Godiva

Monique's cousin Lawrence works with the Godiva chocolatier group in New York.  When Vicky opened a pocket-sized can of Godiva Pearls, the conversation inevitably went to wondering how he is doing at the moment (he's doing fine).  These pearl-sized chocolates are absolutely fun to munch on, and the while the brand is best known for truffles, the Pearls are also a delicious treat--not too sweet.  Godiva started in 1926 in Belgium, and after the war, the brand had already gained some international fame as a luxury maker of truffles.  In 1967, the Campbell Soup Company purchased the brand, and this affiliation allowed an expanded American and worldwide geo-presence.  With 450 stores all over the world, the chocolate company is currently owned by the Turkish consumer goods company Ulker, which purchased the brand in 2007 for a reported US$850 million.  The name is obviously derived from the 11th century Anglo-Saxon noble woman who rode on a horse naked through Coventry in order to protest the high taxes imposed by her husband, and the brand logo is very much the depiction of that legend.  Love the chocolates, love the lady!