Our heritage
Our story begins in the nineteenth century where family Van Leckwyck lived in Antwerp, close to the harbour that imported exotic goods from around the world. They traded in exotic spices, tea and green beans for coffee.
Our story begins in the nineteenth century where family Van Leckwyck lived in Antwerp, close to the harbour that imported exotic goods from around the world. They traded in exotic spices, tea and green beans for coffee.
One of the first
Joseph van Leckwyck and his sons started roasting coffee. In those days, many people bought and roasted green beans themselves. Joseph was one of the first to understand that quality of coffee is maintained through a consistent roasting process. He took control of this process and sold high-quality roasted beans.
Roode Pelikaan
In bilingual Belgium during the 1800s, it was common practice for entrepreneurs to give their business the name of a colour and an animal for high resonance with the target audience. He went on to found Roode Pelikaan - Pelican Rouge in Antwerp, Belgium.
The best experience
Joseph began to specialise in the sourcing of coffee, the roasting process as well as the machinery required to maximise the flavour and create the best experience. He designed the logo that resonated with his target market during that time, and quickly expanded his operations through Belgium and shortly after the rest of Europe.
