Exclusively at Bio-Planet and Cru: chocolate gorillas to celebrate 100 years of Virunga Park

Thursday, April 10, 2025

This week, Bio-Planet and Cru will be welcoming a new addition to their shelves. It's chocolate in the shape of a gorilla, created by Dominique Persoone, one of the world's greatest chocolatiers, and his Congolese team on site. The chocolate is a limited edition to mark the 100th anniversary of the Virunga National Park, the richest protected area in terms of biodiversity in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), and home to over a thousand species. A product that makes sense for these two Colruyt Group brands, thanks to its sustainability.

Sustainable 100% Congolese chocolate

This April 8^th, a very remarkable chocolate makes its exclusive appearance on the shelves of Bio-Planet and Cru stores. A chocolate with a sustainable aspect, specially imagined for the 100th anniversary of the Virunga National Park. Dominique Persoone's 100% Congolese chocolate is a 63% dark chocolate made from high-quality cocoa grown by small-scale agricultural entrepreneur in the region bordering the Virunga National Park.

This vegan chocolate meets a number of sustainable criteria. Production is powered by green energy, while supporting local communities. To produce this chocolate, the chocolate factory located at DRC sources its ingredients very locally, directly from the producers. What's more, the company itself employs and trains local workers, enabling local people to develop their skills.

Exclusively in Bio-Planet and Cru stores

These various principles of sustainability make sense for Bio-Planet, the Colruyt Group brand which pays great attention to respect for people and the environment. When Emmanuel de Mérode, who heads the Virunga Foundation, personally suggested Colruyt Group to support the project through the sale of these little chocolate gorillas, Bio-Planet was the obvious choice. “At Bio-Planet, we carefully select our products, paying particular attention to health, organic farming and ecological impact. The chocolate offered by Virunga fits perfectly with our values, given its sustainability. We make sure that the products that join our assortment are designed with respect for both the environment and people”, explains Kristel Adriaens, marketer from Bio-Planet.

At Cru there is space is reserved as well for chocolate straight from the Democratic Republic of Congo. The brand is constantly on the lookout for partners who are deliberately seeking to stand out from the crowd. At the Cru fresh market, it's the essential that is sought through the pure flavors of the product, in all its simplicity. Criteria that are fully met by this chocolate, produced directly by artisans near the Virunga National Park.

Through this project, Colruyt Group is contributing to the development of the region where the Virunga National Park is located, as well as to the development of biodiversity.

In addition to the sustainability of the chocolate production circuit, by selling these chocolates at Bio-Planet and Cru, the Virunga National Park receives financial resources that will be used to finance local activities. These activities range from biodiversity conservation and preservation to the protection of endangered species such as the mountain gorilla, not forgetting community development initiatives.

Practical info:

This exclusive chocolate is available in all Bio-Planet and Cru stores from April 7^th.