The menu will offer Godiva favorites, savory sandwiches and salads, and the Croiffle – a croissant pressed into a hot waffle. The hybrid pastry will be available in sweet flavors, including dark and milk chocolate, as well as savory, such as Three Cheese and Egg and Gouda.
Other new items include Belgian Liege waffles with various toppings for under $7.00 each and ‘Godiva chocolate-inspired’ cookies for $4.95.
With headquarters in New York City, the Belgian chocolatier already operates more than 100 shops inside malls across the US. It opened a smaller pop-up of the sweet-and-savory concept inside Penn Station in February to test the reception of New York City residents and tourists, Godiva said.
“The café concept allows us to become a part of our consumer’s daily life,” the spokesperson added. “We are looking to become a more lifestyle brand in order to respond to cultural needs in the marketplace.”
Similar to other big brands’ cafes, such as the Nutella Café, the Godiva shop will also focus on coffee and ice cream. Customers can try a Godiva Mocha or affogato with soft serve starting on April 18.
Leadership shuffle
In conjunction with the foray into cafés, Godiva also announced a leadership shuffle for the Americas: Caroline Le Roch, a 13-year veteran of L’Occitane, will join the executive committee and lead the company’s expansion in the region.
She will lead the brand’s expansion into new products, categories and regions, including the launch of the ‘experiential’ cafés in key markets, the company said.
“She has extensive experience in building and leading high-performing teams across channels and geographies, which will be invaluable to us as we grow our business fivefold over the next six years,” said CEO Annie Young-Scrivner.
Le Roch has led teams in Latin America, Europe, the Middle East and Australia, and most recently at L’Occitane she helped define a ‘new vision and strategy’ focused on company culture.
“Her track record of accelerating growth and her understanding of the Latin America market will also enable us to successfully broaden our reach throughout the Americas,” added Young-Scrivner.
Through many years in the beauty industry, Le Roch said she looks forward to working with Godiva “at such a pivotal time for the brand.”