As Easter hops closer, chocolate-makers around the world are gearing up for one of their busiest seasons.
Belgium, already renowned for its artistic use of cocoa, is celebrating Easter in a new way this year – with chocolate flavoured stamps.
The country is releasing five new stamp designs aimed at promoting its world-famous chocolate-makers. More than 500,000 stamps are being printed on special cocoa-scented paper with a glue that tastes like chocolate.
“Well, the idea came because we did… stamps with flavour a couple of years ago and we had a lot of success,” said Pierre Leempoel, Belgian stamps producer.
“This year, we wanted to promote the chocolate and we used the system… Now, instead of having only the flavour, we have also the taste.”
A sheet of chocolate stamps goes for about CAN$8, and has zero calories.
Belgium is not the first country to produce stamps that taste good. France, Britain and Germany have all released flavoured stamps, ranging from eucalyptus, lemon, apple and strawberry.
So how are Belgium’s chocolate stamps measuring up?
“I didn’t find that they tasted of much,” said Belgian stamp collector Marie-Claire Verstichel. “Less tasty than the French stamps from 2009, but they smell good. They smell like chocolate.”
Canada Post says it has explored the idea of releasing a maple syrup flavoured stamp, but for now there is no plan in place.
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