Confiserie Roodthooft
Confiserie Roodthooft is a Belgian family-founded confectionery business best known for its coffee-flavoured Mokatine sweets and traditional toffees.
Last updated August 25, 2026
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Overview
Confiserie Roodthooft is a Belgian confectionery company founded in Antwerp in 1925 by Louis Roodthooft and Johanna Stoops. The business began as a wholesaler in Borgerhout, sourcing sweets from local manufacturers, before moving into its own production toward the end of the 1920s. Its early range included liquorice and coffee-flavoured confectionery, and the company gradually developed from a local confectionery concern into a manufacturer with export activity. The company's defining product is Caramella Mokatine, a coffee-flavoured caramel sweet introduced in 1934. In Belgium it became widely associated with the nickname Arabierkes or Arabier because of the illustrated character used on the sachetti-style wrapper. Louis Roodthooft reportedly encountered the wrapping method during a trip to Italy in 1933 and subsequently obtained machinery from ACMA in Bologna. The company used the format for a recipe combining coffee, sweetened skimmed milk and vegetable fat. Mokatine's commercial success helped establish the company's identity and supported expansion during the 1930s. Confiserie Roodthooft moved its production to a larger complex on Lange Leemstraat in Antwerp from 1937. The premises had originally been built for Albers Creameries and included industrial buildings, offices and a director's residence associated with Antwerp's Art Nouveau architectural heritage. During the Second World War, shortages and weaker demand constrained confectionery manufacturing. The company maintained operations partly by diversifying into products such as jam and chocolate substitutes. After the war, the business continued to emphasize traditional recipes while expanding distribution and exports. It remained closely connected to the Stoops family and developed sales beyond Belgium, with export growth reported particularly in Japan and China during the 2010s. In 2015, the company acquired part of a German confectionery producer, adding products including Salmi, New Orleans and Chewy Toffee to its portfolio. Production was transferred from Antwerp to the former Heinz factory site in Turnhout in 2016. The historic Antwerp factory site later became the subject of redevelopment plans, with protected industrial structures incorporated into a residential conversion project. In November 2022, Turnhout-based confectionery manufacturer Astra Sweets acquired Confiserie Roodthooft. Patrick Stoops continued to contribute to research and development after the acquisition. In 2025, Astra Sweets and Belgian design studio WeWantMore refreshed the packaging and visual identity of the Mokatine brand. The redesign placed greater emphasis on the Roodthooft name, replaced the earlier mascot imagery with a stylized desert-oasis illustration and introduced an additional coffee-flavoured variant alongside the original moka-caramel product. Today, Roodthooft represents a heritage Belgian confectionery label within Astra Sweets. Its positioning combines historical recipes, recognizable packaging traditions and export-oriented presentation. The company is particularly associated with Mokatine, while its broader portfolio includes Belgian toffees, liquorice toffees and other acquired confectionery products.
