Pladis has revealed that it has almost completed the integration of the Godiva chocolate brand into its portfolio. It will sit alongside its other brands, including Ülker, BN, McVitie’s, Carr’s, and Jacob’s.
Godiva was acquired by Pladis’s parent company, Yıldız Holding of Turkey, in 2008. London-headquartered Pladis began integrating the Belgian firm into its portfolio in 2023. The company noted that the integration of the Godiva brand would bring additional scale as it focuses on growing the business in the US and China.
Pladis also announced that it had appointed former Nike, The North Face, and Sephora exec, Steve Lesnard, as President of Godiva, effective 1 May. He joins from Sephora, where he served as Global Chief Brand Officer and President of Private Label.
The company stated that Lesnard will “grow and sustain Godiva’s position and expertise in the premium chocolate category, leveraging ongoing support from Pladis to take Godiva and its legendary chocolate to new heights”.
Pladis CEO Salman Amin commented: “Synonymous with artisanal and beautifully curated chocolates since it was founded in Belgium almost a century ago, Godiva is a perfect fit within Pladis’ global portfolio of beloved brands. I am delighted to welcome Steve Lesnard to the team to drive growth while upholding Godiva’s beautiful legacy.”
Lesnard added: “I’m energised by the opportunities Godiva has to continue benefitting from Pladis’s industry-leading insights, extensive retail customer relationships, innovative R&D, and highly focused, profitable growth strategy.”
