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{{Short description|Belgian chocolate maker}}
{{otheruses2|Leonidas}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2024}}{{Multiple issues|{{advert|date=February 2016}}
{{Wikify|date=March 2008}}
{{Cleanup|date=March 2008}} {{Primary sources|date=September 2019}}}}
{{Infobox Brand {{Infobox company
| name = Confiserie Leonidas S.A.
|logo= | logo =
|name=Leonidas
| trade_name = Leonidas
|image=
| type = ] (])
|type=] | industry = ] manufacturing
|currentowner=]
| founded = 1913
|origin=]
| founder = Leonidas Kestekides
|introduced=1910
| hq_location = Boulevard Jules Graindor 41–43
|discontinued=
| hq_location_city = 1070 ]
|related=
| num_employees = 347 (2018)<ref name="D&B Hoovers"/>
|markets=
| website = https://www.leonidas.com/
|previousowners=
| hq_location_country = ]
|trademarkregistrations=
| num_locations = 1,030 points of sale (2019)
|website=http://www.leonidas.com}}
| key_people = P. de Selliers de Moranville (CEO)
| revenue = {{ubl|{{increase}}US$107 million (2018)<ref name="D&B Hoovers">{{cite web | title=Company Search - Company Information - Hoovers Company Profiles - D&B Hoovers | website=D&B Hoovers | url=http://www.hoovers.com/company-information/cs/company-profile.confiserie_leonidas_sa.42d6028a4b1f59af.html | access-date=2019-10-13|url-access=subscription}}</ref>|US$66 million (2009)<ref name="Gelinas Dull 2009 p. 510">{{cite book | last1=Gelinas | first1=U. | last2=Dull | first2=R. | title=Accounting Information Systems | publisher=Cengage Learning | year=2009 | isbn=978-0-324-66380-8 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_AnCDf-9ZfgC&pg=PA510 | access-date=2019-10-13 | page=510}}</ref>}}
| net_income = US$6.08 million (2018)<ref name="D&B Hoovers"/>
}}
]]]
'''Leonidas''' is a registered ] of the ] company '''Confiserie Leonidas''' ]. The ] company was founded in 1913 by ]. The company is ] and ] certified. {{As of|2019}}, the brand has more than 1,030 ] (including 450 stores in ] and ], and 290 in ]) in 32 countries, the majority of which are ] and around 40 are ].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Discover the rich history of Leonidas {{!}} Leonidas official site |url=https://www.leonidas.com/gb_en/discover-rich-history-leonidas |access-date=2024-02-14 |website=www.leonidas.com |language=en-gb}}</ref>{{Unreliable source?|date=July 2024|certain=y}}


==History==
'''Leonidas''' Confisserie SA is a ] producer with an international presence, based in ]. The company's focus is ] (chocolate shells with soft fillings, called ''Belgian Chocolate'' in English-speaking countries); it also sells ], solid chocolates, and other ]. The company is named after its ] founder, ], a ] who moved from ] to the ] in the late 1800s. The logo used on Leonidas chocolates shows an ] of the Greek warrior ].
{{Unreferenced section|date=July 2024}}
Born in 1882 in Nigdi, ], ], Leonidas Georges Kestekides of Greek heritage made a living by selling 'granitas', a kind of ], and other sweets alongside his brother, Avraam. In 1900, he decided to move to the ]. In 1910, Leonidas met Joanna Emelia Teerlinck. Together, they moved to ], where the ] was held in 1913. There, he won the gold medal and opened his first ] at 34 Veldstraat.


In 1935, after being accused by the police of ], he was ordered to sell his products in a store. As a result, he rented a room in a building at 58 ]. In 1937, he officially registered his brand with the City of Brussels. The brand's font and logo were chosen by Basilio Kestekides in honor of the Greek roots of his uncle. He used the ] of the ], ], who died in the ] during his opposition to the ].
In 1900 Leonidas Kestekides travelled for the first time to ] to attend the international food fair as an exhibitor. In 1910 ] in ] as a member of the Greek delegation from the United States he was awarded the bronze medal for his chocolate confectionery and the gold medal for his ]/ ] located at the Veldstraat in ]. In the 1913 World Fair in Ghent he had the idea of enrobing with dark chocolate ] from Anatolia.


Leonidas's chocolates are made without ]. They are made with ] and ]. Leonidas's principal chocolate is "manon". At the time, the manon, filled with ] on a ] base, was dipped in melted sugar using a fork. A few years later, he placed the ] on a white chocolate ] base instead of a nougatine base. Alexandre built the company's first machine.
During his visit, Leonidas Kestekides met a young woman from Brussels and settled permanently in Belgium. He opened tea-rooms in Brussels, Ghent and ]. In 1922 he was joined by his nephew Basile, niece Efthalia and her husband Prodromos Daskalides who moved from ] (today ], ]) to Ghent and who was importing in collaboration with his eldest brother Dimitrios Kestekides, also located in Constantinople, delicate ingredients including almonds from the family plantation in ] (]) and other sweets such as ] and fruits confit.


