Celebrating World Chocolate Day with an Icon: Valrhona

Dubai, 07/07/2022

With Valrhona chocolate, every bite is a sensory experience. Since 1922, this quality chocolate has been made in the French commune of Tain-L'Hermitage where a pastry chef named Albéric Guironnet started the business with a dedication to making exquisitely complicated yet well-balanced artisan chocolates.

Let's take a closer look to understand what makes this phenomenal brand the icon it is today. 

Valrhona: early years

When Guironnet died in 1939, Gonnet and Messieurs Bourget purchased his chocolate firm and changed its name to Etablissements Gonnet in honor of Albert Gonnet, the company's new director and a master confectioner. Soon, his son-in-law Louis Gelet and Bourgeat's son-in-law Guy de Loisy join him.

• After Albert Gonnet's passing, the business was renamed Gonnet-DeLoisy.
• Valrhona's iconic trademark was first used at the start of the 1960s.
• In 1975, Louis Gelet retired, and Guy de Loisy's son, Oliver, succeeded him.
• The company was acquired by a French family-owned group in 1984.
• The company introduced both the famous "Equinoxe" and the "Carré" between 1985 and 1988.

Cocoa Farming and the Forest Initiative

Working hand-in-hand with 17,215 Cocoa farmers in Central America, South America, the Caribean, and Africa Valrhona's commitment to fair trade has been exemplary. Forging partnerships with producer organizations has enabled the industry to develop a framework that champions Quality & Traceability. 

The cocoa tree is generally difficult to cultivate, preferring a constant temperature of approximately 25°C, a moist atmosphere with over 80% humidity, large yearly rainfall of at least 1800mm, and abundant shade. 

Valrhona's work in conservation is worth a mention here, having revealed an initiative to preserve imperiled cocoa varieties, particularly the Criollo variety Porcelana.

Sustainability Policies

First and foremost, Valrhona invests in its employees. "Together, good becomes better," their mission states. Valrhona aspires to ensure the wellness of everyone associated with the organization, from farmers to employees and all stakeholders

Sustainability is in its identity. 

Because it consistently sets new goals for carbon neutrality, transportation, energy, water, eco-design, and waste, Valrhona continuously improves its methods. One of the main aims is to become carbon neutral by 2025. This will help reduce the amount of damage each step of the process chain does to the environment. 

Valrhona Chocolate school: A sanctuary for Pastry Chefs 

The goal of l'École Valrhona, which was established in 1989, has been to support and assist pastry chefs and other professionals, providing their clients with yet another important source of ideas, skills, and information about chocolate.

A center of expertise where chefs and R&D engineers combine their talents to share the findings of their study with one another.

To date, 16,000 students have trained in four sites throughout the world in the past 31 years passing on the skills & knowledge acquired when graduating from L'Ecole Valrhona.

Valrhona's hands-on workshops are a great way to learn about the latest trends in the pastry industry, as well as to challenge your own culinary abilities, and obtain technical instruction and updated interpretations.

Valrhona's chocolate ranges 

While Valrhona's range extends to gifting boxes and other interpretations, we thought it best to focus on the pastry ranges, enabling creativity for Professionals and Homebakers. These products are available all across the Emirates: Dubai, Abu Dhabi & Sharjah. 

Chocolate for Professionals

Valrhona’s professional range offers a wide choice of products for all of your chocolate creations, including couverture chocolates, pralines, and cocoa in all of its forms. A few professional chocolates are:

Chocolate for Home Bakers

For home baking, Valrhona offers a  wide range of chocolate products. You can make baking items and chocolate desserts at home using:

Looking to learn a few chocolate recipes with Meelz? Head on to the Masterclasses section to find inspiration and learn a few kitchen tricks. 

Meelz Editorial Team