De Watergroep 2

De Watergroep changed its name and

logo in 2013.

Mexx by Candy Dulfer 4An intensive collaboration between the

renowned Dutch saxophonist Candy

Dulfer and fashion label Mexx

Danone Academy 6Danone Academy asked Concept Choc-

olate to design chocolates for people

attending its training centre in Paris.

Pro-pay 8Workshop and team-building at

Concept Chocolate.

Concept Chocolate has developed a technique for quickly and efficiently creating new chocolate moulds.

Countless national and international

companies turn to us when they want

to give original personalised gifts to

customers or employees. They use our

products as communications tools for

announcing new products, anniversa-

ries or new company names.

This Magazine by Concept Chocolate

provides a few examples of recent as-

signments, which are accompanied by

several customer testimonies.

To commemorate the launch of

‘Mexx by Candy Dulfer’, Concept

Chocolate was instructed by Mexx to

design a special luxury box featuring

a personalised block of chocolate

(see page 4)

creating tailor-made chocolateA technique developed by Concept Chocolate

co n cept ch o co late. wh o ar e we ? Dear reader,

We would like to use the first issue of ConceptMagazine to introduce you to our chocolat-

erie and our activities. In 2012, Concept Chocolate took over all activities and employees of

renowned chocolate-maker Chocolaterie Duval. Since then, our chocolaterie has been an

important player in personalised chocolate, the organisation of interactive studio

visits and the production of high quality chocolate. This issue highlights a number of recent

realisations and events. Our studio and production equipment was recently thoroughly

renewed and modified. We thus comply with the strictest norms when it comes to hygiene,

food safety and quality control. We hope you enjoy the read.

Gregory Bleyfuesz, general director

Maxime Pliester, commercial director

Concept MagazineCHOCOLATE : A SURPRISING FORM OF COMMUNICATION

Co ntents

Biannual Magazine of Concept Chocolate bvba/sprl May 2014 / Number 1

2

Did you receive positive reactions to this communication tool?

“We only received positive reactions: no better way to

launch the new name and raise awareness about the new

logo. We received the most positive reactions from our

Dutch clients: they see Belgium as the country of choco-

late, beer and other tasty treats. They were even more de-

lighted with the chocolate surprise than our Belgian clients!”

Mr. Luc Keustermans

Technical director of De Watergroep and member of the

Director’s committee

To mark the occasion, Concept Chocolate was asked to design special personalised chocolates and attractive packaging.

The history of Flemish water supply

dates back to the 17th and 18th century,

when typhus and cholera claimed thou-

sands of lives in the region. The decree

of 14 December 1789, and the acts of 16

and 24 August 1790, obligated munici-

palities to take measures for reducing

the spread of epidemics and cattle-re-

lated diseases. The government thus im-

mediately made municipalities respon-

sible for the supply of public drinking

water. In 1836, the Belgian government

incorporated this responsibility into the

Municipalities Act.

However, in practice, the Act was only

symbolic because a lack of financial re-

sources and technical know-how pre-

vented most municipalities from fulfill-

ing this role.

De Watergroep is the largest water company in Flanders and supplies drinking water to 2.8 million customers in 171 Flemish municipalities in West and Oost Vlaanderen, Vlaams Brabant and Limburg.

De Watergroep also helps to expand

the municipal sewer network and

works as an integral water company

when creating tailor-made projects for

companies. In 2013, the name of the

former Flemish Water Board

was changed to De Watergroep.

To commemorate the launch of the new

name and logo, De Watergroep turned

to the specific knowledge and long-

standing experience of Concept Choco-

late.

Personalised chocolate De Watergroep a new name, a new mission

3

Custom-made chocolateConcept Chocolate will quickly and

efficiently create the chocolate you

require, using your house-style, logo

and letter type, and our unique self-

developed technique. This is the

ideal way to inform your personnel

or customers about your logo, com-

pany name, message, anniversary, etc.

Top quality chocolateConcept Chocolate always works

with top quality Belgian chocolate

featuring 100% cocoa butter and

no preservatives or colourings. This

principle is never compromised by

using sub-standard raw materials.

Special packaging

Concept Chocolate does not only de-

velop chocolate moulds, but also offers

solutions for presenting chocolates in

attractive and appropriate packaging.

The government then decided to

intervene. In 1913, the National Water

Company (NMDW) was founded by

law, and was given authority to inter-

vene whenever municipalities failed

to fulfil their task.

During state reforms in 1980, the au-

thority for drinking water supply was

transferred to the regions.

The tasks of the NMDW were then as-

sumed by new water companies: So-

ciété Wallonne des Distributions d’Eau

(SWDE) for the Walloon region and the

Flemish Water Board (VMW) for the

Flemish region.

In the previous century, the VMW

transformed from a classic water

company into an integral water com-

pany with services in the entire wa-

ter chain. Besides drinking water, the

Boar¬d has placed increasing focus on

waste water and industrial water in re-

cent years.

