Museum
Chocolate Nation is expanding its presence in Antwerp with a new store on the Grote Markt and a new tourist attraction: the Antwerp Chocolate City Tour. An eye-catching chocolate tram takes groups past locations that play a special role in Antwerp’s chocolate history. Along the way, they’ll discover why chocolate and Antwerp have been linked for centuries and, of course, there will be plenty of tastings.
Since its opening in March 2019, Chocolate Nation – the world’s largest Belgian chocolate museum – has become a fixture in Antwerp. At the museum on Koningin Astridplein, visitors discover the story behind Belgian chocolate. With the new shop on the Grote Markt, Chocolate Nation is taking the next step. Visitors can now visit one of Antwerp’s most iconic locations to explore an extensive range of Belgian chocolate. In addition to its own chocolate creations, the shop brings together a wide selection of Belgian chocolate brands under one roof.
Jeroen Jespers, managing partner of Chocolate Nation:
“With Chocolate Nation, we want people to experience just how special the story behind Belgian chocolate is. With our new shop on the Grote Markt, we are literally right at the heart of the city. And with the Antwerp Chocolate City Tour, we are now taking the chocolate experience beyond the walls of Chocolate Nation. From our chocolate tram, you’ll discover Antwerp in a surprising way, with chocolate to sample along the way. Because chocolate and Antwerp are much more closely linked than many people realise.”
The highlight of the launch is the Touristram, which has been completely transformed into an eye-catching Chocolate Nation tram for the collaboration. At the official launch, the chocolate tram stopped at the town hall, where Mayor Els van Doesburg boarded. The tram will serve as a moving calling card for Antwerp as a city of chocolate and forms the backdrop for the new Antwerp Chocolate City Tour.
During the tour, groups discover just how closely Antwerp and chocolate are historically linked. The route takes in five locations, each of which tells a part of that story. Along the way, surprising tales are shared about the arrival of cocoa in the port of Antwerp, the origins of the ‘Antwerp Handjes’ and the history of chocolate production in the city.
Benjamin Volckaerts, Touristram:
“Touristram has been a fixture in Antwerp for over three decades. We transport groups smoothly from one place to another, thereby connecting different locations across the city. With the new Chocolate Nation tram, this role takes on an extra dimension: we are literally bringing the story of Chocolate Nation into the city and forging an even stronger link between the museum and Antwerp.”
Els van Doesburg, Mayor:
“From the Suikkerrui to the Koekenstad: Antwerp has a long and sweet history, and an even sweeter future. We are uniquely entitled to the title ‘chocolate city’: our port is the world’s largest cocoa storage centre, and the country’s first chocolate factory was built here. It is high time we promoted that pride – that part of Antwerp’s story – more widely,” says Mayor van Doesburg.
