Belgium is known mainly for its waffles, fries and praline chocolate. While it is hard to pinpoint an exact origin for the first two, one can in fact still buy the original pralines at the shop where they were first sold in 1912.
The Neuhaus chocolate shop started its life in 1857 when Jean Neuhaus moved from Switzerland to Brussels. He initially stared an apothecary where he was selling medicine wrapped in chocolate to make it more palatable to take. While this was a lucrative business, he soon found that people were keen on eating his chocolate shells even without the medicine, and thus under the guidance of his son they also started selling chocolates and licorice for general consumption.
When Jean’s son Frédéric took over the shop it completely slipped selling medicine and focussed on sweets, slowly innovating the products. Their most famous product came many years later when Frédéric’s son Jean II invented the praline. This chocolate filled with soft chocolate filling was an instant success which helped the company expand. Especially after the wife of Jean II invented and patented the chocolate box, catapulting the brand and products to a luxury status.
These days Neuhaus has over 1500 shops in over 50 countries, but all of their products are still made in a single factory in brussels and shipped out. The original shop is still open for business and sells the original pralines in small bags and luxury boxes.