Apr 23 - JHB South East

he decided to make this his permanent
home.
During his 18 months at Marriot Chain,
he became aware of the huge lack of
quality confectionery in the country.
Coming from Belgium, where fine
chocolate is the norm, he wanted to
give South Africans luxurious, affordable
chocolates they could eat daily.
‘I first worked as a pastry chef in an
industrial kitchen and then started my
chocolate company two and a half
years later.
So in 1987, at just 21, Beyers Chocolates
was founded. While his dream of
owning a chocolate factory has come
true, Kees never stops enriching his
knowledge in the art of chocolate and
confectionery making. With 32 years of
experience in confectionery and bakery,
he is regarded as a global expert in
the industry. Today he is 56 years old,
and he is still loving every minute of
what he is doing.
Tons of chocolate
Currently, Kees Beyers Chocolates is 36
years old and still going strong. ‘We are
now the largest independent chocolate
factory in South Africa. We employ
650 full-time staff and 1000 staff in
season, which is about eight months of
the year.’
Today They make over 6 million easter
eggs over the Easter period and use
about 80 tons of chocolate per week.
‘Seeing the facial expressions of
children with the Easter eggs is just
priceless,’ he says.
Today, they are the largest independent
manufacturer of boxed chocolates
in the country, supplying local and
international markets with quality,
hand-crafted, proudly local products.
‘We are the leading producer of luxury
boxed chocolates in South Africa,
with a database of over 200 chocolate
recipes.’
Beyers Chocolates is a family business
with a passion for making high-quality
confectionery. ‘Most of our products
are hand-crafted, and chocolate fillings
are made from scratch using traditional
Belgian methods.
‘At Beyers Chocolates, we manufacture
our own range of confectionery,
including local favourites like Sweetie
Pie, Amarula and Dream Bear.’
He has been the maker and supplier to
Woolworths for the last 33 years.
Beyers Chocolates won three Categories
in the 2019 to 2021 Best of Ekurhuleni Readers’ Choice Awards; Best Local
Factory Shop, Best Local Chocolatier and Best Chocolate.
The best part of his job is to be in the kitchen and seeing his final product
in stores.
‘Yes, developing a range or product takes time and there is a lot of faults and errors,
but seeing the final product at the end of the day is so fascinating.’
Paying it forward
Kees enjoys working with chocolate, but he is also fascinated by pastry.
‘There is only a handful of pastry and confectionary chefs in the country and that
is why we are sponsors of the Johannesburg Culinary and Pastry School and yearly,
we also give away a bursary. There is a lack of pastry schools here in South Africa,’
Kees said.
Except for normal business challenges, his biggest challenge now is the lack of
electricity in the country.
Kees is a passionate business owner who still works closely with his staff members
to ensure that all Beyers Chocolates meet his exact standards of high quality.
He keeps on enriching his knowledge in the art of chocolate and confectionery
making.
Taking each day as it comes
It is as much a joy for Kees to be a father as it is to work. He has three children and
he enjoys both equally.
Two of his children are overseas while his youngest is still in South Africa busy with
her Grade 10 year.
Kees is one of four children, and one of his fondest childhood memories is the
freedom he had. ‘Those were the days when you could play outside and run freely
for hours,’ he recalls.
Both of his parents are still alive, and they visit South Africa for nine months
each year.
Motorcycle riding, frequenting new restaurants, reading books, and making new
dishes are some of the things he enjoys doing in his free time. And these new
dishes are mostly cooking food and not baking. ‘Strangely enough, I do not bake at
home, but I do cook,’ he says.
As an introvert, Kees describes himself as thoughtful, impatient, and kind.
A little-unknown fact about him is that ‘Few people know that I was a paratrooper
during my 15-month national service in Belgium back then.’
It is his goal to grow his brand and business. To establish Beyers Chocolates as a
household name.
His ex-father-in-law, Peter Queally, is one of his biggest inspirations. ‘As a businessman,
husband and father, he stayed humble, and he is just one of those people
who inspire you with everything he does.’
The motto that drives him is ‘It is what it is.’
• What is your spirit animal?
Buffalo.
• Do you prefer food, travel or art?
Travel.
• Rain vs Sunshine?
Sunshine.
• What is your ultimate spoil?
A fancy restaurant.
• What do you love most about life in
the city?
The convenience of it.
• Your pet peeves
Arrogance.
This and that
• What is a must-have in your
kitchen?
A stove.
• What do you always have with you
when you leave the house?
My wallet.
• What would you do if you won R1
million today?
Settle some of my debt
• Your favourite Beyers chocolate?
Our caramel chocolates.
• What is your superpower?
Calmness.
Text: ELZAAN PIENAAR. Photo: DANIE BESTER FROM KONZEPT
April 2023 Get It Joburg South • Alberton • Bedfordview • Greenstone • Modderfontein 13
GIS0407_012_947653263.indd 13 2023/03/16 10:13:00