The name ‘Flemish Water Board’ thus

no longer covers all performed activi-

ties. That is why the company changed

its name to De Watergroup in 2013,

and also adopted a new mission: We

offer tailor-made water solutions. To-

day, and for future generations.

To mark the occasion, Concept Choco-

late was asked to design special per-

sonalised chocolates and attractive

packaging.

interview with Mr Luc Keuster-mans

We asked Mr Luc Keustermans, technical director at De Water-groep and member of the Di-rector’s committee, for his opin-ion about the collaboration with Concept Chocolate.

How did you come into contact with

Concept Chocolate?

Due to our 100-year anniversary,

where the name of our company was

also changed, we were looking for an

eye-catcher that would appeal to em-

ployees as well as external clients.

And I was introduced to Concept

Chocolate via my personal network.

Our company premises are regularly

used for exhibitions and, on one such

occasion, I stumbled across a choco-

late-making studio.

That’s when the idea for this tasty and

affordable gift was born!

I passed the idea on to Mrs Kathleen

De Schepper, head of communication

at De Watergroep. And she loved the

idea from the outset!!

For whom were the chocolates in-

tended?

Personalised Chocolate

All 1465 employees were given

a box of chocolates in January

2013 and, in the months that fol-

lowed, all external clients who

we encountered - on and off site

- were given this surprising gift.

Personalised chocolate

MEXX BY CANDY DULFER

In 2012, an intensive colla-boration was established between the renowned Dutch saxophonist Candy Dulfer and fashion label Mexx.Candy used her funky per-formances to open new Mexx outlets at home and abroad, while also pro-ducing a number of mu-sic events for the Dutch fashion label.

4

Not only does Candy Dulfer use her natural tal-ent to enthuse her audience, she is also a fantas-tic ambassador for the Netherlands. Candy has released around a dozen albums and has had several hits in the charts. Her first album, Saxual-ity, sold more than a million copies worldwide.

and she has performed with artists like Van Morrison and

Prince on several occasions. This inspirational collaboration

with Mexx not only highlighted her love for music, but it

also showcased her passion for fashion. It involved her work-

ing with Mexx to design her own collection under the name

‘Mexx by Candy Dulfer’, based on her own lifestyle.

Candy’s personal style is reflected in the collection. The key

ingredients in her collection are leopard prints, rock-n-roll, a

touch of luxury and a sprinkling of glitter.

To promote the collection, two Candy Dulfer concerts were

held in Berlin in 2013, along with the ‘Mexx presents Candy

Dulfer & band’ event in the Vondelpark open-air theatre in

Amsterdam.

Saxuality

The international company Mexx was founded in Amsterdam

in 1986, when Rattan Chadha combined two brands - Mous-

tache, his brand for men (M) and Emanuelle, his brand for

women (E) - to form one new brand. He then sealed the union

with two kisses (xx): Mexx.

Since then, Mexx has been designing high quality fashion

and accessori¬es for men, women and children, inspired by

the energy and vigour of city living.

Moustache and Emanuelle

5

Within a few years, Mexx developed into one of the most successful international fashion

brands. The fashion range includes Mexx Women, Men, Kids and Accessories, while Mexx

also lends its name to fragrances, eye wear (sunglasses and regular glasses) and home wares.

Today, Mexx is still based in Amsterdam and employs 4,200 people worldwide.

Mexx produces fashion that is a little bit different.

It is inspired by life in the big cities,

and takes its look from the energy, style and trends one sees in the streets.

Mexx refers to this new look as Metropolitan Casual,

and it is synonymous with style and quality. Not too cheap and not too expensive. Always self-

conscious and nonchalant. In short: Mexx creates fashion for men, women and children who

know exactly what they’re looking for: something special.

Mexx has been a worldwide trendsetter since 1986. Its collections and accessories are

sold in leading stores, fashion chains, designer shops, almost 300 franchise stores and

over 100 branded outlets. All products - from suits to baby clothing - are also available via

www.mexx.com. Any time, anywhere.

not too cheap and not too expensive. always self-conscious and nonchalant

To commemorate the launch of ‚Mexx by Candy Dulfer‘, Concept Chocolate was inst-ructed by Mexx to design a special luxury box featuring a personalised block of chocolate.

6

concept chocolate created special chocolates for the danone training centre in paris. three reasons why?

1. Use know-howConcept Chocolate uses its long-stand-

ing experience when helping customers

to generate ideas. Participants at Da-

none’s training centre in Paris were thus

pleasantly surprised by the specially de-

signed chocolates and attractive pack-

aging.

2. Offer quality Concept Chocolate does not make con-

cessions in its principle of using top

quality Belgian chocolate for its choco-

late creations. Danone thus felt it was

important for the quality of chocolate

to perfectly meet the quality norms

established for its own products.

