Have you heard the legend of GODIVA? Maybe you’ve tasted one of our chocolate dipped strawberries in the fairy-tale square of medieval Bruges. Or you’ve queued on the bustling streets of Tokyo, just to sample one of our iconic truffles. If you happen to be new to one of the world’s greatest chocolatiers, well, that’s all set to change very soon.
Pierre Draps first dreamt up GODIVA in 1926, meticulously crafting pralines from his home kitchen in Brussels. His children soon became collaborators, in their own words, they were ‘born into chocolate’. Indeed, even the GODIVA name is rooted in legend. Pierre Snr’s wife had such long, lustrous hair that her hairdresser anointed her ‘Lady Godiva’ – referring to the 11th century English heroine who famously rode her horse through the streets of Coventry in protest of excessive taxes, wearing nothing but her flowing locks.
Detailing almost 100 years of craftsmanship, this is the GODIVA story as told by time itself.
11th Century
THE LEGEND OF LADY GODIVA
11TH CENTURY
As English legend tells it, the fearless Lady Godiva protested her husband’s taxation of Coventry’s townspeople by riding her horse through the streets with only her flowing locks covering her modesty. Centuries later, this became the nickname of founder Pierre Draps Snr’s longhaired wife, inspiring the GODIVA moniker.
1926
BELGIUM, 1926
Intrepid chocolatier Pierre Draps Snr. began perfecting the delicate art of pralines from his confectionery workshop in Brussels. Born into the world of chocolate, Pierre’s sons, Joseph, Francois and Pierre Jnr. honed their skills alongside their father. They would later go on to build his dream of crafting Belgium’s (and some say, the world’s) finest chocolates.
1939
SIGNATURE LAIT
1939
In a trademark showcase of style and innovation, Pierre Draps Snr. created the Signature Lait chocolate for the film premiere ofGone With The Wind– meticulously handmade to match actress Scarlett O’Hara’s iconic hat.
1945
FIRST GODIVA STORE
1945
In what can only be described as the perfect setting, GODIVA opened its first boutique in the picturesque hometown of founder Pierre Draps Snr, Brussels, Belgium.
1946
TRUFFE ORIGINALE
1946
In 1946, Pierre Draps Jr. perfected his Truffe Originale master piece, an intense dark chocolate mousse in fine dark chocolate, rolled in pure cocoa powder. This piece is not only iconic for Godiva but for the entire chocolate industry.
1968
ROYAL WARRANT
1968
In 1968, Godiva was appointed an official chocolatier to the Royal Court of Belgium. A great honour to receive, the prestigious Royal Warrant established Godiva’s role as an ambassador to its home country and a purveyor of high-quality Belgian chocolate.
1972
INTERNATIONAL EXPANSION
1972
From humble beginnings in the streets of Brussels, GODIVA boutiques soon opened in the world’s most sought-after shopping destinations – from the glittering boulevards of Paris to New York City’s Fifth Avenue and the acclaimed Nihonbashi Mitsukoshi department store in Tokyo.
1999
ROYAL WEDDING
1999
Specially created to mark the wedding of Belgium’s Crown Prince Philippe to Princess Mathilde, the eternally delicious Truffe Mathilde and Truffe Philippe have stood the test of time. Complex and rich in flavour, these evocative coffee truffles continue to inspire wonder in chocolate lovers around the world.
2016
SPREAD ALL OVER THE WORLD
2016
2019
INNOVATIVE NEW TASTES
2019
GODIVA continues to build its worldwide presence and footprint through expansion into new and wonderful creations, innovative new tastes, and plans to launch 2,000 GODIVA cafés around the world.