Historia marki Leonidas

Leonidas’ founder Leonidas George Kestekides was born on 18 July in Anatolia. At 18, this ambitious young Greek emigrates to the U.S. where he learns the confectioner trade.

He eventually creates the world-renown brand that bears his first name; this marks the beginning of a life destined for greatness.

As part of the Greek-American delegation, Leonidas presents his confectionery products in the 1910 World Fair in Brussels, which was visited by 13 million people. There, he takes the bronze medal.

And his love affair with Belgium begins…literally. He falls in love with Joanna Teerlinck and marries her in 1912. In 1913, they open a tea-room in Ghent. Even though they don’t have any children, Leonidas will never leave Belgium again. And chocolate lovers the world over will be eternally grateful for that!

In 1913, Leonidas exhibits his new creations at the 1913 World Fair in Ghent where he goes on to win a gold medal and earns professional recognition.

This marks the beginning of a fascinating adventure that continues to delight taste buds around the world more than 100 years on.

Following political events in Greece; Leonidas’ family joins him in Ghent. Among them is his 19-year-old nephew Basilio, who takes up his uncle’s trade.

The two men develop a father-son relationship which proves extremely profitable for business: they create a range of delicious chocolates which gradually wins over more and more customers who can’t seem to resist these tasty treats.

Leonidas opens Pâtisserie Centrale, a tea-room on Rue Paul Delvaux in Brussels. Following in his uncle’s footsteps, Basilio opens his own workshop at 58 Boulevard Anspach.

At this time, the praline is a luxury product and business savvy Basilio quickly discovers what delicacies appeal to the rich in Brussels. Leonidas and Basilio come up with a mission: make chocolate affordable for everyone, and the fastest way to achieve this is from producer to consumer.

Determined and hardworking Basilio sells his confectionery and chocolates traversing city streets with a cart. After several warnings by police for street trading, he turns his workshop into a shop. But it was so tiny that there was no door and his laboratory stretched across the window. He quickly uses his workshop window as a counter to serve customers! He inaugurates his first shop window, the revolutionary ‘guillotine-window’, which remains a signature of all his shops for years to come. He now can sell directly to passers-by who can witness the production process on display so there is no loss of time or freshness. And above all, he does so at half the price of his competitors.

Basilio officially incorporates the Leonidas brand and logo to protect his products. As a symbol, he chooses the image of the warrior Leonidas, king of Sparta. By choosing such a strong figure to represent his brand, Basilio demonstrates his ambition, and more importantly, respect for his uncles and his Greek roots. The logo is represented by a circle with the words "Pralines Leonidas" on top. Leonidas gradually hands over the reins to Basilio who, by this time, has become a master-confectioner in his own right. Leonidas dies in 1948, leaving his business to his nephew.

The workshop at 58 Boulevard Anspach becomes too small and Basilio moves to number 46, a massive space which Leonidas still occupies today. Basilio asks the city for planning permission to transform the shop front window into the brand’s trademark guillotine-window so he can be closer to his customers. During this time, the reputation of Leonidas chocolates grows by leaps and bounds: people appreciate its freshness, quality and delicate taste. Basilio uses only fresh ingredients: fresh milk from the pitcher left at the shop’s doorstep every morning, cream and butter. Since the very beginning, Leonidas creates his chocolates with the highest-quality ingredients without vegetable fat, and only using chocolate with 100% cocoa butter for the chocolate coating and filling.

Leonidas’ success steadily grows and more shops open in Brussels: Boulevard Adolphe Max, Rue des Fripiers and Porte de Namur.

The people of Brussels can’t get enough of these small boxes filled with delicious handmade chocolates which are fresh and full of flavour -- all at an unbeatable price to boot. Until 1966, you could buy 100 grams of chocolate for 10 Belgian francs (€0.25).

On 2 April 1970, Basilio dies and his brothers and sisters become heirs to the Leonidas empire “Confiserie Leonidas SPRL” (Leonidas Confectionery SPRL). Jean Kesdekoglu-Kestekides leads the company from 1970 to 1985 and the brand eventually goes international selling in Belgium, Luxembourg, Germany, Holland, at Harrods in London and even in Athens. On 29 March 1979, Confiserie Leonidas becomes Leonidas SA, a limited company. The 70s and 80s were the company’s golden years. Attracted by the chocolate’s delicacy, people were desperate to get their hands on them. To increase production, Confiserie Leonidas SA buys the old Crown-Baele factory at 41-43 Graindor Boulevard in Anderlecht which remains the company headquarters. Maria Kesdekoglu-Kestekides joins his father Jean, helping him carry out daily operations.

Sklepy zmieniają się i okna gilotynowe odchodzą do przeszłości. Wszystkie sklepy otrzymują nowy wystrój, co jest przejawem innowacyjnej i dynamicznej strony firmy Leonidas, a także podkreśleniem jej świeżości, szczodrości i dorobku. Klientów wita teraz przytulna atmosfera oraz nowoczesny wygląd i styl. Pozostaje jedynie kilka sklepów z oknami gilotynowymi z czego jedno tylko dlatego, że jest bardzo małe. Znajduje się ono w sercu Brukseli, na Rue des Fripiers, zaledwie kilka kroków od pierwszego okna gilotynowego sklepu Basilio.

His Majesty King Philippe of Belgium published his first list of Official Suppliers to the Court.

Leonidas has the privilege of featuring on this carefully chosen list, the outcome of a rigorous selection process, for its excellent quality and affordable prices. For the chocolate-maker, this consecration was the crowning moment of the brand’s centenary year.

Leonidas enter Polish market