House of Anvers

House of Anvers is a Tasmanian chocolate manufacturer and hospitality business based in Latrobe, Australia. The company was established in 1989 by Igor van Gerwen, a Belgian-born chocolatier, linking its identity to Belgian chocolate-making traditions while operating from northern Tasmania. Its business combines chocolate production, direct retail, tourism, and food service rather than relying solely on packaged-goods distribution. The company moved to its present site on the Bass Highway in 2002. The location is the historic Wyndarra Lodge, which House of Anvers adapted into a chocolate-focused destination. In addition to manufacturing and selling chocolate, the site includes a purpose-built retail store and a chocolate-themed restaurant. This destination model allows visitors to purchase products directly, experience the brand in a hospitality setting, and connect the business with Tasmania's tourism economy. House of Anvers distributes through independent chocolate shops and IGA supermarkets, giving it a presence beyond its Latrobe premises while retaining a regional, specialty-food positioning. Its assortment is described broadly as chocolate products, with the company also associated with premium and specialty cocoa. House of Anvers is identified as the only Australian stockist of Fortunato No. 4, a rare Nacional cocoa chocolate, a distinction that supports its emphasis on unusual and high-quality chocolate offerings. The brand has a visible role in the local community through its sponsorship and hosting of Latrobe Chocolate Winterfest, an annual event centered on chocolate and local tourism. It has also promoted sustainability-related visitor infrastructure: the Latrobe premises became the first location in Northern Tasmania to offer an electric-vehicle charging point. These activities extend the company beyond manufacturing and reinforce its identity as a visitor attraction and community-facing food business. House of Anvers has received recognition connected with its founder's account of the business. In 2023, Igor van Gerwen's book, Chocolatier, which chronicles the foundation of Anvers, won the best chocolate book category at the Gourmand International Cookbook Awards in Saudi Arabia. The award adds an element of cultural and biographical recognition to the company, although publicly available reference material does not provide detailed information about its financial performance, ownership structure, workforce, export scale, or current executive management.

House of Anvers was founded in 1989 in Tasmania by Igor van Gerwen, a Belgian-born chocolatier. The business developed as a specialist chocolate maker with a regional identity rooted in Latrobe and northern Tasmania. Its origins under a Belgian chocolatier gave the company a connection to European chocolate traditions, while its operating base and customer experience were distinctly Australian and Tasmanian. In 2002, House of Anvers moved to its present location on the Bass Highway in Latrobe. The site is the historic Wyndarra Lodge, which became the setting for a broader chocolate business encompassing production, retail, and hospitality. Rather than functioning only as a factory or wholesale supplier, the company established a purpose-built store and a chocolate-themed restaurant, turning the premises into a destination for visitors and local customers. The company's distribution has included independent chocolate shops and IGA supermarkets. This channel mix combines specialty retail with a supermarket presence while preserving the brand's focus on chocolate products. House of Anvers is also associated with specialty cocoa, including Fortunato No. 4, a Nacional cocoa chocolate for which it is described as the only Australian stockist. The product's rarity contributes to the company's premium and connoisseur-oriented reputation. Community and tourism activities have been part of the brand's public profile. House of Anvers sponsors and hosts Latrobe Chocolate Winterfest annually, linking the company with a recurring local event and with Tasmania's visitor economy. Its premises also became the first location in Northern Tasmania to provide an electric-vehicle charging point, adding a sustainability-oriented amenity to the visitor experience. The founder's role in documenting the business was recognized in 2023, when Igor van Gerwen's book Chocolatier won the best chocolate book category at the Gourmand International Cookbook Awards in Saudi Arabia. The book chronicles the foundation of Anvers and provides a cultural record of the company's development. Available reference material confirms the company's founding, relocation, products, channels, community activities, and award-related recognition, but does not establish detailed information about later ownership, financial performance, production capacity, international operations, or a broader executive team.

• 2023

  Chocolatier wins a Gourmand International award

  [1]House of Anversen.wikipedia.org

  Igor van Gerwen's book Chocolatier, documenting the foundation of Anvers, wins the best chocolate book category at the Gourmand International Cookbook Awards.

• 2002

  Move to Wyndarra Lodge

  [1]House of Anversen.wikipedia.org

  The business moves to its present Bass Highway location in the historic Wyndarra Lodge in Latrobe.

• 1989

  House of Anvers is founded

  [1]House of Anversen.wikipedia.org

  Belgian-born chocolatier Igor van Gerwen establishes House of Anvers in Tasmania.

• Expansion into destination retail and hospitality

  [1]House of Anversen.wikipedia.org

  House of Anvers operates a purpose-built store and chocolate-themed restaurant at its Latrobe site.

• Fortunato No. 4 Australian stockist

  [1]House of Anversen.wikipedia.org

  House of Anvers is identified as the only Australian stockist of Fortunato No. 4 Nacional cocoa chocolate.

• Electric-vehicle charging point introduced

  [1]House of Anversen.wikipedia.org

  The Latrobe location becomes the first site in Northern Tasmania to offer an electric-vehicle charging point.

A Tasmanian specialty chocolatier combining Belgian-inspired craftsmanship, premium cocoa products, direct retail, hospitality, and chocolate tourism.

• Chocolate confectionery · 1989

  House of Anvers chocolate

  The company's core offering consists of chocolate products manufactured and sold under the House of Anvers name. Products are available through the Latrobe store, independent chocolate shops, and IGA supermarkets. Public reference material describes the range at a broad category level rather than listing individual formats or recipes.

• Specialty chocolate

  Fortunato No. 4 Nacional cocoa chocolate

  Fortunato No. 4 is a rare Nacional cocoa chocolate associated with House of Anvers as its Australian stockist. Its availability gives the company a distinctive specialty-cocoa offering and supports its premium positioning. The available reference does not specify the product's exact format, price, or distribution volume.

• Hospitality offering · 2002

  Chocolate-themed restaurant

  The House of Anvers site in Latrobe includes a chocolate-themed restaurant within its visitor-oriented operation. It extends the brand from packaged chocolate into food service and forms part of the Wyndarra Lodge destination experience.

• Latrobe Chocolate Winterfest

  Latrobe · Tasmania · Australia

  House of Anvers sponsors and hosts Latrobe Chocolate Winterfest annually, using a local chocolate event to connect the brand with community activity, tourism, and the regional visitor economy.

  Outcome. The event is described as an annual activity associated with House of Anvers; the available source does not provide attendance, revenue, or other quantified outcomes.

  Source

• 2002

  Relocation to a destination-oriented siteStrategy

  Background

  House of Anvers moved to the historic Wyndarra Lodge on the Bass Highway in Latrobe.

  Action taken

  The company established its present operating base there, incorporating a purpose-built store and chocolate-themed restaurant alongside its chocolate business.

  Aftermath

  The relocation positioned House of Anvers as both a chocolate manufacturer and a visitor destination. No financial or capacity data is provided in the reference material.

  Source

• Addition of electric-vehicle chargingStrategy

  Background

  The company operated a visitor-facing site in Northern Tasmania and added an electric-vehicle charging amenity.

  Action taken

  House of Anvers offered an electric-vehicle charging point at its Latrobe location.

  Aftermath

  The site became the first location in Northern Tasmania described as offering this service. The source does not report usage or commercial impact.

  Source

1. 1House of Anversen.wikipedia.org