On 15 November 2013, the company became a certified purveyor to the ].
] pictured on a Leonidas praline box]]


== References ==
In 1934, at the Blankenberghe Tea Room, his nephew Basile Kestekides had the idea to dip some excess coffee butter cream made for pastries into white chocolate instead of the traditional ] sugar. Basile sent his young nephew Jean Daskalides to try to sell them on the street. It was an immediate success.
<references />{{chocolate}}


{{commons category|Leonidas (chocolatier)|Leonidas}}
In 1935, Basile Kestekides moved from Ghent to Brussels. At first, he marketed his innovative idea (called ''Manon'') with additional walnuts and hazelnuts on a street cart at the corner of the Boulevard Anspach and la Bourse in downtown Brussels near the famous Grand place and the office of the mayor.


In 1938 the popular mayor ], a devoted client, bought a ''Manon'' every morning while walking his dog. He helped Basile to find a store front on Anspach Boulevard, one of the most prestigious streets at the time. Basile incorporated the logo of an effigy of the king of ], Leonidas, in honour of his uncle. He also created the famous concept "Guillotine windows" (selling out of an open window to the street). Freshness and affordable pricing were the key of his incredible success.

The company was headed by doctor Jean Daskalides from 1970 to 1993 and by Yanni Kesdekoglu from 1970 to 1985. In 1985, Yanis Kestekoglou's daughter, Maria Kesdekoglou replaced her father. She was joined in 1993 by her cousin, Vassiliki Kestekidou, and Dimitrios Kestekoglou who became President of the Board of Directors in 2007.

Leonidas continues to be headed by family members and has over 1400 retail outlets all over the world.

==External links==
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Latest revision as of 22:03, 2 July 2024

Belgian chocolate maker
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Confiserie Leonidas S.A.
Trade nameLeonidas
Company typeSociété anonyme (public limited)
IndustryConfectionery manufacturing
Founded1913
FounderLeonidas Kestekides
HeadquartersBoulevard Jules Graindor 41–43, 1070 Anderlecht, Belgium
Number of locations1,030 points of sale (2019)
Key peopleP. de Selliers de Moranville (CEO)
Revenue
  • IncreaseUS$107 million (2018)
  • US$66 million (2009)
Net incomeUS$6.08 million (2018)
Number of employees347 (2018)
Websitehttps://www.leonidas.com/
Leonidas shop in The Hague

Leonidas is a registered trademark of the agri-food company Confiserie Leonidas S.A. The Belgian chocolate company was founded in 1913 by Leonidas Kestekides. The company is ISO 9001 and FSSC 22000 certified. As of 2019, the brand has more than 1,030 points of sale (including 450 stores in Belgium and Luxembourg, and 290 in France) in 32 countries, the majority of which are franchises and around 40 are subsidiaries.

History

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Born in 1882 in Nigdi, Anatolia, Turkey, Leonidas Georges Kestekides of Greek heritage made a living by selling 'granitas', a kind of sorbet, and other sweets alongside his brother, Avraam. In 1900, he decided to move to the United States. In 1910, Leonidas met Joanna Emelia Teerlinck. Together, they moved to Ghent, where the International Exhibition was held in 1913. There, he won the gold medal and opened his first tearoom at 34 Veldstraat.

In 1935, after being accused by the police of street trading, he was ordered to sell his products in a store. As a result, he rented a room in a building at 58 Boulevard Anspach. In 1937, he officially registered his brand with the City of Brussels. The brand's font and logo were chosen by Basilio Kestekides in honor of the Greek roots of his uncle. He used the effigy of the King of Sparta, Leonidas I, who died in the Battle of Thermopylae during his opposition to the Second Persian invasion of Greece.

Leonidas's chocolates are made without palm oil. They are made with Belgian chocolate and cocoa butter. Leonidas's principal chocolate is "manon". At the time, the manon, filled with butter cream on a nougatine base, was dipped in melted sugar using a fork. A few years later, he placed the buttercream on a white chocolate praliné base instead of a nougatine base. Alexandre built the company's first machine.

On 15 November 2013, the company became a certified purveyor to the Belgian royal household.

References

  1. ^ "Company Search - Company Information - Hoovers Company Profiles - D&B Hoovers". D&B Hoovers. Retrieved 13 October 2019.
  2. Gelinas, U.; Dull, R. (2009). Accounting Information Systems. Cengage Learning. p. 510. ISBN 978-0-324-66380-8. Retrieved 13 October 2019.
  3. "Discover the rich history of Leonidas | Leonidas official site". www.leonidas.com. Retrieved 14 February 2024.
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