The story behind our Aurubis pralines: from a design in the kitchen to chocolate at TWERK.

Beerse | Friday, September 13, 2024

Maybe you have already tasted them or heard about them: our Aurubis pralines. A unique story lies behind these chocolates. Our chocolates are made by the non-profit organisation TWERK, which makes artisan chocolate and offers people with autism work in an inclusive environment.

In 2019, our colleague Carla designed the first chocolates in her own kitchen. Since then, the non-profit organisation has been making pralines for Aurubis. What started small has now grown into a tasty treat and a sustainable partnership.

In honour of World Chocolate Day, we visited TWERK. We talked to Bart Michiels, coordinator at TWERK, and Carla Philipsen, team lead accounting.

How did the idea of making chocolates originate?
Carla: In 2019, we celebrated the 100th anniversary of our company. To celebrate the occasion, we had started a working group. With the team, we played with the idea of providing something for our colleagues. Soon the idea arose to make our own pralines.

My colleague Karel knew there was a metal plate on the site with a nice image showing a man pouring copper: ‘’t kopergieterke’. In our scrap yards, you find old copper, which we recycle here, and among those heaps of old copper there are sometimes real pearls, like this image. That image fitted our story perfectly, of course. We took it to a developer for chocolate moulds. And since I sometimes make pralines at home, I started making them in my own kitchen.
And how did you end up at TWERK?
Carla: For the 2019 birthday event, I made a lot of pralines by hand. It was a hot summer, which made it quite a challenge. I wanted to ease that process and make the praline a lasting product. Thus began my search for a sustainable partner for our chocolates. I came into contact with TWERK online. The story behind the non-profit organisation fits perfectly with the values of our company, such as sustainability and caring for each other. And the rest is history! We have now been working with TWERK for over five years.

Hi Bart, can you tell us a bit more about TWERK?
Bart: TWERK is a non-profit organisation that makes artisan chocolate and employs people with autism in an inclusive environment. 35 years ago, autism was not well known. The founder of TWERK went to America for further training and came up with the idea of making Belgian artisanal chocolate together with people with autism. Our vision then and now remains the same: we would like to see more and better jobs for people with autism.
Why was chocolate the choice to work with?
Bart: The nice thing about chocolate is that it is a very circular product, just like copper at Aurubis. In case of imperfections or mistakes, you can melt it down and turn it into a beautiful product again.
Sustainability is a top priority for Aurubis. Can you tell us more about its role within your operation?
Bart: Sustainability is hugely important to us, indeed we have that in common. Our producer Callebaut guarantees FairTrade and good quality. And as a small non-profit organisation, we are very proud of our efforts to achieve FairTrade certification.

Carla: Sustainability is indeed a core value for Aurubis, and we see this reflected in our partnership with TWERK. At Aurubis, we are committed to an inclusive environment, taking care of both the environment and our employees. With our partner, together we make a positive impact for people with autism.

What does it mean for your colleagues to be part of TWERK?
Bart: Our employees play a leading role at work, and work plays a leading role in their lives. Every day we do our best to make their working day as stimulating and clear as possible, while providing structure, predictability and a comprehensive range of tasks.
Recently, the ASPA opening event took place and you were given chocolates as gifts. How proud does that make you?
Carla: I am immensely proud of our ‘’t kopergieterke' pralines that we make. And the nice thing is that I started the whole design and idea together with my colleague. I often receive nice and pleasant reactions from colleagues or visitors. I was present at the opening of the new recycling facility ASPA and was very honoured that the gift was handed out to the guests. Every smile we receive feels like the icing on the chocolate cake!