 Godiva Chocolatier was founded 80 years ago in Brussels, Belgium when master chocolatier Joseph Draps founded a chocolate company that was named in honor of the legend of Lady Godiva. The Lady Godiva Legend Many hundreds of years ago, a woman of great generosity and beauty left an indelible impression upon the people she reigned over in Coventry. Known for her lustrous hair and bountiful nature, she dedicated her life to the impoverished and stricken. Her husband, Lord Leofric, was a powerful ruler, unsympathetic to the citizens of his kingdom. When he imposed a heavy burden of taxation upon his subjects, Lady Godiva protested. Lord Leofric boomed forth a challenge: If Lady Godiva rode naked through the streets, and if the people of the city remained inside, the taxation would be lifted. Lady Godiva agreed to this bargain. Although she was demure in spirit, she was always most generous in action. Then finally, it was the morning of the event. Dawn rose, and the clock struck seven, ringing through the cobbled streets. The people closed their shutters, as promised. Lady Godiva's velvet gown dropped to the ground, her luminous skin shimmering. The ride began. Throughout the streets echoed the foreign sound of hooves galloping, yet not a single glance flew her way. Upon her finish, the thunderous cheers were heard throughout the town. Lady Godiva had braved modesty and convention to win the hearts of all who knew her. As promised, Leofric eased his taxation of the poor, and her place in history was immortalized. The legend of Lady Godiva has not diminished, but instead has grown and deepened. Centuries later, Joseph Draps, a renowned Belgian chocolatier, created a line of chocolates with extraordinary richness and design, a collection of passion and purity. He sought a name that embodied the timeless qualities of passion, style, sensuality and modern boldness. His choice? It's not surprising that Godiva Chocolatier, one of the creators of the world's most elegant, hand-crafted chocolates, originated in Brussels, Belgium. For generations, Belgium has had a tradition of perfectionism, from its Rubens paintings and gothic architecture to products made of intricate lace, glittering crystal and its fabulous cuisine. In keeping with this tradition, Joseph Draps introduced Godiva chocolate to Belgium in 1926. Draps opened the doors to his shop on a cobblestone street on Grande Place, selling his unique formula of rich chocolate with unparalleled smoothness. With a remarkable eye for detail, he set forth the standard at Godiva for innovative selection of elegant, European shell-molded designs and beautiful packaging.  Through the years, these standards have been maintained as assiduously as Draps' recipes have been guarded. As a result of this adherence to Draps heritage, Godiva chocolates evoke the greatest in confectionery excellence. The same careful attention to quality is apparent in the exquisite European-style gold ballotins and handcrafted seasonal packaging that have earned Godiva a reputation for design excellence. Global Expansion As the success of Godiva Chocolatier grew in Belgium, Joseph Draps sought to expand the company into international horizons. The first Godiva boutique outside of Belgium was opened in 1958 in Paris on the fashionable Rue St. Honoré. Openings in the United Kingdom, Germany, Italy and more followed. The Godiva brand then looked to North America. Godiva made its North American debut in 1966, at one of the country's most elegant department stores, Wanamaker's in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. In 1972, the first Godiva boutique in North America opened on New York's fashionable Fifth Avenue. Today there are over 275 Godiva boutiques in North America. Expansion also continued into Asia. The first Godiva chocolates became available in Japan in the prestigious Nihonbashi Mitsukoshi Department Store in central Tokyo in 1972. In 1998, the first Godiva store in Hong Kong opened in the upscale department store Sogo. Locations in Taiwain and Singapore exist today. Godiva is now available from Belgium to Singapore, from Denver to Dubai, making the Godiva brand known - and loved - in over 80 countries around the world. Godiva Now Since its introduction to America in 1966, Godiva continues to be the leader in the premium confectionery category. Godiva Chocolatier owns and operates more than 450 boutiques and shops worldwide where consumers can find a comprehensive selection of Godiva offerings. Godiva products are also available at finer department and specialty stores. Additionally, the company issues six seasonal mail-order catalogs a year in North America and accepts phone and internet orders. From New York to Paris to Tokyo, it is Godiva that brings the best of Belgium to the world. |
In June of 2007, Chocolate.com was featured in a Business Week article along with parent company Internet Real Estate Group. The article emphasized the value of the Chocolate.com domain name and captured the excitement of the entrepreneurs who are building the business. The article has brought an influx of traffic and positive feedback.
We would like to thank our vendors for providing high quality gifts and service, and also thank our customers for making our growth possible. We hope you continue to enjoy our products and services, described by Business Week as an "online emporium, complete with boutique sweets, recipes."
Health Benefits are Ancient News
A recent BBC News article emphasized the connection between dark chocolate and low blood pressure. Citing a study by The University of L'Aquila (L'Aquila, Italy), they also concluded that milk chocolate offers similar benefits to dark.
A separate report by WCVB News (Boston) echoed these findings, giving the credit to an ingredient known as Flavonoids - found in all dark chocolate. In fact, the WCVB article also reported that chocolate can contribute to a healthy heart.
Dark Chocolate has certainly received a lot of good press recently, but is it really a breakthrough discovery? Are we the first generation of chocolate consumers to uncover this great secret? The answer is "No." In fact, the health benefits of dark chocolate were discovered centuries ago by the Aztecs, a Mexican empire that thrived in the 14th, 15th and 16th centuries.
You wouldn't recognize the chocolate prepared by the Aztec people. It was a cold, bitter drink with a variety of spices, having a watery texture and served with a swizzle stick. The Spanish word that is the root of "chocolate" translates to "food of the gods." The name tells us a lot about how the Aztecs coveted this drink - it was enjoyed by royalty alone. It was also enjoyed in remarkable proportions: Montezuma is reported to have consumed fifty pitchers per day. The Aztecs believed that the drink provided vitality, energy, and longevity.
About a century after the Aztecs discovered chocolate, Royalty in Spain and France adopted the idea. In the 19th century the drink was enjoyed in the same way as the Aztecs and the health benefits did not go unnoticed. Brillat-Savarin reflected the French national view of chocolate when he wrote: "Chocolate is one of the most effective restoratives. All those who have to work when they might be sleeping, men of wit who feel temporarily deprived of their intellectual powers, those who find the weather oppressive, time dragging, the atmoshere depressing; those who are tormented by some preoccupation which deprives them of the liberty of thought; let all such men imbibe a half liter of choclat ambre... and they will be amazed."
It is clear that we cannot give credit to modern scientists for discovering the health benefits of chocolate. However, we can appreciate the fact that the news is being brought to our attention. After all, it reminds us that we can enjoy our favorite treat knowing it's good for the body and perhaps also the mind. It's old news, but it's good news.