Italian heritage chocolate brand Caffarel, celebrating its 200th anniversary in 2026, will co-host a special commemorative event with Felissimo Chocolate Museum in Kobe on February 8, 2026. The legendary Turin-born brand, distributed in Japan by Yamamoto Shoten Co., Ltd., will present "200 Years of Love: The Delicious Secrets of Italian-Born, Kobe-Raised Caffarel."
Event Overview
- Event Name: "200 Years of Love: The Delicious Secrets of Italian-Born, Kobe-Raised Caffarel"
- Date & Time: Sunday, February 8, 2026, 10:30 AM to 11:30 AM
- Participation Fee: ¥2,000 (tax included, includes Chocolate Museum ticket)
- Event Venue: f winery (Urban Winery) - Same building as Felissimo Chocolate Museum
- Registration: https://www.asoview.com/channel/ticket/RePG89dxGR/ticket0000047645/
Experience Program
The event features an exclusive chocolate experience program including:
- Premium Caffarel chocolate tasting and live demonstrations
- Special talk by Miri, the renowned chocolate buyer from Felissimo's "Happy Chocolate®"
- Live preparation of fresh gianduia with engaging talks about Italian chocolate
- Tasting of freshly made products
- Caffarel's original gianduia drink "Cremosa"
Attendees will witness Caffarel Ambassador Chef Bolpe creating the brand's signature confections right before their eyes, with the rare opportunity to taste freshly made chocolates. The event will also feature a special talk by Felissimo's "Happy Chocolate®" buyer Miri, who has traveled the world discovering hidden chocolate gems. Her unique insights from visiting chocolate makers globally will enrich the tasting experience, creating a special moment to deeply appreciate chocolate culture.
After the event, participants can explore the adjacent Felissimo Chocolate Museum exhibitions and purchase Caffarel chocolates at the museum shop. It's a full day of immersion in the diverse charms of chocolate.
Gennaro Bolpe
Maestro Pasticciere (Master Confectioner)
Born in Naples in 1962, Bolpe opened his own pastry shop in Naples at age 23 in 1987. He currently operates "Pasticceria Caffetteria Bolpe," which has been featured multiple times in Italy's prestigious gourmet magazine "Gambero Rosso." A winner of numerous European confectionery competitions, he received the Order of Merit from the Italian President in 2010 as a Maestro Pasticciere (Master Confectioner).
Since 2012, he has worked with Caffarel chocolates, serving as brand ambassador. In 2018, he was appointed as total coordinator of Caffarel Chocolate University.
Misato Kinouchi ("Chocolate Buyer Miri")
A food buyer at Felissimo who has been in charge of chocolate planning for 30 years as of 2026. She travels annually to chocolatiers around the world, discovering delicious chocolates with compelling stories. Through October 2025, she has imported and sold approximately 600 brands and over 3,000 types of chocolate, including about 330 brands making their Japanese debut.
Drawing on her buyer experience, she authored "Chocolate to the Ends of the Earth" (2012, Felissimo Publishing) and "In Search of 'Happy Chocolate' Wherever It Takes Me" (2020, Shincho-sha), covering chocolate basics, characteristics by country, and insights into the buyer's work. She conducts chocolate seminars nationwide and has appeared in numerous media outlets, including NHK's "Sekai wa Hoshii Mono ni Afureteru" (July 2018), NHK's "Asaichi" (December 2019), and Fuji TV's "Honma Dekka!? TV" "Chocolate Truth Special" (2024).
About Felissimo Chocolate Museum
Since opening in October 2021, the museum has exhibited art related to chocolate and cacao. The museum's collection includes approximately 27,000 chocolate packages from around the world, with 19,000 on display. https://www.felissimo.co.jp/chocolatemuseum/
About Caffarel
Founded in Turin, Italy in 1826, Caffarel celebrates its 200th anniversary in 2026. The brand invented "gianduia chocolate," a blend of hazelnut paste and cacao, introducing it to the world. Since then, it has been beloved globally.
Caffarel Official Online Shop: https://www.caffarel.co.jp/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/caffarel_hy/
