Master baker Gerardus Leenaerts opened his first baker’s shop in the heart of the Limburg province in Belgium. He offered delicious tarts and breads made from traditional leavened dough recipes. As more and more customers were flocking to his door, Mr Leenaerts created the company, Narda.
Narda decided to focus exclusively on sugar-dusted waffles and spéculoos production.
On the other side of Belgium, in Coutisse (Namur region), AVIETA was created: 15-hectare orchard named “Au Vieux Tauve”, which produced raspberry coulis and waffles filled with fruits from the orchard.
Business flourished and as time went by AVIETA also moved into Brussels Waffles production. This proved to be a great success, with the quality of AVIETA’s waffles being appreciated in both Belgium and surrounding countries.
Patrick Limauge, the current owner of the company, bought Avieta. This bold and passionate Belgian entrepreneur convinced of the waffle market’s high potential, took up the challenge of developing AVIETA’s activities internationally.
In 1999, the Narda biscuit factory situated at the time on the Zonhoven site and specialised in the manufacture of sugar-dusted waffles, was also bought by Patrick Limauge. Avieta’s expertise was thus enriched and diversified.
In order to satisfy an increasing number of customers, AVIETA continued to forge ahead and invest. A spacious new production plant, complete with administrative head office, was built in Vinalmont.
Avieta adopted a growth strategy fostering products innovation to further expand into international markets.
Avieta began promoting its waffle ranges in North America.