History
Confiserie Roodthooft was established in Antwerp in 1925 by Louis Roodthooft and Johanna Stoops. Roodthooft handled sales while Stoops managed the day-to-day operation of the factory, an unusual division of responsibilities for a Belgian woman in that period. The business initially operated as a confectionery wholesaler in the Provinciestraat area of Borgerhout, purchasing products from local makers. By the late 1920s it had begun manufacturing its own sweets and moved into larger premises on Sint-Erasmusstraat and Erasmussteeg. The early product range included liquorice and coffee-flavoured confectionery. A major turning point came in 1934 with the introduction of Caramella Mokatine, a coffee-flavoured caramel that later became the company's signature product. Louis Roodthooft is reported to have encountered sachetti-style wrapping in Italy in 1933. The company acquired wrapping equipment from ACMA in Bologna and applied the format to a new sweet made with coffee, sweetened skimmed milk and vegetable fat. The wrapper's illustrated character led Belgian consumers to refer to the product as Arabierkes or Arabier. The product's popularity supported the company's commercial expansion and helped it develop export activity. The company also sold products such as Pickers liquorice toffees and reportedly received a confectionery gold medal at the 1939 New York World's Fair. From 1937, manufacturing was concentrated at a larger complex on Lange Leemstraat in Antwerp. The site had been built in 1905–1907 as the Albers Creameries butter factory and was associated with the architectural tradition of Victor Horta's former students. It contained factory buildings, offices and a director's residence. Wartime shortages of ingredients and lower consumer demand reduced confectionery output. To remain active, the company diversified temporarily into jam and chocolate substitutes. Following the Second World War, Confiserie Roodthooft resumed its confectionery focus and continued to operate as a family-linked Antwerp manufacturer. The company retained an emphasis on established recipes and built a wider distribution network. Its exports later reached countries around the world, with particularly strong growth reported in Japan and China between 2014 and 2017. In 2015, it acquired part of a German confectionery producer and expanded its range with products including Salmi, New Orleans and Chewy Toffee. In 2016, production moved from the Lange Leemstraat premises to the former Heinz factory site in Turnhout. The Antwerp complex subsequently entered redevelopment discussions. Announced plans sought to incorporate the protected industrial structures into a residential conversion, preserving elements of the site's industrial heritage. Astra Sweets acquired Confiserie Roodthooft in November 2022. The transaction changed the company's ownership while retaining continuity around its products and family expertise; Patrick Stoops remained involved in research and development. In 2025, Astra Sweets introduced a new identity for the Roodthooft Mokatine range in cooperation with Belgian design studio WeWantMore. The updated packaging made Roodthooft more prominent, replaced the former mascot treatment with a stylized desert-oasis image and added a new coffee-flavoured variant beside the original moka-caramel sweet. The company is now best understood as a heritage confectionery business operating within Astra Sweets. Its brand equity rests chiefly on Mokatine's long history, Belgian provenance, distinctive wrapper heritage and the continued use of traditional confectionery recipes, while its export activity gives the label a market beyond Belgium.
- 2025
Mokatine brand redesign
[1]Astra Sweets and WeWantMore refreshed the packaging and visual identity of the Roodthooft Mokatine range.
- 2022
Acquisition by Astra Sweets
[1]Astra Sweets acquired Confiserie Roodthooft in November.
- 2016
Production relocated to Turnhout
[1]The company transferred manufacturing from Antwerp to the former Heinz factory site in Turnhout.
- 2015
German confectionery assets added
[1]Confiserie Roodthooft acquired part of a German confectionery producer and added products such as Salmi, New Orleans and Chewy Toffee.
- 1939
New York World's Fair recognition
[1]The company reportedly received a gold medal for confectionery products at the New York World's Fair.
- 1937
Production expands to Lange Leemstraat
[1]Manufacturing activities moved to a larger industrial complex in Antwerp.
- 1934
Caramella Mokatine introduced
[1]The company launched its coffee-flavoured caramel sweet, later known in Belgium as Arabierkes or Arabier.
- 1925
Company founded in Antwerp
[1]Louis Roodthooft and Johanna Stoops established the confectionery business in Antwerp.
Products and positioning
A heritage Belgian confectionery brand built around traditional recipes, the iconic coffee-flavoured Mokatine sweet and exportable Belgian toffee products.
Coffee-flavoured caramel · 1934
Caramella Mokatine
Confiserie Roodthooft's best-known product is a coffee-flavoured caramel introduced in 1934. It became strongly associated with its sachetti wrapper and the illustrated figure that prompted Belgian consumers to call it Arabierkes or Arabier. The recipe is described as using coffee, sweetened skimmed milk and vegetable fat. The product remains the central expression of the Roodthooft heritage and has been presented in updated packaging for both Belgian and international markets.
Toffees
Our Original Belgian Toffees
This range combines recipes associated with the company's early twentieth-century confectionery tradition with contemporary packaging. It represents Roodthooft's broader positioning beyond Mokatine, emphasizing Belgian origin, classic preparation and heritage appeal.
