couverture" chocolate that have an extra high cocoa butter content. With real Belgian chocolate you pleasantly stimulate the interest of customers or relations. Giving chocolate to a business partner or customer is a symbol of care and positivity. We are happy to help you realize your perfect personalized chocolate promotional gift.

Here you will find the details of our 3 chocolate flavours  and our hazelnut praliné filling, from our main Belgian chocolate suppliers Barry Callebaut and Belcolade:

 Our milk chocolate  

• Ingredients: sugar, cocoa butter, whole milk powder, cocoa mass, emulsifier: soy lecithin (E322), aroma: natural vanilla
• Min. 34% cocoa solids and 22% milk solids
• Allergens: Milk, soy, traces of nuts
• Nutritional values per 100 g: Energy: 2331 kJ / 559 kcal, Fats: 35 g, -of which saturated: 21 g, Carbohydrates: 53 g, -of which sugars: 52 g, Proteins: 7,0 g, Salt: 0.20 g.
• Shelf life: 15 months
•  download here the technical sheet

 Our dark chocolate  

• Ingredients: cocoa mass, sugar, cocoa butter, emulsifier: soy lecithin (E322), aroma: natural vanilla
• Min. 60,5% cocoa solids
• Allergens: soy, traces of nuts and milk
• Nutritional values per 100 g: Energy: 2232 kJ / 536 kcal, Fats: 35 g,- of which saturated: 22 g, Carbohydrates: 42 g, -of which sugars: 38 g, Proteins: 7,4 g, Salt: 0.01 g.
• Shelf life: 21 months
•  download here the technical sheet

 Our white chocolate  

• Ingredients: sugar, cocoa butter, whole milk powder, emulsifier: soy lecithin (E322), aroma: natural vanilla
• Min. 30% cocoa solids and 25% milk solids
• Allergens: Milk, soy, traces of nuts
• Nutritional values per 100 g: Energy: 2401 kJ / 576 kcal, Fats: 37 g,- of which saturated: 23 g, Carbohydrates: 54 g, -of which sugars: 54 g, Proteins: 6.2 g, Salt: 0.22 g.
• Shelf life: 12 months
•  download here the technical data sheet

 Our Gianduja filling of hazelnut praliné

• Ingredients: sugar, hazelnuts, cocoa butter, cocoa mass, whole milk powder, emulsifier: soy lecithin (E322), aroma: natural vanilla
• Allergens: Milk, soy, nuts
• Nutritional values per 100 g: Energy: 2397 kJ / 573 kcal, Fats: 39 g, -of which saturated: 12 g, Carbohydrates: 48 g, -of which sugars: 39 g, Proteins: 8,9 g, Salt: 0, 10 g.
• Shelf life: 6 months
•  download  here the technical data sheet

 Storage conditions 

Since our chocolates are made of a thin layer of decorated white belgian chocolate the shelf life of white chocolate applies for the products  nml. 12 months. Chocolate is best kept in a cool, dry and dark place. Ideally at 16 ° C-18 ° C and with a relative humidity less than 50%. Temperature fluctuations (+/- 2 ° C) should be avoided, especially with pralines or filled chocolates to avoid fat bloom. Although the best before date to be consumed for pralines is 6 months, we still recommend ordering pralines in quantities that you can consume within 3 months of delivery date. This to ensure the visual quality from teh pralines (mainly by possible fatbloom caused by with not ideal storage conditions).