Dolfin, Belgian Chocolate and the Art of Blending
Dolfin is a Belgian chocolatier from Baulers, south of Brussels, founded in 1989. Their trademark is The Art of Blending: pure Belgian cocoa butter married with natural ingredients such as fruit, nuts, spices, or sea salt. Belgian craftsmanship, exported to over 30 countries.
Dolfin stands for Belgian chocolate that combines pure cocoa with natural ingredients, completely free of artificial flavorings. What brothers Michael and Jean-François Poncelet founded in 1989 is today a globally esteemed manufacturer of fine chocolate. In their workshops in Baulers, they create bars, pralines, and caramels whose art lies not in the cocoa alone, but in their combination with real ingredients. You can find out more about the brand at www.dolfin.be.
1989, two brothers with chocolate in their blood
The story of Dolfin begins in 1989, when brothers Michael and Jean-François Poncelet founded their own chocolatier in Belgium.
Chocolate was in their DNA, as their parents once ran Neuhaus, one of the great Belgian chocolate companies. With this heritage behind them, the two brothers dared to strike out on their own, centering their work from the very beginning on an idea that still holds true today: to combine good Belgian cocoa with natural ingredients instead of leaving it plain. This philosophy became the brand's motto, The Art of Blending.
In 2007, Jean-Jacques de Gruben, a self-confessed lover of Belgian chocolate, took over the company. Under his leadership, the range expanded, new recipes were added, and distribution soon reached far beyond national borders. Thus, a Belgian startup became a brand that is now at home in over 30 countries, yet has remained in Baulers, where it all began.
Despite this growth, the company has remained a manageable manufacturer where recipes are still developed with care. It is precisely this blend of Belgian tradition and constant curiosity for new flavor combinations that continues to shape the character of the house today. The name Dolfin has long since come to represent a whole way of thinking about chocolate—not as a mere raw material, but as a stage for quality ingredients.
Five summer bars and three for winter
We offer five 70-gram bars from Dolfin’s summer edition—salty, fruity, and creamy—each with its own design and flavor. For the cold season, three winter varieties are added, each featuring a new image every year.
For fans of dark chocolate, there is the dark chocolate with Guérande salt, 70% cocoa with a salty edge, and the fruity dark chocolate with orange, featuring 60% cocoa and 3.6% orange preparation. Those who prefer it creamy can reach for the milk chocolate with salted butter caramel or the milk chocolate with macadamia nuts, both with 37% cocoa and a smooth melt.
The lightest of the bunch is the white chocolate with raspberries, creamy white chocolate with real raspberry pieces that provide a delicate acidity to contrast the sweetness. Each bar in the summer edition features a unique travel motif on its packaging, ranging from maritime boat trips and Italian beach umbrellas to paragliders over mountain lakes. In winter, these transform into ice skaters, a dog sled, and a ski slope. This turns even the act of unwrapping into a small summer greeting.
Beyond the summer edition, the brand's world is vast: classic bars, small 30-gram tasting squares, pralines, salted caramels, and even drinking chocolate are all part of the repertoire. Many of these combine unusual pairings of fruit, spices, or herbs, as is typical for the house. The bars you find with us are the perfect introduction to this world of combinations, and because they are easy to share, they make a great little gift for any occasion.
The five summer varieties complement each other to form a small collection that caters to every taste. Those who love dark chocolate can reach for the Guérande or orange bar, those who like it creamy can choose butter caramel or macadamia, and the white raspberry bar adds a touch of fruity lightness.
The Art of Blending, pure cocoa butter, real ingredients
Dolfin’s trademark is The Art of Blending—the skill of marrying chocolate with natural ingredients.
Instead of laboratory-made flavorings, real items are added to the mixture: fruits, nuts, and spices, as well as tea, coffee, blossoms, honey, or sea salt from Guérande in Brittany. The ingredients are not just sprinkled on top, but folded directly into the liquid Belgian cocoa mass, ensuring that every piece tastes the same, from the first bite to the last. The base is always pure cocoa butter, without foreign fats or artificial flavorings.
This signature style runs throughout the entire range. Whether tart or mild, salty or fruity, it is always about the balance between the cocoa and its partner. Good taste, according to the house philosophy, requires no artificial tricks—only good ingredients, patience, and a flair for the right combination. This is precisely the difference between an ordinary bar and one you recognize instantly.
The brand has become famous precisely for its bold pairings, for the combination of chocolate with spices, herbs, or citrus fruits. What is surprising at first often results in an astonishing harmony in the mouth, and that is exactly the appeal of these chocolates. They invite you to discover them, one variety at a time.
The Cocoa Act 4 program
In 2021, the brand launched its own program, Cocoa Act 4, which consolidates work across four pillars: People, Planet, Quality, and Transparency.
Today, Dolfin is a global reference for fine Belgian chocolate and exports to over 30 countries. Jean-Jacques de Gruben has continued the house's tradition since 2007. Craftsmanship with a conscience, one might say.
Tart, creamy, or fruity as a starting point
Anyone trying Dolfin for the first time should start with the variety that suits their own palate.
For dark chocolate fans, the salty Guérande bar is a great introduction; the sweet-and-salty butter caramel appeals to all those who like it creamy; and the white raspberry bar is the light, fruity choice for warm days. Feel free to sample your way through the varieties, as each one tells a little travel story through its motif. They pair beautifully with an espresso, a cappuccino, or a glass of sparkling wine, and as a small gift, these illustrated bars are always welcome.
The bars are particularly well-suited as gifts precisely because each has its own image and character. A small set of several varieties is quickly assembled and is always well-received by chocolate lovers.
You can find the entire selection grouped under Belgian chocolate bars and in our extensive range of chocolate, where this brand with its Belgian signature holds a special place. Whether for your own pantry or as a gift, a bar from this collection is always a good idea. Let yourself be surprised by the combinations.
