In 2013, the Belgian postal service bpost achieved a world first: a set of postage stamps that not only looked like chocolate but actually smelled and tasted of it. Over 500,000 stamps were printed on special paper imbued with cocoa aroma, then coated in a varnish containing real cocoa extract. The gum on the back released the flavour of dark chocolate when licked.
A Sweet Challenge for Printers
The project brought together fragrance and taste experts from Belgium, Germany, the Netherlands, and Switzerland. The stamps were printed on UPM Raflatac's Tropimatic Chocolate paper at bpost's printing facility in Mechelen. The scent of chocolate came from micro-encapsulated aroma added directly to the printing inks, while the taste was delivered via cocoa oil infused into the gummed adhesive layer.
Pierre Leempoel, Director of Printing at bpost, stated: "These are the first stamps in the world that have a taste in addition to scent. They are the result of close cooperation with partners from Belgium, Germany, the Netherlands and UPM Raflatac in Switzerland." The varnish alone contained 40 percent cocoa product, developed after extensive research into scratch-and-sniff technology.
The Five Designs
Gourmet photographer Tony Le Duc and graphic artist Katleen Miller designed five stamps celebrating Belgium's chocolate heritage. Each stamp depicted a different form of chocolate:
- Chocolate Sprinkles (Hagelslag) – Mi:BE 4361
- Chocolate Portions – Mi:BE 4362
- Chocolate Praline – Mi:BE 4363
- Chocolate Spread – Mi:BE 4364
- Chocolate Bar – Mi:BE 4365
— bpost spokesperson, AFP
Production Run and Public Response
A total of 538,000 stamps were issued on 25 March 2013, priced at €6.20 for the five-stamp sheet (€1.24 per stamp for overseas mail). The stamps were intended for international mail (Value 1 World). Collector Marie-Claire Verstichel noted that while the taste was subtle, "they smell good." This was not bpost's first scented stamp — earlier chocolate-scented issues appeared in 1999 and 2006 — but it was the first to incorporate actual flavour.
The BBC News visited the printing press as the stamps rolled off the production line, producing a video feature titled "How Belgium's chocolate postage stamps were made" that was broadcast in February 2013.
Technical Specifications
| Issue | Belgian Chocolate |
| Issue Date | 25 March 2013 |
| Postal Administration | bpost (Belgium) |
| Designers | Tony Le Duc (photography) / Katleen Miller (graphic design) |
| Printing Technique | Offset lithography |
| Paper | UPM Raflatac Tropimatic Chocolate (scented) |
| Perforation | Comb 11½ |
| Stamp Size | 30 × 40 mm |
| Face Value | 1 World (overseas mail) |
| Circulation | 538,000 stamps |
| Michel Numbers | BE 4361–4365 |
Why These Stamps Matter
The Belgian chocolate stamps are a landmark in philatelic innovation. They represent the intersection of postal technology, food science, and graphic design. For collectors, they offer unique thematic value in the areas of food philately, scented stamps, and European postal history. The issue demonstrated that postage stamps could engage multiple senses — sight, smell, and taste — pushing the boundaries of what a stamp could be.
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