3. Satisfied customers The objectives of Concept Chocolate

focus on creating satisfied customers. It

is thus no coincidence that our custom-

ers loyally continue to buy our products

over many years.

Danone is a French multinational with

turnover of €20 billion and 100,000 em-

ployees, and is active in 140 countries.

Thanks to cooperation between various

companies under the Danone name, the

multinational is now a worldwide leader

in the field of fresh dairy products, baby

food, water and clinical foods.

Good nutrition is a key aspect in Da-

none’s products.

Good nutrition and a balanced lifestyle

are generally seen as the building blocks

for creating and retaining a healthy

body.

That’s why Danone’s mission is to “Use

healthy food to improve people’s health”.

Each year, Danone allocates a budget

€275 million to Research & Develop-

ment and employs over 1500 special-

ised scientists. The research it performs

concentrates on the quality of food

products, and the retention and sustain-

ability of natural foods. Furthermore, a

Danone Institute has been established

in 18 countries, where independent sci-

entists, doctors and important people

for the food sector are brought together.

The main objective of these institutes is

to improve human health.

Danone sets aside a sizeable budget for internal training. Each year, over 50,000 members of staff follow specific training in various coun-tries, which helps them to prepare for managerial positions.

Personalised chocolate

DANONE Academy

This includes the chocolates we supplied to the Nissan Academy during its training days.

7

treat your participants to a box of chocolatesConcept Chocolate has been able to offer attractive gifts at many training centres

A good moodEveryone will have experienced it first-

hand.

Eating a piece of chocolate, particularly

black or pure chocolate, often works

wonders and has an invigorating effect,

like the when one drinks coffee. Various

scientific studies have already identified

the positive effect chocolate is said to

have on people’s mood. So a piece of

chocolate could be the ideal way to start

a training course!

Positive effect on memoryChocolate is said to be rich in antioxi-

dants, which means it reduces the risk of

cardiovascular disease, in the same way

as eating fruit and vegetables. Choco-

late also contains flavonoids that are

also found in red win and tea. Studies

show that the presence of flavonoids

has a positive effect on our memory and

reduces the risk of Alzheimer’s.

And this positive impact on our memo-

ry could be very useful at the start of a

training course!

Yet another benefit !Finally, even the Aztecs knew that, due

to the presence of phenylethylamine,

chocolate has a positive effect on our

desires and libido!

Whether this positive effect is useful at

the start of a training course, is some-

thing you can decide for yourselves...

Training and chocolate

8

Pro-Pay specialised social secretariat

Pro-Pay is not your usual social secretar-

iat. At Pro-Pay, each customer has a sin-

gle point of contact. One per¬son who

guides customers through the maze of

social legislation and offers them useful

advice.

The person who provides the advice

is also responsible for the customer’s

wage administration.

Pro-Pay specialises in Payroll advice for

multinational comp¬anies with interna-

tional personnel in Belgium.

At the end of 2013, the personnel of

Pro-Pay visited the premises of Concept

Chocolate for a lively workshop around

the theme of chocolate.

Workshops & Teambuilding

Pro-Pay nv

We asked Mr Geert Van Hoye, general director at Pro-Pay, for his reaction

Each year, we arrange an “Away-day” for

all Pro-Pay employees.

This year, Concept Chocolate caught

our eye because they offered an attrac-

tive interactive formula for doing some-

thing practical with chocolate. Pro- Pay

employees were thus very enthusiastic

about participating in a workshop that

allowed them to create something. The

formula was ideal for our employees,

and allowed them to function as a team

in a relaxed and enjoyable setting away

from the office.

Concept Chocolate is proud of its experience and know-how in creat-ing personalised chocolates, and is thus pleased to open its doors by offering workshops to companies that want to learn more about the craftsmanship of Concept Chocolate.

Concept Chocolate only produces chocolate products in an artisanal manner, with

natural ingredients, without additives, based on 100 % cocoa butter and with re-

spect for the age-old traditions Belgian chocolate-making.

Active visits to our studio will allow you to participate in the most important step¬s

in the chocolate-making process. This will involve melting the choco¬late, prepar-

ing the filling, filling the chocolate moulds, cooling the chocolates, removing the

chocolates from the moulds and then packaging the chocolates. And we should not

forget the most important thing: tasting the finished product!

Before the visit, many companies have a chocolate mould made featuring their per-

sonal logos, whereby workshop participants can then give a personal twist to the

logos in question.

Naturally, the best design will receive a special prize!

visit and active participation in the concept chocolate atelier

Co ntact

Concept Chocolate bvba/sprlDistelsstraat (Rue des Chardons) 191030 BrusselTel : +32 (0)2 242 94 66 eMail : info@conceptchocolate.eu

Web : www.conceptchocolate.eu

ManagementGregory Bleyfuesz : gregory@conceptchocolate.eu

Maxime Pliester : maxime@conceptchocolate.eu

UitgeverConcept Chocolate bvba/sprl, Gregory Bleyfuesz, general director