Lebanese artisan chocolatier Souchet was recently acquired by Merit Invest (CMA CGM Group). We caught up with Tania Ezzedine, deputy general manager of Merit Invest, to explore the vision behind the acquisition, the significance of the brand’s first chocolate boutique in Beirut and what’s in the pipeline.
What can you tell us about the history of Souchet?
Souchet is a Lebanese artisan chocolatier with roots dating back to 1979. We’re proud of our heritage and committed to crafting our own chocolate using high-quality ingredients. Today, we employ around 80 people at our state-of-the-art facility, where we produce a wide variety of products tailored for all kinds of occasions.
As part of its food and beverage division, Merit acquired Rifai, Lebanon’s leading nuts and seeds brand, four years ago. Venturing into the chocolate sector felt like a natural next step, especially as it’s a growing and promising category. Interestingly, Souchet had been a partner for Rifai; our goal now is to build and grow the brand, develop its retail presence and embark on what we see as a very exciting journey.
You recently opened the first Souchet boutique in Achrafieh, Beirut. How did you choose the location?
We chose our location in Tabaris, Achrafieh, because it offered great visibility. It’s situated on a prominent roundabout and easily accessible from several directions. It’s also directly across from the Rifai store, which presents great opportunities for synergy between the two brands. Ultimately, we instantly connected with the space and saw as the perfect flagship for our first boutique. And this is just the beginning, as we’re planning to open more branches over the coming year.
How would you describe your clients?
Initially, Souchet operated primarily as a B2B brand. However, with our first retail store, we’ve made a shift toward B2C. What you see here — the entire retail concept, from branding and packaging to the in-store experience — is a fresh creation designed specifically for direct consumers. We have many clients in the neighborhood, as well as many who visit us from other parts of Beirut. We’re also available on Toters for delivery, and we’re planning to expand our presence into other areas of the city very soon.
In your opinion, what differentiates Souchet from other brands in the market?
Every brand has its own identity — its positioning, values, branding and signature products. What sets Souchet apart is that we craft our own chocolate entirely in-house. We craft our products using selective cocoa sourced from premium origins, ensuring rich flavor and superior quality. We use 100-percent natural cocoa butter without any substitutes, and all our raw materials are exclusively sourced from Europe, upholding the highest standards of purity and traceability. Our team of talented young Lebanese chefs carry on a tradition rooted in a secret recipe that dates back to 1979. Indeed, we boldly and proudly preserve the essence of the brand while also developing new signature products to reflect evolving tastes across generations and customer profiles.
What are your signature and best-selling items?
We have several signature products at Souchet. First, the croustillants, which are nougatine coated in milk or dark chocolate. They’re crunchy, rich and indulgent. We also have tuiles, ganache-based chocolate delicacies available in a variety of flavors like dark sea salt caramel and milk raspberry crumble. Our pistoles — chocolate rounds with a macaron-like shape, filled with praline-based ganache in flavors such as pistachio, coffee and mango — are also popular with our customers. And, of course, the finest orangettes and gingembrettes, not to mention the best feuilletine — a croquant-based must try!
What can we expect from Souchet over the coming months?
We’re adding an ice-cream section in our store from around June 2025. There, we will be offering a variety of flavors.
Several new locations are in the pipeline, including a store in Verdun, one at Beirut airport and a seasonal pop-up in the mountains. These projects will be launched before the end of 2025.
For now, our focus is on strengthening Souchet’s presence in its home country. Once the brand is well established locally, we shall potentially explore international expansion.
