For the first time, chocolate and cocoa products have overtaken dairy products as Flanders‘ most important agricultural export. In 2024, exports of chocolate and cocoa products peaked at €4.8 billion – an increase of 33% compared to 2023. 

Imports also reached record levels, with cocoa products taking the top spot at €3.7 billion, representing a 79% rise. The import value of cocoa beans, the raw base product, even doubled within a single year.

Prices go up

This exceptional growth is directly linked to sharp price increases in cocoa and cocoa products. Poor harvests in major producing countries such as Ivory Coast or Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana, severe crop diseases, and reduced use of crop protection products and fertilisers due to higher costs have all contributed to declining stocks and restricted supply. 

As a result, both imports and exports of chocolate and cocoa products are registering unprecedented figures.

Belgian chocolate

“Chocolate is one of our strongest assets. With record figures in 2024, our chocolate makers are proving their world-class reputation. They combine craftsmanship, innovation and export power, and they are putting Flanders on the international map. We must cherish this strength and further showcase it as a calling card for Flanders”, said Flemish Minister for Agriculture Jo Brouns (CD&V) in a press release.

With these results, Flanders reaffirms its international top position as a producer and exporter of chocolate and cocoa products. Through the ports of Antwerp and Zeebrugge (Zeebruges), cocoa is not only imported but finished chocolate delicacies are also exported worldwide. The largest export markets remain the Netherlands, France and Germany, followed by the United Kingdom, the United States and China.

Brussels Airport

The global appeal of Belgian chocolate is also clearly visible at Brussels Airport in Zaventem (Flanders), the country’s largest international aviation hub, which welcomes between 70,000 and 80,000 international travellers every day. 

On 21 July, Belgium’s National Day, the airport revealed that chocolate remains by far the most popular souvenir among departing passengers. Chocolate products account for as much as one third of all retail sales at the airport. 

1.5 kg / minute

Every minute, 1.5 kilograms of chocolate are sold, adding up to no less than 850 tonnes per year. This makes Brussels Airport, in partnership with Lagardère Travel Retail Belgium, the biggest chocolate outlet in the world.

Among the brands on offer, Neuhaus leads the sales charts, with customers especially favouring the opportunity to compose their own selection of pralines to suit individual tastes. 

The Leonidas milk chocolate tablet with hazelnuts ranks second, followed by Leonidas’ milk chocolate tablet with salted caramel in third place. The ranking may shift in the near future, as July 2025 saw the opening of The Chocolate Shack by West Flemish chocolatier Dominique Persoone, a boutique that allows travellers to create and personalise their own chocolate snacks.

Comics

Chocolate, however, is not the only symbol of Belgian culture to capture travellers’ attention. 

Comics-inspired merchandise also enjoys strong sales. Characters created by Belgian cartoonists Hergé and Peyo rank high among non-food souvenirs, with Tintin and his dog Snowy leading the category. 

The Tintin carrier bag is currently the airport’s best-selling non-food item, followed by a Snowy plush toy and key rings featuring the famous duo. Smurf-themed gifts are also among the top ten best-selling souvenirs.

As Belgium’s gateway to the world, Brussels Airport highlights its national identity, or ‘Belgitude‘, in multiple ways. Information panels at the security checkpoints showcase famous Belgians from music, fashion and sport, while photographs around the terminal display iconic landmarks and cities. Belgian beer also plays a prominent role, with 3,000 glasses served daily at the airport. 

Passengers can explore local food and lifestyle brands such as Le Pain Quotidien, Exki, Panos, Belle & Belge, Belgorama and Java, and discover Belgian fashion through the concept store The Wave, dedicated to Belgian designers.

Together, the record-breaking trade figures from Flanders and the booming sales at Brussels Airport illustrate the enduring global prestige of Belgian chocolate, both as a flagship export product and as the nation’s most sought-after souvenir.