When you hear the term, “Belgian chocolate”, what comes to mind? Perhaps words such as “quality”, “premium”, “expensive”. Having been in the craft chocolate industry for over 15 years and come across very little chocolate from Belgium, I decided to dig into Belgium’s chocolate history to better understand how it gained its strong brand recognition.
Belgium’s association with chocolate began in 1912 when chocolatier Jean Neuhaus invented the praline, a filled chocolate shell that transformed chocolate from a drink into a portable artisan confection. What you might recognize as a “truffle”, this filled praline became synonymous with Belgian craftsmanship. As a result, Belgium developed strict legal standards to define what can be called “Belgian chocolate”, requiring it to be produced entirely in Belgium.
The cities of Ghent and Antwerp were major trading hubs that had access to cacao from South America and Africa which helped the industry scale while maintaining consistent quality. Chocolate became deeply woven into Belgian national identity, resulting in a high concentration of chocolatiers – over 2,000 in a country the size of Maryland – and a gift-giving culture that sustained demand domestically. Unlike craft chocolate, the chocolate produced in Belgium is optimized to be a delivery vehicle for ganaches and fillings, not to be tasted on its own merits. There’s nothing wrong with this approach, it’s just a different objective than craft chocolate.
Julia & Björn
This brings me to Julia Mikerova (“Mike”) and Björn Becker (“Becky”), the founders of Mike & Becky Chocolate in Brussels who joined members of The Chocolate Explorers Club this past April for a conversation about their chocolate-making philosophy and their take on Belgium's chocolate reputation.
When Julia & Björn opened Mike & Becky in 2016, it was the city's first organic bean-to-bar chocolate workshop.
When we started 10 years ago, there were more bean-to-bar chocolate makers in Hungary than there were in Belgium. - Björn
When asked for their take on Belgium's storied chocolate history, Bjorn said the following,
Belgium has probably the highest rate of chocolate per capita. We have a lot of chocolatiers — every street has a chocolatier here. These are people who work from couverture chocolate, produced by one of the biggest companies in the world, like Callebaut. And they say, 'We're making bonbons out of the best chocolate in the world.' So that's basically the story — it's 70 years of well-done marketing by the Belgians. - Björn
Julia's & Björn's chocolate passion began in Prague’s Chococafe, where they were introduced to the concept of single-origin cacao and fine hot chocolate from around the globe. Disappointed by what Brussels had to offer, they immersed themselves in the bean-to-bar movement, quickly launching their online shop “Bean2Bar2You” before opening their own chocolate-making atelier in Brussels. After a decade of serving retail customers, they recently closed their Mike & Becky retail store to focus solely on making chocolate.
Mike & Becky import cacao beans directly from six cooperatives across regions such as Peru, the Dominican Republic, Belize, India, and more. They prioritize cooperatives that reject child labor, pay fair prices, and use organic and eco-responsible practices. Their factory runs entirely on green energy, demonstrating their commitment to environmentally-friendly chocolate making. You may be surprised to hear that they do not travel to cacao farms. They choose to forgo what they see as carbon-wasting activities that don’t add value to local communities.
On the back of each wrapper you’ll find more information about the origin and varietal. Note that the ingredient panel proudly calls out beet sugar as the sweetener, which they prefer for its neutral flavor and eco-friendly processing. They had to become members of the German Beekeepers Association so they could gain access to organic beet sugar.
The inside of each wrapper offers detailed information about the origin source and illustrates the full supply chain of the cacao. Their packaging ranks at the top of my list for delivering information in an engaging and useful way without overwhelming the reader. I particularly appreciate the spot they’ve provided to record tasting notes. It’s genius!
The wrappers also include an animal.
All our chocolate bars have animals on them. This one has a toucan — a local animal and the ambassador of this plantation. It has a reason for decoration, but also because too many people simply cannot remember names like Cusco, Qari Warmi, Maya Mountain, Mungamba — but they do remember the animal on it. People come back and say, 'I had a fantastic chocolate with a cow on it, or with a horse on it,' and then we know exactly what they mean. - Björn
What Members Tasted
Cusco Peru 75%, Qori Warmi Cooperative
This cacao comes from a Peruvian women’s cacao cooperative in the VRAEM region (acronym for “Valley of the Rivers: Apurímac, Ene, Mantaro”), a very poor area that is historically known for coca leaf production (i.e., cocaine) and a drug trade controlled by Shining Path guerrillas. The Peruvian government in cooperation with other international governments has provided incentives that disrupt the illicit supply chain and encourage alternative crops such as coffee and cacao. The intense aromas of chocolate and lively acidity waft from inside the package, filling your senses with the flavor that follows. The taste begins with floral notes quickly followed by tropical fruits, heirloom banana, chocolate and a tahini finish that’s decidedly roasty.
Because the cacao is delicate, with beautiful floral notes and a subtle flavor of berries, I roast very mild — around 115, 116 degrees. I understood this cacao has the potential to taste great in a recipe with less sugar, and because the cacao is so beautiful, you want more of it — so I increased the percentage. - Julia
Short Ground 70%, Öko Caribe Cooperative, Dominican Republic
“Short ground” is how Mike & Becky describe coarse chocolate that is refined for less time than their standard bars. The texture allows the raw cacao flavors to pop. I’ve tasted it two ways. First by letting it melt without chewing and second by following my instinct to chew the crunchy sugar crystals. Each approach offers a different flavor experience. I taste intense chocolate notes with hints of earth, tropical fruit and a roasty, loamy finish.
Eau de Bière 72%, Maya Mountain Belize
Four beer breweries and a distillery in Brussels kept 1,000 liters of beer from going down the drain during the pandemic by collaborating on a distilled gin made from the beer. Cacao nibs are soaked in this limited-edition gin that’s been infused with iris flowers, Java pepper, orange bark and coriander to create a flavorful and balanced chocolate.
Smooth Walnut 61%, Öko Caribe Dominican Republic
A marriage of chocolate and walnuts, this amazingly smooth and nutty creation highlights the rich, nutty terroir of Belgium walnuts against the fruity backdrop of cacao from the Dominican Republic.
Juicy Mango 65%, Öko Caribe Dominican Republic
A rich chocolate base of Dominican Republic cacao perfectly balances the tangy, vibrant sweetness of mango pieces. All of the ingredients are fully refined, resulting in a smooth and creamy texture without the tough, chewiness that accompanies dried mango.
Indian Spices 65%, Öko Caribe Dominican Republic
Tropical fruit notes perfectly complement the warming blend of six aromatic Indian spices added to this Dominican Republic-origin chocolate. It reminds me of spiced banana bread or a rich masala chai.
Closing Their Store to Make Better Chocolate
When Julia and Björn closed their Brussels retail store in 2025, it wasn't a retreat — it was an opportunity to focus. After nearly a decade of building Mike & Becky from an online shop into a full atelier, they decided that making chocolate well was the whole point. They skip farm visits because the carbon cost isn't worth it. They run their factory on green energy. They use their packaging to tell the story of the communities where they source cacao. Every one of these decisions speaks to a strong point of view about what's important in craft chocolate making — one that relies on clean ingredients, protecting the environment and supporting the farmers who produce great cacao.
If you'd like to explore what we're featuring next month and hear directly from craft chocolate makers like Julia & Björn, join us here.
