Belgian chocolate company decides ISIS is not a good trading name
The ravages of Islamic State have been among the dominant news stories of 2014, but before this year few were even aware of the organisation. Originally a splinter of al-Qaeda, it has shaken foreign governments in ways its parent never could.
The ravages of Islamic State have been among the dominant news stories of 2014, but before this year few were even aware of the organisation. Originally a splinter of al-Qaeda, it has shaken foreign governments in ways its parent never could.
Among those who had not heard was Desiree Libeert, marketing manager of Belgian chocolate company Italo Suisse. The chocolate maker changed its name late last year to ISIS, which also happens to be an acronym popularly used to refer to Islamic State.
Italo Suisse was the company's name since 1923, reflecting the traditions it sought to bring to Belgium.
"We chose ISIS as that was the brand of our pralines and tablets," Libeert said. "Had we known there was a terrorist organisation with the name, we would have never chosen that."
The company has an output of more than 5,000 tonnes of chocolate a year.
Its website is still named "ISIS Chocolates" and the "about us" section includes this guarantee: "Every time the connoisseur samples a piece of our chocolate or one of our filled chocolates he/she is assured a moment of pure pleasure. This assurance extends to ISIS Christmas or St Nicholas themed chocolate figures or eggs and bunnies for Easter."