Liquorice confectionery
Pickers liquorice toffees
Pickers liquorice toffees formed part of the company's historical range during its expansion in the 1930s. They illustrate the business's longstanding involvement in both toffee and liquorice confectionery rather than coffee sweets alone.
Confectionery · 2015
Salmi
Salmi was among the products added to the company's portfolio following the 2015 acquisition of part of a German confectionery producer.
Confectionery · 2015
New Orleans
New Orleans was added to the Roodthooft portfolio in connection with the 2015 acquisition of part of a German confectionery producer.
Chewy toffee · 2015
Chewy Toffee
Chewy Toffee was one of the products incorporated into the portfolio after the 2015 German confectionery transaction.
Marketing campaigns
- 2025Roodthooft Mokatine brand redesign
Belgium · International markets
Astra Sweets partnered with Belgian design studio WeWantMore to modernize the Mokatine packaging and visual identity. The work emphasized the Roodthooft name, introduced a stylized desert-oasis illustration and moved away from the earlier mascot imagery.
Outcome. The redesign was intended to give the heritage product a more contemporary presentation while retaining its association with Belgian confectionery tradition. A new coffee-flavoured variant was introduced alongside the original product.
Brand decisions
2025
Mokatine identity refresh and variant introductionProduct launchBackground
Astra Sweets sought to update the presentation of the historic Mokatine product for contemporary Belgian and international markets.
Action taken
The company redesigned the packaging and visual identity with WeWantMore, elevated the Roodthooft name, introduced a desert-oasis illustration and added a new coffee-flavoured variant.
Aftermath
The product retained its heritage positioning while receiving a more modern brand presentation.
2022
Acquisition by Astra SweetsM&ABackground
Confiserie Roodthooft had developed into a heritage confectionery manufacturer with Belgian and international distribution.
Action taken
Astra Sweets acquired the company in November 2022.
Aftermath
Roodthooft became part of Astra Sweets while family expertise remained involved in product research and development through Patrick Stoops.
2016
Relocation of manufacturing to TurnhoutStrategyBackground
The company needed a new production base after operating for decades at its historic Antwerp complex.
Action taken
Production was moved from Lange Leemstraat in Antwerp to the former Heinz factory site in Turnhout.
Aftermath
The Antwerp factory site became available for redevelopment, while manufacturing continued from Turnhout.
2015
Acquisition of part of a German confectionery producerM&ABackground
The company sought to broaden its confectionery portfolio during a period of international development.
Action taken
Confiserie Roodthooft acquired part of a German confectionery producer and added Salmi, New Orleans and Chewy Toffee to its range.
Aftermath
The transaction expanded the products marketed under the company's portfolio, although the available reference material does not specify the acquired producer or financial terms.
1934
Launch of Caramella MokatineProduct launchBackground
After encountering sachetti-style wrapping technology in Italy, the company developed a coffee-flavoured caramel product suited to the format.
Action taken
Confiserie Roodthooft introduced Caramella Mokatine and used Italian wrapping machinery acquired from ACMA in Bologna.
Aftermath
Mokatine became the company's signature product and one of the best-known Belgian sweets associated with the Roodthooft name.
Recent events
- 2025
Roodthooft Mokatine receives a new brand identity[1]
Campaign · Product launch
Astra Sweets worked with Belgian design studio WeWantMore on a packaging and identity redesign for Roodthooft Mokatine, including a new visual system and an additional coffee-flavoured variant.
- 2022
Astra Sweets acquires Confiserie Roodthooft[1]
M&A
Astra Sweets acquired the Turnhout-based confectionery manufacturer in November 2022, bringing the Roodthooft portfolio into its confectionery group.
- 2019
Redevelopment plans announced for the former Antwerp factory[1]
Other
Plans were announced to convert the protected Lange Leemstraat industrial site into a residential project while retaining historic buildings.
- 2016
Confiserie Roodthooft relocates production from Antwerp to Turnhout[1]
Other
The company moved its production operations from the historic Lange Leemstraat complex in Antwerp to the former Heinz factory site in Turnhout.
Sources1 sources
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