Guylian (, ) is a Belgian chocolate brand and manufacturer best known for its seashell shaped pralines. The company was founded in 1958 in Sint-Niklaas, Belgium by Guy Foubert and is now owned by the South Korean company Lotte Confectionery. Foubert and his wife formulated the original chocolate recipe and "Guylian" was formed as a portmanteau from the first names of Guy and Liliane Foubert. While Guylian specialise in roasted hazelnut pralines they produce a wide variety of products including chocolate covered fruit pieces and chocolate truffles. The company headquarters remain in Sint-Niklaas along with their production plant but now Guylian exports internationally to approximately 120 countries. In 2003, the first Guylian Belgian Chocolate café was opened in Antwerp, Belgium; there are now 9 franchises in different locations around the world. Guylian donates to and works with Project Seahorse to help with marine wildlife conservation and raise awareness for the charity. They have also worked with the Cocoa Horizons Foundations on Project Cocoa to sustainably source cocoa and have aimed to reduce any negative environmental impacts from their production. For this work, they have received Corporate Responsibility Awards along with multiple other awards for innovation and their chocolates. History Foubert was born in 1938 in Sint-Niklaas where 20 years later, he would establish the company. His father was a baker and while Foubert was still at school, he began selling hand-made truffles at local markets using skills learnt at the Antwerp School of Confectionery and Patisserie in Belgium. In 1958, Foubert got married and perfected his recipe, then began producing his chocolate Sea Shells on a larger scale and in 1960 established the brand name Guylian. Guylian is an amalgamation of Foubert and his wife Lilian's names to signify their “love and passion” as a couple and for their business craft. A new factory was built in 1988 in Sint-Niklaas to manage the company's growth and increase production. In 2003, Guylian expanded into the Café industry with its opening of a Guylian Belgian Chocolate Café in Antwerp, Belgium. Between 2008 and 2011, Guylian opened three cafés in Sydney, Australia. Lotte is a South Korean confectionery manufacturer and the current owner of Guylian. Lotte Confectionery purchased Guylian in June 2008 for €105 million to enter into the European premium chocolate market. They also expected to increase Guylian's presence in Asia and soon expanded their chocolate café locations to include Dubai and