“Proud of the road I walked” – Steven Candries leaves Guylian after 28 years

Much-respected Guylian Sales Director Steven Candries says that he is looking for a new challenge after leaving the Belgian confectioner after nearly three decades of outstanding service.

Candries joined Guylian as Export Manager in January 1991 from Jules Destrooper. He initially had responsibility for Scandinavia, Greece, Portugal and Spain before being given responsibility for the rest of the world in 1992.

“29 years I have in my archive, an experience I shall never forget and I will cherish the great wins, the joy and the passion in the work and the friendship I developed over time.”

The Belgian brand first had a stand at the Tax Free World Association (TFWA) World Exhibition in 1993. Candries has remained closely involved with TFWA ever since then and is currently in the middle of a two-year term on the association’s Management Committee, which is due to finish in October 2020.

In his time with Guylian, Candries drove the brand’s burgeoning presence in the global travel retail market. In an email to The Moodie Davitt Report, also shared with other industry colleagues, Candries commented: “To be on the shelf in more than 100 countries and be present in all key airports in the world with fantastic visibility with multiple SKUs… Yes, I am proud of the road I walked.”

Candries said that his proudest achievement at Guylian was developing the brand in Asia, notably in South Korea and China (now the brand’s largest Asian market).

In 1998, Guylian was awarded with Belgium’s highest export award, which Candries was presented with by Crown Prince Filip, who is now the King of Belgium.

Candries added: “29 years I have in my archive, an experience I shall never forget and I will cherish the great wins, the joy and the passion in the work and the friendship I developed over time.”

Steven Candries can be contacted at candries.steven@gmail.com